Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakeland, FL
VS
Oklahoma City, OK
🏆 Oklahoma City leads 14 of 23 categories
Lakeland
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
681,088 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakeland, FL
Pros
92% less violent crime than Oklahoma City
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 49°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Oklahoma City
Median income trails Oklahoma City by $5,961/yr
Oklahoma City, OK
Pros
Rent averages $205/mo less ($1,012 vs $1,217)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.5%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Households earn $5,961 more per year on average
More college-educated — 33.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Violent crime (676.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakeland
Violent Crime
92% lower
56.0 vs 676.0 per 100k
Oklahoma City
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Oklahoma City
Median Income
$5,961
$64,251 vs $58,290/yr
Oklahoma City
Median Home Value
$11k less
$196,700 vs $207,800
Oklahoma City
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakeland, FL | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $207,800 | $196,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,217 | $1,012 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,290 | $64,251 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% | 8.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 15 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 15 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 33.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.1% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | POLK | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,404 | 681,088 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakeland's cost of living index is 100.7 vs Oklahoma City's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Oklahoma City is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Oklahoma City leads 14 of 23 categories. Lakeland wins 9 and Oklahoma City 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 Lakeland to Oklahoma City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($207,800 vs $196,700 median home), income ($58,290 vs $64,251), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakeland, FL and Oklahoma City, OK are about 1,046 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.