Oklahoma City vs Tulsa
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma versus Tulsa, Oklahoma: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa score about the same overall (46 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Oklahoma City | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $46k |
| Home Value | $197k | $174k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $958 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 1.09% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.99% | 8.99% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.00% | 11.13% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 39°F | 38°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.6 in | 43.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.7 in | 8.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 248 days | 268 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 42.3 | 48.9 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 29 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.8 | 54.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1532/100k | 2998/100k |
| Property Crime | 2812/100k | 4312/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 681,088 | 411,938 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+16 |
| White (%) | 52.5% | 53.0% |
| Black (%) | 13.4% | 14.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.1% | 17.3% |
| Asian (%) | 4.5% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 9.5% | 11.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 12.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 87.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.13 | 7.62 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Oklahoma City or Tulsa more affordable?
- Oklahoma City has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Oklahoma City's $45k and Tulsa's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Oklahoma City versus $958 in Tulsa.
- Is Oklahoma City or Tulsa safer?
- Oklahoma City has the lower violent crime rate. Oklahoma City reports 1532/100k and Tulsa reports 2998/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Oklahoma City or Tulsa?
- The median home value is $197k in Oklahoma City and $174k in Tulsa, so homes are more affordable in Tulsa.