Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Orange leads 14 of 23 categories
Orange
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $52,687 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Tulsa
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Tulsa
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Homes cost $674k less ($174,200 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1190/mo less ($958 vs $2,148)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $52,687/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$52,687
$109,335 vs $56,648/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
76% lower
226.1 vs 941.9 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.8% unemployment
Tulsa
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$674k less
$174,200 vs $848,200
Tulsa
Summer Heat
11.1°F warmer
July avg high 93.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 18.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 14 of 23 categories. Orange wins 14 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 Orange to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $174,200 median home), income ($109,335 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Tulsa, OK are about 1,251 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.