Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories
Kirkland
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015 ✓ 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.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $84,047 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Lawton
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Lawton
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $812k less ($125,500 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $1352/mo less ($898 vs $2,250)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $84,047/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Kirkland
Median Income
$84,047
$135,608 vs $51,561/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
93% lower
60.6 vs 820.3 per 100k
Kirkland
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$812k less
$125,500 vs $937,700
Lawton
Summer Heat
19.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories. Kirkland wins 13 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 Kirkland to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $125,500 median home), income ($135,608 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and Lawton, OK are about 1,522 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.