Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norman, OK
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Norman leads 16 of 23 categories
Norman
Oklahoma
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norman, OK
Pros
52% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $7,115 more per year on average
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Yakima
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Yakima, WA
Pros
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Norman by $7,115/yr
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Norman
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Norman
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 101.6 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Median Income
$7,115
$62,849 vs $55,734/yr
Norman
Violent Crime
52% lower
260.2 vs 544.3 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$18k less
$224,900 vs $243,300
Norman
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
5.8% vs 8.1% unemployment
Norman
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 88.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norman, OK | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 101.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $224,900 ✓ Lower | $243,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,004 ✓ Lower | $1,014 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,849 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.6 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.3% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.6% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NORMAN | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.6" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.1" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 127,701 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 33.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.4% | 53.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norman's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Norman is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 16 of 23 categories. Norman wins 16 and Yakima wins 7. 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 Norman to Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($224,900 vs $243,300 median home), income ($62,849 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norman, OK and Yakima, WA are about 1,435 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.