Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Lawton leads 12 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
91,023
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
48% less violent crime than Lawton
Households earn $8,368 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (7.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 51°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than Lawton
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $472k less ($125,500 vs $597,200)
Rent averages $707/mo less ($898 vs $1,605)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 22.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Violent crime (820.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails El Monte by $8,368/yr
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 7.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Median Income
$8,368
$59,929 vs $51,561/yr
El Monte
Violent Crime
48% lower
423.2 vs 820.3 per 100k
El Monte
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
7.0% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$472k less
$125,500 vs $597,200
Lawton
Summer Heat
10.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C (78) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 22.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 34.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 44.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawton leads 12 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 11 and Lawton wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from El Monte to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $125,500 median home), income ($59,929 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Lawton, OK are about 1,117 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.