City profile · Oklahoma · Census ACS 2023

Lawton, OK

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lawton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

90,662
Residents
$53,588
Median income
$134,200
Median home
$1,001
Median rent (state)

Lawton - the verdict

Lawton ranks in the 25th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lawton, OK

90,662 people live in Lawton, Oklahoma - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lawton households earn a median of $53,588 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.1%. Home values in Lawton run a median of $134,200, and the median resident age is 32.1 years. About 22.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 75 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 103% from five years earlier. Lawton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3473.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.0°F with 34.2 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Oklahoma run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Oklahoma scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,001 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Oklahoma's average monthly utility costs around $205 (state average). Workers in Lawton report an average commute of 13.9 minutes, with 73.0% driving alone and 12.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

90,662 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oklahoma

Median Household Income

$53,588 /yr

Poverty 16.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oklahoma average

How does Lawton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lawton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Oklahoma and the picture shifts: Lawton ranks #186 of 203 Oklahoma cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lawton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Oklahoma only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Oklahoma-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Lawton toward the top of Oklahoma's cities

Among the 671 Oklahoma cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Lawton ranks #142 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lawton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#296 of 639
54th percentile in Oklahoma
Median Gross Rent
#177 of 671
72nd percentile in Oklahoma
Median Home Value
#197 of 628
68th percentile in Oklahoma
Poverty Rate
#240 of 671
64th percentile in Oklahoma
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#142 of 671
78th percentile in Oklahoma

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Oklahoma only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

25thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lawton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lawton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 38 Avg. percentile National median
Lawton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lawton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$134,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lawton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lawton, OK Lawton, OK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lawton, OK-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lawton, OK median $53,588/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lawton, OK's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lawton, OK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
90,662
Median Income
$53,588
Median Home Value
$134,200
Median Age
32.1
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Labor force participation
45.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3473.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
820.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2652.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.0°F
Annual Precipitation
34.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
90,000 residents90,500 residents91,000 residents91,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 90,377 residents 90,503 residents ▲ +0.1%
Lawton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
75
housing units authorized
Single-Family
69
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 37
2020 45
2021 66
2022 33
2023 104
2024 75

Permit volume increased 103% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.9 minutes
Drive Alone
73.0%
Carpool
9.2%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
12.5%
Other
2.5%

Based on 40,491 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Oklahoma - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$205
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Oklahoma state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Oklahoma state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lawton sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oklahoma

Edmond
95,618 people
Broken Arrow
115,919 people
Moore
63,045 people
Midwest City
58,170 people
Norman
128,714 people
Enid
50,821 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawton's 90,662 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Indio, CA
90,669 people
Hemet, CA
90,646 people
Avondale, AZ
90,644 people
Germantown, MD
90,521 people
Alafaya, FL
90,874 people
Nashua, NH
91,131 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawton's $53,588 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Zolfo Springs, FL
$53,587 median income
Chester, MT
$53,583 median income
Lake Luzerne, NY
$53,594 median income
Dawson, PA
$53,594 median income
Reliance, SD
$53,594 median income
Fort Bragg, CA
$53,580 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lawton, OK Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lawton, OK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 53.6% 18.9% 16.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.0% White 53.6% Black or African American 18.9% Asian 3.0% American Indian 4.6% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 16.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lawton compares to nearby Oklahoma cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lawton (this city) 90,662 $53,588
Edmond 95,618 $102,032
Broken Arrow 115,919 $85,220
Moore 63,045 $76,941
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lawton, OK?

What is the population of Lawton, OK? +

90,662 people live in Lawton, OK according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lawton, OK? +

In Lawton, the typical household earns $53,588 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lawton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lawton; the closest available measure is the Oklahoma state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Oklahoma vary by metro area.

Is Lawton, OK safe? +

Lawton has a total crime rate of 3473.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lawton, OK? +

A typical home in Lawton is worth $134,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lawton? +

Lawton has an average annual temperature of 62.0°F, 34.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.