Jobs, pay and daily life in Lawton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lawton is a city in Oklahoma with 90,595 residents. The median household earns $54,433 a year and the median rent is $967 a month, which is 21.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Lawton, OK metropolitan area, where BLS counts 42,810 jobs.
How Lawton compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oklahoma, Lawton is #6 by population, #57 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #7 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #8 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Comanche County, is #24 of 77 counties for average pay ($51,305).
Lawton has 90,595 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 2.2% of the population of Oklahoma. It covers 82 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,109 people per square mile. The median age is 32.3, 13% younger than the state median (32.3 against 37.0).
The median gross rent is $967 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($967 against $1,014). Over a year that is 21.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $142,100, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($54,433); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 44.8% of households own their home, 32% below the state average (44.8% against 65.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Lawton, OK metropolitan area has 42,810 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $42,090 a year, 17% below the national median ($42,090 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,650 jobs, median $38,090); food preparation and serving related (4,820 jobs, median $26,790); sales and related (4,060 jobs, median $30,170). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($38,090). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Comanche County was 4.4%. 49.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Comanche County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.5% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 12.0% work from home. 5.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 53% below the state average (5.0% against 10.4%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
22.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (22.5% against 28.4%). 6.4% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (6.4% against 6.4%). The poverty rate is 21.1%, 38% above the state rate (21.1% against 15.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 85°F (29.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 838 mm (33 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (125 mm) and Jan the driest (34 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Duncan (28 miles, rent 7% lower); Chickasha (40 miles, rent 8% lower); Wichita Falls (49 miles, rent 6% higher); Altus (51 miles, rent 12% lower). Rent differences are against Lawton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oklahoma (915) →State guide: OklahomaCountry guideComanche CountyOklahoma rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 915 federal postings open in Oklahoma (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Oklahoma →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 990 | 1.07 | $80,570 | $64,840 | $101,850 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 970 | 1.01 | $77,840 | $41,380 | $165,300 | -26% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 510 | 1.20 | $43,550 | $28,740 | $60,800 | -12% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 610 | 4.99 | $37,450 | $22,860 | $38,690 | +0% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 570 | 1.20 | $37,240 | $25,700 | $56,210 | -22% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,090 | 1.60 | $35,370 | $22,640 | $50,940 | -21% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 840 | 1.17 | $35,080 | $27,890 | $48,440 | -22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 520 | 1.54 | $34,580 | $24,720 | $49,790 | -22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 900 | 1.15 | $34,560 | $27,560 | $39,310 | -7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 750 | 1.23 | $30,290 | $24,210 | $40,040 | -18% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,370 | 1.28 | $28,150 | $21,820 | $39,410 | -21% |
| Cashiers | 1,120 | 1.31 | $27,250 | $21,530 | $34,090 | -17% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,310 | 1.23 | $22,430 | $18,250 | $29,480 | -28% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 700 | 1.12 | $17,150 | $15,080 | $40,450 | -51% |
These figures are for the whole Lawton, OK metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $42,090 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.1% |
| Retail trade | 11.3% |
| Manufacturing | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.8% |
| Public administration | 8.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.7% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lawton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comanche County | 121,825 | $6,959 million | $57,126 | 41,346 | 2,708 | $51,305 | +1.0% | 4.4% | 49,024 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 5,005 | 18.0% | $31,803 | 1.21 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,711 | 17.0% | $22,297 | 1.25 |
| Manufacturing | 3,884 | 14.0% | $79,466 | 1.14 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,339 | 12.0% | $46,130 | 0.56 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,531 | 9.1% | $47,402 | 1.04 |
| Construction | 1,627 | 5.9% | $56,337 | 0.75 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,408 | 5.1% | $76,371 | 0.49 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,252 | 4.5% | $58,262 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 836 | 3.0% | $49,815 | 0.48 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 700 | 2.5% | $40,084 | 0.56 |
| Wholesale trade | 556 | 2.0% | $51,506 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 539 | 1.9% | $47,252 | 0.84 |
| Information | 346 | 1.2% | $58,806 | 0.45 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 283 | 1.0% | $17,750 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 260 | 0.9% | $94,597 | 1.65 |
| Management of companies | 259 | 0.9% | $80,765 | 0.37 |
| Educational services | 235 | 0.8% | $36,309 | 0.27 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.5% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 2.5% |
| Work from home | 12.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,433 |
| Income per person | $28,349 |
| Median gross rent per month | $967 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.3% |
| Median home value | $142,100 |
| Homeowners | 44.8% |
| Poverty rate | 21.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $42,090 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.5% |
| Born abroad | 6.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 49.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 34 |
| Feb | 6.1 | 43 | 42 |
| Mar | 11.9 | 53 | 58 |
| Apr | 17.0 | 63 | 82 |
| May | 21.9 | 71 | 125 |
| Jun | 26.9 | 80 | 105 |
| Jul | 29.3 | 85 | 70 |
| Aug | 29.1 | 84 | 78 |
| Sep | 24.3 | 76 | 80 |
| Oct | 17.3 | 63 | 82 |
| Nov | 10.7 | 51 | 42 |
| Dec | 4.8 | 41 | 40 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan | OK | 28 mi | 22,958 | $58,054 | $896 |
| Chickasha | OK | 40 mi | 16,539 | $54,111 | $888 |
| Wichita Falls | TX | 49 mi | 102,581 | $60,177 | $1,022 |
| Altus | OK | 51 mi | 18,646 | $55,295 | $854 |
| Blanchard | OK | 57 mi | 9,215 | $91,473 | $962 |
| Tuttle | OK | 61 mi | 8,040 | $103,994 | $1,016 |
| Newcastle | OK | 64 mi | 13,001 | $93,398 | $1,105 |
| Weatherford | OK | 65 mi | 12,004 | $54,704 | $804 |
| Mustang | OK | 66 mi | 22,192 | $87,844 | $1,287 |
| Clinton | OK | 69 mi | 8,388 | $58,207 | $883 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
90,595 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$967 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.3% of the median household income.
$54,433 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Comanche County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oklahoma. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.