Overview

Introduction to Lawton, Oklahoma

Lawton is located in the south western portion of Oklahoma, close to the Wichita Mountains in Comanche County. The city is the cultural and commercial center for the region. Lawton is known for huge granite deposits as well as cotton. The city has been included on the Forbes' List of the "Best Small Places for Business and Careers."

History

Indian tribes had taken advantage of the natural resources offered in South West Oklahoma's Wichita Mountains such as wildlife, water and vegetation. Fort Sill was constructed in 1869 in the hostile Indian Territory. The city was named in tribute to Henry Lawton, the quartermaster at Fort Sill who partook in the capture of the well known Apache leader, Geronimo. He was taken to Fort Sill and placed in jail in 1894.

In 1901 the Rock Island Railroad arrived and a lottery was held for homestead claims for Lawton. One year after the lottery was completed, approximately 100 saloons had been established. Banks and stores were quickly open for business.

Gambling was a major activity until it was declared illegal in 1907. The huge population growth causes serious public health problems and led to a shortage of water and disregard for the law. the Indians resided outside of the city but often entered Lawton in order to conduct business. After World War II ended the city experienced a steady growth in population.

Activities

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife and Refuge is popular with hikers, rock climbing enthusiasts and tourists. The refuge features buffalo, elk, deer and numerous other animal and plant species. Popular destinations in the refuge include Holy City of Wichita, Lake Lawtonka, Quanah Parker Lake & Dam, Mount Scott and Quartz Mountain Nature Park. Lake Ellsworth is a popular location for outdoor activities.

Attractions and Entertainment

  • Medicine Park, located in the Wichita Mountains is a popular resort town which features structures made from naturally formed red granite cobblestones
  • McMahon Memorial Auditorium offers ballet performances, a variety of concerts and Broadway shows
  • Pioneer Heritage Town Site Center is a museum complex which portrays the life of residents during the 1920s
  • Lawton Community Theatre offers plays and musicals
  • Little Chapel is a restored Gothic Revival Church
  • Mattie Beal Home is situated on a large acreage and features Greek Revival style architecture and includes impressive woodwork and stained glass
  • Museum of the Great Plains offers exhibits on the history of the Great Plains of North America
  • Percussive Arts Society Museum features percussion instruments from all over the world

Higher Education

Lawton is home to Cameron University.

Demographics

People

Total Population94,697
Male Share of the Population51.8%
Female Share of the Population48.2%
Senior Citizens10.8%
Employed Population 16+43,508
Age of the Population31

Families

% of people married41.7%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher20%
Median Earnings25+$32,006
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$18,511
Median Earnings With High School Degree$27,393

Wealth

Median Family Income$57,213
% Above Poverty Level82.2%
% Below Poverty Level17.8%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time15 minutes
% Working from Home11.6%
% Walking and Biking to Work3.1%
% Using Public Transportation1.4%

Housing

People Living Alone31.5%
Median Gross Rent$828
Median House Value$113,900

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)47.8%
German12.9%
Irish9.8%
English5.3%
Italian2.4%
French Except Basque2.3%
Polish1.8%
Scottish1.5%
African1%
Swedish0.8%
West Indian0.7%
Norwegian0.6%
Welsh0.5%
Jamaican0.4%
Arab0.3%
Russian0.3%
Portuguese0.3%
Canadian0.3%
Nigerian0.2%
Finnish0.2%
Czech0.2%
Greek0.2%
Haitian0.1%
British0.1%
Ukrainian0.1%
Kenyan0.1%
Hungarian0.1%
Syrian0.1%
Lebanese0.1%
US/American0.1%
Austrian0.1%
Danishn0.1%
Lithuanian0.1%
Estonian0.1%
Dutch0.1%
Ghanaian0.1%
+ Show More

Lawton Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyComanche County
Standard Zip Codes73505, 73501, 73507, 73503
P.O. Box Zip Codes73506, 73502, 73558
Phone Area Codes580
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude34.6
Approximate Longitude-98.42

Lawton Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationLAWTON
Distance3.5 miles
Jan Temp26 to 50 F
Apr Temp49 to 73 F
Jul Temp73 to 96 F
Oct Temp52 to 76 F
Annual Precip31.6 inches
StationWALTERS
Distance17.5 miles
Jan Temp25 to 51 F
Apr Temp47 to 74 F
Jul Temp70 to 97 F
Oct Temp50 to 77 F
Annual Precip34 inches
StationDUNCAN
Distance25.3 miles
Jan Temp27 to 50 F
Apr Temp49 to 73 F
Jul Temp71 to 94 F
Oct Temp51 to 75 F
Annual Precip36.4 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Cache2,886$68,500
Elgin3,037$71,981
Faxon72$63,750
Geronimo1,006$57,604
Medicine Park291$71,875
Sterling617$49,028

Lawton Public Libraries

Lawton Public Library
110 S W 4TH ST
Lawton, Oklahoma
(580) 581-3450

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Lawton Hospitals

Jim Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center
(Government - State)
602 Sw 37th Street
(580) 248-5780
Southwestern Medical Center
(Proprietary)
5602 Sw Lee Boulevard
(580) 531-4700
Comanche County Memorial Hospital
(Government - District/authority)
3401 West Gore Boulevard
(580) 585-5511
Lawton Hospital
(Government - Federal)
1515 Lawrie Tatum Road
(580) 354-5000

Lawton Public Schools

Carriage Hills Es
215 Southeast Warwick Way
ZIP: 73501
(580) 248-6161
Primary
Total Enrollment 366
Flower Mound Public School
2805 Se Flower Mound Rd
ZIP: 73501
(580) 353-4088
Primary
Total Enrollment 331
Lincoln Es
601 Southwest Park Avenue
ZIP: 73501
(580) 355-4799
Primary
Total Enrollment 343
Macarthur Hs
4402 East Gore Boulevard
ZIP: 73501
(580) 355-5230
High
Total Enrollment 1107
Park Lane Es
4912 Southeast Avalon
ZIP: 73501
(580) 355-5811
Primary
Total Enrollment 204
Sullivan Village Es
3802 Southeast Elmhurst Lane
ZIP: 73501
(580) 355-0800
Primary
Total Enrollment 255
Adams Es
3501 Northwest Ferris Avenue
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-7983
Primary
Total Enrollment 224
Almor West Es
6902 Southwest Delta Avenue
ZIP: 73505
(580) 536-6006
Primary
Total Enrollment 354
Bishop Public School
2204 Southwest Bishop Road
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-4870
Primary
Total Enrollment 523
Brockland Es
6205 Northwest Ferris Avenue
ZIP: 73505
(580) 536-6948
Primary
Total Enrollment 196
Cleveland Es
1202 Southwest 27th Street
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-8861
Primary
Total Enrollment 306
Crosby Park Es
1602 Nw Horton Blvd
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-7107
Primary
Total Enrollment 278
Edison Es
5801 Northwest Columbia Avenue
ZIP: 73505
(580) 536-4223
Primary
Total Enrollment 391
Eisenhower Es
315 Southwest 52nd Street
ZIP: 73505
(580) 355-4599
Primary
Total Enrollment 340
Eisenhower Hs
5202 West Gore Boulevard
ZIP: 73505
(580) 355-9144
High
Total Enrollment 1335
Eisenhower Ms
5702 West Gore Boulevard
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-1040
Middle
Total Enrollment 878
Hugh Bish Es
5611 Nw Alan A Dale Ln
ZIP: 73505
(580) 248-2244
Primary
Total Enrollment 352
Jackson Es
2102 Northwest Lindy Avenue
ZIP: 73505
(580) 585-6380
Learning Tree Academy
1908 Northwest 38th Street
ZIP: 73505
(580) 355-6197
Primary
Total Enrollment 271
Ridgecrest Es
1614 Northwest 47th Street
ZIP: 73505
(580) 355-6033
Primary
Total Enrollment 495
Swinney Es
1431 Northwest 23rd Street
ZIP: 73505
(580) 353-7899
Primary
Total Enrollment 177
Tomlinson Ms
702 Northwest Homestead Drive
ZIP: 73505
(580) 585-6416
Middle
Total Enrollment 682
Woodland Hills Es
405 Northwest Woodland Drive
ZIP: 73505
(580) 536-7991
Primary
Total Enrollment 397
Beginnings Academy
501 Northwest Woodridge Drive
ZIP: 73507
(580) 585-6407
Primary
Total Enrollment 370
Central Ms
1201 Nw Fort Sill Blvd
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-8544
Middle
Total Enrollment 839
Lawton Hs
601 Nw Fort Sill Blvd
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-5170
High
Total Enrollment 1752
Macarthur Ms
510 Northeast 45th Street
ZIP: 73507
(580) 353-5111
Middle
Total Enrollment 730
Pat Henry Es
1401 Northwest Bessie Avenue
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-2617
Primary
Total Enrollment 554
Pioneer Park Es
3005 Northeast Angus Place
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-5844
Primary
Total Enrollment 326
Washington Es
805 Northwest Columbia Avenue
ZIP: 73507
(580) 353-6299
Primary
Total Enrollment 166
Whittier Es
1115 Northwest Laird Avenue
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-5238
Primary
Total Enrollment 247
Wilson Es
102 Northwest 17th Street
ZIP: 73507
(580) 355-1448
Primary
Total Enrollment 248

Lawton Private Schools

St Mary S Catholic School
611 Sw A Ave
ZIP: 73501
Elementary
Total Enrollment 105
Trinity Christian Academy
902 Sw A Ave
ZIP: 73501
Elementary
Total Enrollment 50
Lawton Academy Of Arts & Sciences
1911 Nw 72nd St
ZIP: 73505
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 120
Lawton Christian School
1 Nw Crusader Dr
ZIP: 73505
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 411
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