Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Wayne, IN
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Fort Wayne leads 13 of 23 categories
Fort Wayne
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0
Median Household Income
$58,233 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
81 ✓ Safer
Population
264,514 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
10
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.
Fort Wayne, IN
Pros
63% less violent crime than Lawton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.8%)
Households earn $6,672 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 96°F
More college-educated — 28.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $27k less ($125,500 vs $152,500)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 33°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Wayne
Cons
Violent crime (820.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Fort Wayne by $6,672/yr
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Wayne
Median Income
$6,672
$58,233 vs $51,561/yr
Fort Wayne
Violent Crime
63% lower
307.5 vs 820.3 per 100k
Fort Wayne
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 90.0 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$27k less
$125,500 vs $152,500
Lawton
Summer Heat
11.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 84.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Wayne, IN | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.0 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $152,500 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $904 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,233 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.1 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.9% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 91 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fort Wayne Community Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.6°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.1°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.7" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 264,514 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 35.1 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Wayne's cost of living index is 90.0 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Wayne leads 13 of 23 categories. Fort Wayne wins 13 and Lawton wins 10. 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 Fort Wayne to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($152,500 vs $125,500 median home), income ($58,233 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Wayne, IN and Lawton, OK are about 850 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.