Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, KS
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Lawton leads 14 of 23 categories
Kansas City
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$56,120 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
276⚠ High
Population
155,438 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
14
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.
Kansas City, KS
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (6.0%)
Households earn $4,559 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Cons
Violent crime (1047.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3606.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
22% less violent crime than Kansas City
Rent averages $146/mo less ($898 vs $1,044)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 40°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Kansas City
Cons
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 6.0%)
Median income trails Kansas City by $4,559/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Median Income
$4,559
$56,120 vs $51,561/yr
Kansas City
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
6.0% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Violent Crime
22% lower
820.3 vs 1047.2 per 100k
Lawton
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 90.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, KS | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $133,800 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,044 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,120 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 234⚠ High | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 276⚠ High | 216⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 172⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.7% | 22.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 80.7% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Kansas City | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 155,438 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 34.1 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawton leads 14 of 23 categories. Kansas City wins 9 and Lawton 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 Kansas City to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($133,800 vs $125,500 median home), income ($56,120 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, KS and Lawton, OK are about 372 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.