The Town FilesLawton, Oklahoma
City in Comanche County · population 90,381 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $142,100
- Household income
- $54,433
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 32.3
Lawton is a city of 90,381 people in Comanche County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $142,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Oklahoma towns, better transit than 95% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 94% of Oklahoma towns.
How Lawton ranks
Percentile among Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oklahoma towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lawton is worth $142,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $54,433, which is more affordable than 41% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $967 a month. 44.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawton | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,100 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $967 | $830 |
| Median household income | $54,433 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 44.8% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Lawton
| People | Lawton | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.1% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 15.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 86.0% |
Weather in Lawton
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.8 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawton since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 24, 1957 about 3.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 113 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 27, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 227 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 15, 2023.
Severe weather in Comanche County since 1996
Comanche County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 21, 2020 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4575: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Comanche County
Comanche County had 41,346 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,305 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Lawton itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in Lawton
26 public schools with 14,911 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EISENHOWER HS | 9-12 | 1,430 | 17.9 |
| LAWTON HS | 9-12 | 1,332 | 15.1 |
| FREEDOM ES | PK-5 | 1,314 | 20.5 |
| MACARTHUR HS | 9-12 | 1,214 | 16.9 |
| EISENHOWER MS | 6-8 | 1,063 | 16.6 |
| CENTRAL MS | 6-8 | 954 | 16.4 |
| MACARTHUR MS | 6-8 | 873 | 15.6 |
| BISHOP PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-6 | 566 | 19.5 |
| PAT HENRY ES | PK-5 | 542 | 16.9 |
| EDISON ES | PK-5 | 541 | 22.5 |
| WOODLAND HILLS ES | PK-5 | 454 | 19.7 |
| RIDGECREST ES | PK-5 | 444 | 19.3 |
Towns near Lawton
- Geronimo, OK9.5 mi · 1,158 people · home $93,500
- Cache, OK11.3 mi · 2,930 people · home $162,700
- Elgin, OK13.6 mi · 3,656 people · home $260,700
- Sterling, OK16.8 mi · 668 people · home $131,900
- Fletcher, OK17.9 mi · 1,204 people · home $148,300
- Walters, OK18.3 mi · 2,412 people · home $126,900
- Central High, OK18.9 mi · 1,181 people · home $211,200
- Apache, OK19.5 mi · 1,034 people · home $86,100
Lawton questions
Is Lawton, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawton scores better for retirees than 5% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 3%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Lawton?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawton is valued at $142,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,433, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $967 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawton?
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.8 inches of snow.
Does Lawton get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 24, 1957. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)