Tulsa, OK

Census place 4075000 · pop 413,794

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
D
in OK
📍 Oklahoma ranks #19 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$1,253/mo · top 15%
🚽 Inequality0.51 · bottom 9%
💡 Did you know?

Once called the 'Oil Capital of the World,' and site of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre in the Greenwood district.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.98% property · US 0.99%9.06% sales · US 7.00%up to 4.50% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.519

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Physical inactivity33.8%12

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

33.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Homeownership51.9%19

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

51.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults14.4%20

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

14.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poverty rate18.7%21

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

18.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking16.3%24

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health18.8%24

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Median household income$59,83828

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$59,838 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity37.5%34

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

37.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access89.7%36

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level5 days36

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level44 AQI44

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+2.9%50

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+2.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden0.98%50

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.98% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher33.6%57

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

33.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.3%67

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$205,30070

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$205,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level74/10071

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

74/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time19 min82

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Rent$1,253/mo85

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,253/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Not measured for Tulsa: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Tulsa, OK a good place to live?
By the numbers, Tulsa scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is income inequality. Oklahoma overall ranks #19 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Tulsa, OK expensive to live in?
Tulsa has a median home value of $205,300 and typical rent around $1,253/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Tulsa, OK?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.51) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Tulsa, OK best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,253/mo) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Once called the 'Oil Capital of the World,' and site of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre in the Greenwood district.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.