© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Lawton.
About
Life in Lawton
Fort Sill anchors the local economy—it's the largest employer with over 5,000 jobs—but the reality of daily life here extends well beyond the military base. Lawton's job market has diversified into manufacturing (Goodyear employs 2,400), healthcare, education, and retail, with recent growth like Firehawk Aerospace opening a $22 million rocket fuel facility. You'll experience what Great Plains living actually means—flat prairie broken by the Wichita Mountains to the north, summer heat averaging 21 days over 100°F with strong dry winds that help cool things down, mild winters with occasional hard freezes, and real tornado season from late April through early June that demands respect and preparedness.
Lawton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.1%
Foreign-Born
6.4%
Broadband Internet
90.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lawton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lawton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (15.7%), and 6.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.2%
of households
Married Couples
34.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.43
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for OK
Rent, home values, and income in Lawton
In Lawton, home values are 29% below the OK average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,329
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
44.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $144,725 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above OK average
Unemployment in Lawton
Unemployment in Lawton is 0.6 percentage points higher than the OK average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lawton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.2 min avg
How Lawton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lawton, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Lawton Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW)
Regional airport · few flights40k passengers boarded in 2025
- 141 mi
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Major hub41.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 134% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lawton runs 134% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
769.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,346
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lawton Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 34 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Comanche County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Comanche County, which includes Lawton, the most common type is hail, with 34 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | Hail | $360,000 |
| 2024 | 39 | Heat | $190,900 |
| 2023 | 36 | Hail | $137,000 |
| 2022 | 30 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $547,000 |
| 2020 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 22 | Hail | $174,000 |
| 2018 | 34 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
27 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Comanche County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Comanche County, which includes Lawton, is typically good — 239 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
239
per year
Moderate Days
115
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Comanche County, county-wide
Climate94°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lawton has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.2"
Annual Snowfall
2.3"
Hot Days/Year
83
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
70
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
69
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 28°F | 1.21" |
| Feb | 56°F | 31°F | 1.71" |
| Mar | 64°F | 41°F | 2.42" |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 3.28" |
| May | 82°F | 59°F | 4.95" |
| Jun | 90°F | 68°F | 4.22" |
| Jul | 96°F | 72°F | 2.85" |
| Aug | 96°F | 72°F | 3.49" |
| Sep | 86°F | 64°F | 3.12" |
| Oct | 76°F | 51°F | 2.93" |
| Nov | 63°F | 39°F | 2.06" |
| Dec | 53°F | 30°F | 1.94" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lawton
Lawton has 4 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
12.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Memorial Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Southwestern Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Lawton Indian Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Jim Taliaferro Comm Mental Health Ctr
Psychiatric
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lawton
Lawton's student/teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
25
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Lawton
Public · 4-year · 2,492 students · in-state tuition $7,095 · 28% graduate · median earnings $42,927 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Oklahoma City National Memorial, 78 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lawton
Lawton has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Oklahoma City National Memorial (78 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oklahoma City National Memorial
National Memorial
78 mi awayChickasaw National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
81 mi awayWashita Battlefield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lawton
Lawton Public Library
110 S W 4th St, Lawton
Lawton - Kathleen Wyatt Nicholson Library
1304 Nw Kingswood Road, Lawton
Cities Near Lawton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lawton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lawton FAQ
Is Lawton, Oklahoma affordable?⌄
Lawton's median rent is $967/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $54,433/year. Median home value is $142,100.
Is Lawton, Oklahoma safe?⌄
Lawton's violent crime rate was 769 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2346 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lawton, Oklahoma?⌄
Lawton has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lawton, Oklahoma?⌄
The cost of living in Lawton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $967/month and median household income is $54,433/year. The median home value is $142,100. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lawton, Oklahoma?⌄
The average commute in Lawton is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from