Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lawton, OK
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Lawton
Oklahoma
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
91,023
Lehigh Acres
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $106k less ($125,500 vs $231,500)
Rent averages $500/mo less ($898 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 20 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
More college-educated — 22.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 Lehigh Acres by $8,172/yr
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.5%)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.5%)
Households earn $8,172 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 51°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 96°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Lawton
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Lawton
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$106k less
$125,500 vs $231,500
Lawton
Summer Heat
5.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 90.6°F
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$8,172
$59,733 vs $51,561/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lawton, OK | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $125,500 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $898 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,561 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.9% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 180⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 216⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (78) | C (81) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.5% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LAWTON | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.4°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.2" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,023 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.7% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lawton's cost of living index is 87.6 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Lawton wins 10 and Lehigh Acres wins 10. 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 Lawton to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($125,500 vs $231,500 median home), income ($51,561 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lawton, OK and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,139 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.