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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
If there's one takeaway from this page, it's this: 1 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 1 cities (25%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
If there's one takeaway from this page, it's this: 1 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 1 cities (25%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 1 cities (25%) 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.
The numbers for Tulsa are straightforward: 70 on the cost index, $1,207/month rent, $58,407 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
What you won't find on most comparison sites: Here's the state-level backdrop: Oklahoma averages a 79 cost index, $1,356/mo rent, and $68,847 income across 4 cities. That's $539 less than the national rent average. Energy economy and persistently low costs — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Tulsa — cost index 70, rent $1,207/mo, income $58,407
1 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K
1 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
411,894 residents · Oklahoma
Tulsa earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 70 cost index sits 41 points below the national baseline, and the $58,407 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $212,757 — $254,613 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 70, while Healthcare trails at 94.
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Here's Oklahoma by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 73. Rent: $1,255/month. Income: $66,702/year. Home price: $203,329. Population: 702,767. The strongest category is Housing at 73; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,680 per year vs. the national median. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
Why Norman ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 75 on the cost index, residents save roughly 36% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,289/month while the median household pulls in $65,060/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 75, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $257,977 — $209,393 below the national median.
119,194 residents · Oklahoma
The #4 spot goes to Broken Arrow, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,671/month — saving renters $2,688 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 98, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tulsa | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $37,747 |
2Oklahoma | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $37,747 |
3Norman | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $37,747 |
4Broken Arrow | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $37,747 |
We model what a $50K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Tulsa ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 70 and median income of $58,407.
Yes. On a $50K salary in Tulsa, rent would consume about 29% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 $50K in Tulsa is approximately $37,747/year ($3,146/month). After median rent of $1,207/month, you'd have roughly $23,263/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.