Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Indianapolis, IN
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Lawton leads 13 of 23 categories
Indianapolis
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$59,110 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
231⚠ High
Population
882,006 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
91,023
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Indianapolis, IN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.6%)
Households earn $7,549 more per year on average
More college-educated — 33.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 96°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Smaller class sizes — 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (877.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3336.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $59k less ($125,500 vs $184,600)
7% less violent crime than Indianapolis
Rent averages $148/mo less ($898 vs $1,046)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 34°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Violent crime (820.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Indianapolis by $7,549/yr
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Indianapolis
Median Income
$7,549
$59,110 vs $51,561/yr
Indianapolis
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Violent Crime
7% lower
820.3 vs 877.9 per 100k
Lawton
Median Home Value
$59k less
$125,500 vs $184,600
Lawton
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 83.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Indianapolis, IN | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $184,600 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,046 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,110 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.0 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.3% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 202⚠ High | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 231⚠ High | 216⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.4% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 87.2% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indianapolis Public Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.2°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.7°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.2" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.5" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 882,006 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 34.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Indianapolis's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawton leads 13 of 23 categories. Indianapolis wins 10 and Lawton 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 Indianapolis to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($184,600 vs $125,500 median home), income ($59,110 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Indianapolis, IN and Lawton, OK are about 763 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.