Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Broken Arrow, OK
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Broken Arrow leads 15 of 20 categories
Broken Arrow
Oklahoma
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5
Median Household Income
$82,547 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
114,237
Tulsa
Oklahoma
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5
Median Household Income
$56,648
Violent Crime Index
248⚠ High
Population
411,938 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Broken Arrow, OK
Pros
76% less violent crime than Tulsa
Households earn $25,899 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (223.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.3%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Rent averages $225/mo less ($958 vs $1,183)
Homes cost $37k less ($174,200 vs $210,800)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Median income trails Broken Arrow by $25,899/yr
Violent crime (941.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3627.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Broken Arrow
Median Income
$25,899
$82,547 vs $56,648/yr
Broken Arrow
Violent Crime
76% lower
223.1 vs 941.9 per 100k
Broken Arrow
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 89.5 on the COL index
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$37k less
$174,200 vs $210,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Broken Arrow, OK | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.5 | 89.5 |
| Median Home Value | $210,800 | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,183 | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,547 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.2% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 58 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 57 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROKEN ARROW | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.5°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.7" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.7" | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,237 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Broken Arrow's cost of living index is 89.5 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Broken Arrow leads 15 of 20 categories. Broken Arrow wins 15 and Tulsa wins 5. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Broken Arrow to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($210,800 vs $174,200 median home), income ($82,547 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Broken Arrow, OK and Tulsa, OK are about 9 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.