Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, MO
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Tulsa leads 13 of 23 categories
Kansas City
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$65,256 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
407⚠ High
Population
505,958 ✓ Larger
Tulsa
Oklahoma
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,648
Violent Crime Index
248⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
411,938
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kansas City, MO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.8%)
Households earn $8,608 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
More college-educated — 37.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1547.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4676.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
Pros
39% less violent crime than Kansas City
Homes cost $35k less ($174,200 vs $208,900)
Rent averages $173/mo less ($958 vs $1,131)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 40°F
Cons
Violent crime (941.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Kansas City by $8,608/yr
Property crime (3627.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Median Income
$8,608
$65,256 vs $56,648/yr
Kansas City
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.8% unemployment
Tulsa
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Violent Crime
39% lower
941.9 vs 1547.1 per 100k
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$35k less
$174,200 vs $208,900
Tulsa
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.6°F vs 90.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, MO | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $208,900 | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,131 | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $65,256 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 218⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 407⚠ High | 248⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 223⚠ High | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.1% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | KANSAS CITY 33 | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 8.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 505,958 ✓ Larger | 411,938 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tulsa leads 13 of 23 categories. Kansas City wins 10 and Tulsa wins 13. 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 Kansas City to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($208,900 vs $174,200 median home), income ($65,256 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, MO and Tulsa, OK are about 220 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.