Sand Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sand Springs
Tulsa
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
25 · Bottom 16%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Sand Springs | Tulsa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,117 | 413,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,645 | $59,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,815 | $38,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,015/sq mi | 2,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $197,700 | $205,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,002 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 1,014 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.3% | 22.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 103 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.84 | 17.96 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.0% | 12.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.3% | 14.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.6% | 76.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sand Springs
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, inland flooding.
Tulsa
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sand Springs
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Tulsa
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sand Springs, OK · Tulsa, OK · How this is calculated: methodology