Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 11 of 20 categories
Germantown
Maryland
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
Norman
Oklahoma
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849
Violent Crime Index
68
Population
127,701 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $46,419 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.2%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 93°F
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Norman
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Norman, OK
Pros
Rent averages $904/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,908)
Homes cost $169k less ($224,900 vs $393,700)
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $46,419/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$46,419
$109,268 vs $62,849/yr
Germantown
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Norman
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Median Home Value
$169k less
$224,900 vs $393,700
Norman
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 84.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 84 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 68 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 45.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" | 37.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" | 4.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 127,701 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 52.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% ✓ More | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Norman leads 11 of 20 categories. Germantown wins 9 and Norman wins 11. 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 Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $224,900 median home), income ($109,268 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and Norman, OK are about 1,135 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.