City comparison
Lawrence, KS is about 275 miles (450 km) from Norman, OK in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 350 miles, or about 5 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Lawrence, KS to Norman, OK takes about 34 min, covering roughly 275 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Norman has a population of 127,701, vs 95,103 in Lawrence — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Norman covers about 180 sq mi vs 35 sq mi for Lawrence.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lawrence | Norman | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,038/mo | $1,004/mo | 3.4% higher in Lawrence |
| Median home value | $247,300 | $224,900 | 10.0% higher in Lawrence |
| Median household income | $59,834 | $62,849 | 5.0% higher in Norman |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.2 | ≈ equal (Lawrence slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 89.5 | 75.9 | 17.9% higher in Lawrence |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 95.9 | 1.9% higher in Norman |
| Healthcare index | 94.3 | 95.4 | 1.2% higher in Norman |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lawrence, you'd need $100,071 in Norman to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lawrence and Norman have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Lawrence, you'd need about $80,057 in Norman to keep the same standard of living.