Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Germantown
Maryland
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
Lawton
Oklahoma
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
91,023 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $57,707 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 96°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Lawton
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $268k less ($125,500 vs $393,700)
Rent averages $1010/mo less ($898 vs $1,908)
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 39°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $57,707/yr
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
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$57,707
$109,268 vs $51,561/yr
Germantown
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.2% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$268k less
$125,500 vs $393,700
Lawton
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 84.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 91,023 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Germantown wins 10 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 Germantown to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $125,500 median home), income ($109,268 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and Lawton, OK are about 1,208 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.