Is Raleigh cheaper than Tulsa?

No. Tulsa is cheaper: typical rent is $1,052 a month versus $1,572 in Raleigh — 33% lower. Median household income is $85,395 in Raleigh compared with $59,838 in Tulsa, so Raleigh has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Raleigh or Tulsa?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Raleigh and 32 in Tulsa (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Raleigh or Tulsa?

School composites are close: A- in Raleigh and A- in Tulsa. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Raleigh, NC vs Tulsa, OK

Raleigh, NC versus Tulsa, OK is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,572 a month in Raleigh and $1,052 in Tulsa, and median household income lands at $85,395 versus $59,838. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Raleigh takes job market and weather, while Tulsa takes affordability. The widest gap is median income, where Raleigh leads by 43% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Raleigh can feel further apart than Raleigh and Tulsa do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Raleigh and Tulsa reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Raleigh report Full Tulsa report

Raleigh, NC

Rent: $1,572/mo
Median income: $85,395
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 78°F

Tulsa, OK

Rent: $1,052/mo
Median income: $59,838
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 85°F

Rent

33% cheaper

Tulsa rent is 33% cheaper than Raleigh

Raleigh

$1,572/mo

Tulsa

Winner

$1,052/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,052 a month in Tulsa versus $1,572 in Raleigh, so Tulsa is 33% cheaper. That's roughly $520/month back in your pocket — $6,240/year. Over five years that's $31,200 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Raleigh, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Tulsa is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

43% higher

Raleigh's median income is 43% higher than Tulsa

Raleigh

Winner

$85,395

Tulsa

$59,838

What this means for your life

Median household income is $85,395 in Raleigh versus $59,838 in Tulsa, so typical pay runs 43% higher in Raleigh — about $25,557 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Raleigh is the stronger labor market on paper. Tulsa can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Raleigh and Tulsa are about even on crime index.

Raleigh

32 (100 = avg)

Tulsa

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Raleigh and Tulsa post similar crime indexes (32 vs 32, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Raleigh and Tulsa are about even on school scores.

Raleigh

A- · 84/100

Tulsa

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Raleigh, A- in Tulsa). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

27% more comfortable

Raleigh weather is 27% more comfortable than Tulsa

Raleigh

Winner

78°F typical

Tulsa

85°F typical

What this means for your life

Raleigh scores 27% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 78°F in Raleigh and 85°F in Tulsa. Raleigh reads as warm weather most of the year; Tulsa reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Raleigh is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Tulsa can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Raleigh

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 43% higher ($85,395), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 78°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Raleigh report →

Fit check

Who should choose Tulsa

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Tulsa

Tulsa is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 33% cheaper here at about $1,052 a month. Choose Tulsa if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Tulsa report →

Bottom line

Raleigh vs Tulsa, called

If the job market is your priority, Raleigh is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Tulsa pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Raleigh offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Raleigh vs Tulsa FAQ

Is Raleigh cheaper than Tulsa?: No. Tulsa is cheaper: typical rent is $1,052 a month versus $1,572 in Raleigh — 33% lower. Median household income is $85,395 in Raleigh compared with $59,838 in Tulsa, so Raleigh has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Raleigh or Tulsa?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Raleigh and 32 in Tulsa (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Raleigh or Tulsa?: School composites are close: A- in Raleigh and A- in Tulsa. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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