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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. And roughly speaking, on a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Oklahoma using 2026 census, rent, a…
#1 Ranked: Tulsa — cost index 70, rent $1,207/mo, income $58,407
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K 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. And roughly speaking, on a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. 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.
Here's Tulsa by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 70. Rent: $1,207/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $58,407/year. Home price: $212,757. Population: 411,894. The strongest category is Housing at 70; the most expensive is Healthcare at 94. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,256 per year vs. the national median. Year over year, that savings rate is portfolio-grade. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
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
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
A closer look at Oklahoma: the cost index of 73 breaks down to a Housing index of 73 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). Median rent is $1,255/month — 34% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,702, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
Real talk: a closer look at Norman: the cost index of 75 breaks down to a Housing index of 75 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). Median rent is $1,289/month — 32% below the national median — while household income sits at $65,060, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
119,194 residents · Oklahoma
The numbers for Broken Arrow are straightforward: 98 on the cost index, $1,671/month rent, $85,220 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Fairly typical for a city this size.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tulsa | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $54,147 |
2Oklahoma | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $54,147 |
3Norman | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $54,147 |
4Broken Arrow | 4.75% | 8.97% | 0.82% | $54,147 |
Tulsa ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 70 and median income of $58,407.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Tulsa, rent would consume about 19% 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 $75K in Tulsa is approximately $54,147/year ($4,512/month). After median rent of $1,207/month, you'd have roughly $39,663/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.