First Impressions

Lawton Fort Sill is the largest metropolitan area in Southwest Oklahoma.

History

Fort Sill was established in 1869 for stationing cavalry troops during the Indian Wars and is the oldest military installation in Oklahoma. Lawton was founded in 1901 when the Kiowa-Comanche reservation was opened for settlement.

Climate

The average high temperature in July is 95 degrees, the average low temperature in January is 26 degrees. The area receives an average of 28 inches of rain and two inches of snowfall each year. Lawton Fort Sill sits 1,142 feet above sea level.

Location

Lawton is centrally located in the heart of southwest Oklahoma. Fort Sill is located on its northern border and flows into the distinctive Wichita Mountains. Five highways connect Lawton Fort Sill. Interstate 44 leads north to Oklahoma City or south to Wichita Falls, Texas. State Highway 62 leads west to Altus. State Highway 7 leads east to Duncan. Highways 71 and 281 connect to other nearby communities.

Cost of Living

In 2014, the cost of living in Lawton was 94.2% of the national average, with housing costs at only 91.0% of the national average.

Population

The population of Lawton as of Census 2014 was 97,149

Household

As of the Census 2013, the average household size in Lawton was 2.48 persons. 64.5% of households are families. The median household income was $37,197. As of 2011, 20.5% of Lawton’s population aged 18 and older were civilian veterans of the military.

Top Employers

Fort Sill

Fort Sill MWR & Patriot Club

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Lawton Constitution

Lawton Public Schools

EZ Go Stores – Johnson Oil Co

Comanche County Memorial Hospital

Halliburton Serco Inc.

Duncan Public Schools

Northrop Grumman

Walmart/Sam’s

City of Lawton

Southwestern Medical Center

 

The Geo Group

Comanche Nation Casino

Great Plains Technology Center

Bar-S Foods

Comanche County

Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Fort Sill National Bank

Apache Casino Hotel

Kiowa Casino

Family Dollar Distribution Center

City National Bank

Arvest Bank

Department of Transportation

Cameron University