Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Broken Arrow, OK
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Broken Arrow leads 14 of 21 categories
Broken Arrow
Oklahoma
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5
Median Household Income
$82,547 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
114,237
Wichita
Kansas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Broken Arrow, OK
Pros
59% less violent crime than Wichita
Households earn $21,835 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (223.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.3%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Wichita, KS
Pros
Rent averages $268/mo less ($915 vs $1,183)
Homes cost $44k less ($166,400 vs $210,800)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Broken Arrow by $21,835/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Broken Arrow
Median Income
$21,835
$82,547 vs $60,712/yr
Broken Arrow
Violent Crime
59% lower
223.1 vs 538.6 per 100k
Broken Arrow
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.7% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 89.5 on the COL index
Wichita
Median Home Value
$44k less
$166,400 vs $210,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Broken Arrow, OK | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.5 | 89.5 |
| Median Home Value | $210,800 | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,183 | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,547 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.2% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 58 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 57 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROKEN ARROW | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.5°F ✓ Warmer | 92.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.7" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.7" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,237 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% ✓ More | 24.6% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Broken Arrow's cost of living index is 89.5 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Broken Arrow leads 14 of 21 categories. Broken Arrow wins 14 and Wichita wins 7. 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($210,800 vs $166,400 median home), income ($82,547 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Broken Arrow, OK and Wichita, KS are about 143 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.