Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Thousand Oaks, CA
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 15 of 23 categories
Thousand Oaks
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Tulsa
Oklahoma
8
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.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $68,751 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than Tulsa
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.8%)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Tulsa
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Homes cost $726k less ($174,200 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1525/mo less ($958 vs $2,483)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Commutes run 7 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 Thousand Oaks by $68,751/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 4.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$68,751
$125,399 vs $56,648/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
89% lower
102.2 vs 941.9 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.8% unemployment
Tulsa
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$726k less
$174,200 vs $900,600
Tulsa
Summer Heat
15.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.6°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Thousand Oaks, CA | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $900,600⚠ High | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,483⚠ High | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,399 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 | 18.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.6% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Conejo Valley Unified | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 8.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,532 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 44.4 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Thousand Oaks's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 15 of 23 categories. Thousand Oaks wins 15 and Tulsa wins 8. 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 Thousand Oaks to Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($900,600 vs $174,200 median home), income ($125,399 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Thousand Oaks, CA and Tulsa, OK are about 1,301 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.