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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Retirement planning isn't just about lowest rent — it's about protecting a fixed income from healthcare costs and state taxes. We scored 4 cities in Oklahoma on what hits retirees hardest: cost of living, healthcare, and tax burden. Oklahoma leads with index 73, a 4.75% state tax rate, and a healthc…
Retirement planning isn't just about lowest rent — it's about protecting a fixed income from healthcare costs and state taxes. We scored 4 cities in Oklahoma on what hits retirees hardest: cost of living, healthcare, and tax burden. Oklahoma leads with index 73, a 4.75% state tax rate, and a healthcare index of 95.
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.
Retirement affordability is about protecting fixed income. Our model weights healthcare costs at 25 points (medical bills are the #1 financial risk in retirement), cost index at 25 points, and state tax burden at 15 points (taxes directly reduce pension and Social Security income). Oklahoma leads with low healthcare costs, a 4.75% state tax rate, and a cost index of 73. Tulsa offers competitive healthcare and cost metrics.
Factor in the cost side, though, and the picture shifts. Oklahoma — energy economy and persistently low costs. The 4 cities we track here average a cost index of 79 — for better or worse — 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.
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: Oklahoma — cost index 73, rent $1,255/mo, income $66,702
Retiree-weighted scoring: healthcare index 95, state tax 4.75%, cost index 73 — protecting fixed retirement income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Why Oklahoma ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 73 on the cost index, residents save roughly 38% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,255/month while the median household pulls in $66,702/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 73, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $203,329 — $264,041 below the national median.
411,894 residents · Oklahoma
The #2 spot goes to Tulsa, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,207/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — — saving renters $8,256 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 70, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 94. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
Norman earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 75 cost index sits 36 points below the national baseline, and the $65,060 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $257,977 — $209,393 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 75, while Healthcare trails at 95.
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.
Oklahoma ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 73 and median income of $66,702.
Oklahoma scores highest for retirees due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,255/mo, and competitive median income of $66,702.
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.
Oklahoma (ranked #1) has a cost index of 73 and rent of $1,255/mo, while Broken Arrow (ranked #4) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,671/mo — a 25-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 Oklahoma is $1,255/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $640 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Oklahoma is $203,329, which is 3.0× 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.