Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lawton, OK
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Lawton leads 14 of 23 categories
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
Tulsa
Oklahoma
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5
Median Household Income
$56,648 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
248⚠ High
Population
411,938 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $49k less ($125,500 vs $174,200)
13% less violent crime than Tulsa
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
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 5.8%)
Median income trails Tulsa by $5,087/yr
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 32.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $5,087 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Violent crime (941.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3627.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lawton
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 89.5 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Violent Crime
13% lower
820.3 vs 941.9 per 100k
Lawton
Median Home Value
$49k less
$125,500 vs $174,200
Tulsa
Median Income
$5,087
$56,648 vs $51,561/yr
Tulsa
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lawton, OK | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper | 89.5 |
| Median Home Value | $125,500 ✓ Lower | $174,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $898 ✓ Lower | $958 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,561 | $56,648 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter | 18.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.9% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 216⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (78) | C+ (87) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.5% | 32.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LAWTON | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 93.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.2" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.3" ✓ Less | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,023 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.7% | 52.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lawton's cost of living index is 87.6 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawton leads 14 of 23 categories. Lawton wins 14 and Tulsa 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 Lawton to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($125,500 vs $174,200 median home), income ($51,561 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lawton, OK and Tulsa, OK are about 176 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.