Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lawton, OK
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 Richardson leads 16 of 23 categories
Lawton
Oklahoma
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
91,023
Richardson
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $254k less ($125,500 vs $379,800)
Rent averages $827/mo less ($898 vs $1,725)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Richardson
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Richardson by $42,801/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 5.0%)
Richardson, TX
Pros
Households earn $42,801 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Lawton
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $379,800
Higher rents — median is $1,725/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Lawton
Key Differences at a Glance
Lawton
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$254k less
$125,500 vs $379,800
Richardson
Median Income
$42,801
$94,362 vs $51,561/yr
Richardson
Violent Crime
82% lower
146.7 vs 820.3 per 100k
Richardson
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lawton, OK | Richardson, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $125,500 ✓ Lower | $379,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $898 ✓ Lower | $1,725⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,561 | $94,362 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.9% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 180⚠ High | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 216⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (78) | A+ (133) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.5% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LAWTON | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.4°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.2" ✓ Drier | 40.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.3" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,023 | 118,063 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.7% | 51.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 12.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lawton's cost of living index is 87.6 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Richardson leads 16 of 23 categories. Lawton wins 7 and Richardson wins 16. 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($125,500 vs $379,800 median home), income ($51,561 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lawton, OK and Richardson, TX are about 150 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.