Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norman, OK
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Norman leads 13 of 22 categories
Norman
Oklahoma
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$62,849 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701
Tulsa
Oklahoma
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Norman, OK
Pros
72% less violent crime than Tulsa
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $6,201 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Homes cost $51k less ($174,200 vs $224,900)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
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
Median income trails Norman by $6,201/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Norman
Median Income
$6,201
$62,849 vs $56,648/yr
Norman
Violent Crime
72% lower
260.2 vs 941.9 per 100k
Tulsa
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$51k less
$174,200 vs $224,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norman, OK | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $224,900 | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,004 | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,849 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.6 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.3% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.6% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NORMAN | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.6" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.1" ✓ Less | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 127,701 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.4% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norman's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Norman leads 13 of 22 categories. Norman wins 13 and Tulsa wins 9. 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 Norman to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($224,900 vs $174,200 median home), income ($62,849 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norman, OK and Tulsa, OK are about 102 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.