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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Oklahoma using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Tulsa comes out…
#1 Ranked: Tulsa — cost index 70, rent $1,207/mo, income $58,407
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Oklahoma using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Tulsa comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Why Tulsa ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 70 on the cost index, residents save roughly 41% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,207/month while the median household pulls in $58,407/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 70, though Healthcare (94) lags behind. Home prices average $212,757 — $254,613 below the national median.
Bottom line: Tulsa leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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.
411,894 residents · Oklahoma
So, Tulsa. That's more or less in line with the region. Cost index of 70 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — , rent at $1,207/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $58,407, which is below the national median. It lines up with what you'd expect.
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Dive into Oklahoma's numbers: cost index 73 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (38 points below national average), rent $1,255/month, income $66,702, and a home price of $203,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 95. As a major city with 702,767 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
Norman is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,289/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 75. Income sits at $65,060. That tracks.
119,194 residents · Oklahoma
Here's Broken Arrow by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 98. Rent: $1,671/month. 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. That's a number worth sharing with anyone who says affordable cities can't have good jobs (that's pre-tax, of course).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tulsa | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $22,912 |
2Oklahoma | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $22,912 |
3Norman | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $22,912 |
4Broken Arrow | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $22,912 |
Tulsa ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 70 and median income of $58,407.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Tulsa, rent would consume about 48% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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.
Tulsa (ranked #1) has a cost index of 70 and rent of $1,207/mo, while Broken Arrow (ranked #4) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,671/mo — a 28-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 Tulsa is $1,207/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $688 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.75% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Tulsa is approximately $22,912/year ($1,909/month). After median rent of $1,207/month, you'd have roughly $8,428/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Tulsa is $212,757, which is 3.6× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.