Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Grand Prairie, TX
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Grand Prairie leads 14 of 23 categories
Grand Prairie
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
9
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.
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
73% less violent crime than Lawton
Households earn $25,065 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 26.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,381/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Lawton
Longer commutes — 28.1 min average each way
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $117k less ($125,500 vs $242,900)
Rent averages $483/mo less ($898 vs $1,381)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Grand Prairie
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Grand Prairie by $25,065/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 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Grand Prairie
Median Income
$25,065
$76,626 vs $51,561/yr
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
73% lower
221.2 vs 820.3 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$117k less
$125,500 vs $242,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Grand Prairie, TX | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,900 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,381⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,626 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.1 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 81.3% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.5°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,279 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.3% | 12.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Prairie's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Grand Prairie leads 14 of 23 categories. Grand Prairie wins 14 and Lawton wins 9. 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 Grand Prairie to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,900 vs $125,500 median home), income ($76,626 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Grand Prairie, TX and Lawton, OK are about 156 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.