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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The remote work era changed the math: earn a tech salary, live in an affordable market. We analyzed 4 cities across Oklahoma for that equation. Broken Arrow — cost index 98, utilities 99, rent $1,671/mo — leads (that's pre-tax, of course).
119,194 residents · Oklahoma
A closer look at Broken Arrow: the cost index of 98 breaks down to a Housing index of 98 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,671/month — 12% below the national median — while household income sits at $85,220, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
The #2 spot goes to Oklahoma, and the breakdown explains why. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Renters here pay $1,255/month — we had to double-check this one — — saving renters $7,680 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 73, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
411,894 residents · Oklahoma
In plain English: What does daily life actually cost in Tulsa? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. And more often than not, on the category level, Housing (index 70) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 94) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $58,407 and homes at $212,757 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons. Below the radar, but not for long.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
Real talk: Norman comes in at #4. Rent is $1,289 — we had to double-check this one — a month. Household income is $65,060. The cost of living index is 75. It's fine. Not great, not bad (that's pre-tax, of course).
#1 Ranked: Broken Arrow — cost index 98, rent $1,671/mo, income $85,220
Broken Arrow: high income, low cost — a rare combo
Remote-worker scoring: cost index 98, utilities index 99, income $85,220 — maximizing geographic arbitrage
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The remote work era changed the math: earn a tech salary, live in an affordable market. We analyzed 4 cities across Oklahoma for that equation. Broken Arrow — cost index 98, utilities 99, rent $1,671/mo — leads (that's pre-tax, of course).
Broken Arrow: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Broken Arrow earns above the national median ($85,220 — though some people might weigh that differently — vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 98 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Here's Broken Arrow by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And generally speaking, cost index: 98. Rent: $1,671/month — for better or worse — . Income: $85,220/year. Home price: $283,474. Population: 119,194. The strongest category is Housing at 98; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,688 per year vs. the national median. The practical impact: more room for childcare, savings, or just breathing room.
In plain English: Remote workers profit from geographic arbitrage. And more often than not, our model scores cost index (20pts), local income as a proxy for economic infrastructure (15pts), and utility costs (10pts) — because when your living room is your office, reliable affordable internet and power matter. Broken Arrow scores highest with a 98 cost index and 99 utilities index. Oklahoma offers even cheaper utilities. Solidly above average.
The counter-argument is worth hearing: Oklahoma — energy economy and persistently low costs. The 4 cities we track here average a cost index of 79 and median income of $68,847. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,356/month, which is $539 less than the national median. Surprising? Maybe. But the data's clear.
Bottom line: Broken Arrow leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And for the typical household, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
Broken Arrow earns above the national median ($85,220 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 98 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it.
Rent in #1-ranked Broken Arrow has increased from $1,624 to $1,671/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
Broken Arrow ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 98 and median income of $85,220.
Broken Arrow scores highest for remote workers due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,671/mo, and above-average median income of $85,220.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Broken Arrow (ranked #1) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,671/mo, while Norman (ranked #4) has a cost index of 75 and rent of $1,289/mo — a 23-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Broken Arrow is $1,671/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $224 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Broken Arrow is $283,474, which is 3.3× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Oklahoma has a 4.75% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.97%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.82%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.