Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hemet, CA
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 14 of 23 categories
Hemet
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,901
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
89,651
Norman
Oklahoma
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hemet, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 50°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,357/mo
Median income trails Norman by $12,948/yr
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Norman
Higher unemployment (9.5% vs 5.8%)
Norman, OK
Pros
39% less violent crime than Hemet
Rent averages $353/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,357)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $12,948 more per year on average
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Norman
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Median Income
$12,948
$62,849 vs $49,901/yr
Norman
Violent Crime
39% lower
260.2 vs 424.8 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$52k less
$224,900 vs $277,200
Norman
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
5.8% vs 9.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hemet, CA | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $277,200 | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,357⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,901 | $62,849 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.8 min⚠ High | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 98 | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (78) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.9:1 | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.9% | 45.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 79.9% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hemet Unified | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.8°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer | 92.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.2" ✓ Drier | 37.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 4.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,651 | 127,701 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.0 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% ✓ Higher | 52.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 22.4% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hemet's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 14 of 23 categories. Hemet wins 9 and Norman wins 14. 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 Hemet to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($277,200 vs $224,900 median home), income ($49,901 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hemet, CA and Norman, OK are about 1,122 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.