Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hayward, CA VS Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 13 of 23 categories
Hayward
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index 118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income $105,371 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index 126⚠ High
Population 160,602 ✓ Larger
Norman
Oklahoma
13
wins
Cost of Living Index 91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income $62,849
Violent Crime Index 68 ✓ Safer
Population 127,701

Pros & Cons

Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.

Hayward, CA
Pros
Households earn $42,522 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 75°F vs 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 50°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $775,700
Higher rents — median is $2,260/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Norman
Violent crime (477.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $551k less ($224,900 vs $775,700)
Rent averages $1256/mo less ($1,004 vs $2,260)
45% less violent crime than Hayward
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Hayward
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Hayward by $42,522/yr

Key Differences at a Glance

Hayward
Median Income
$42,522
$105,371 vs $62,849/yr
Norman
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Violent Crime
45% lower
260.2 vs 477.1 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$551k less
$224,900 vs $775,700
Norman
Summer Heat
17.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 74.7°F

Full Data Comparison

Metric Hayward, CA Norman, OK
💰 Cost of Living
Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper 118.2⚠ High 91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Home Value $775,700⚠ High $224,900 ✓ Lower
Median Monthly Rent $2,260⚠ High $1,004 ✓ Lower
📈 Income & Economy
Median Household Income $105,371 ✓ Higher $62,849
Unemployment Rate 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower 5.8%⚠ High
Avg Commute Minutes each way 34.2 min⚠ High 22.6 min ✓ Shorter
Work From Home % 11.3% ✓ Higher 9.3%
🔒 Safety
Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property 145⚠ High 84 ✓ Safer
Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer 126⚠ High 68 ✓ Safer
Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer 174⚠ High 108⚠ High ✓ Safer
🎓 Education
School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment C+ (88) B+ (104) ✓ Better
Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes 21.3:1 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.5% 45.6% ✓ Higher
High School or Higher 82.6% 94.0% ✓ Higher
School District Name only — no quality rating available Hayward Unified NORMAN
🌤 Weather
Avg High — January 59.3°F ✓ Warmer 49.9°F
Avg High — July 74.7°F 92.5°F ✓ Warmer
Annual Precipitation 16.0" ✓ Drier 37.6"
Annual Snowfall 0.0" ✓ Less 4.1"
👥 Demographics
Population 160,602 ✓ Larger 127,701
Median Age 37.6 ✓ Older 31.0
Homeownership Rate 56.5% ✓ Higher 52.4%
Under 18 20.0% ✓ More 18.1%
Over 65 13.2% 13.4% ✓ More

Frequently Asked Questions

Hayward's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100). Norman is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 13 of 23 categories. Hayward wins 10 and Norman wins 13. 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 Hayward to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($775,700 vs $224,900 median home), income ($105,371 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hayward, CA and Norman, OK are about 1,382 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.

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