Sapulpa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sapulpa
Tulsa
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 21%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Growth
68 · Top 19%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 24%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Sapulpa | Tulsa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,570 | 413,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,817 | $59,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,416 | $38,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 959/sq mi | 2,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,600 | $205,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,057 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 163 | 1,014 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.2 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.9% | 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 | 19 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 103 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.94 | 17.96 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.0% | 12.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.6% | 14.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.4% | 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
Sapulpa
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail.
Tulsa
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Sapulpa, OK · Tulsa, OK · How this is calculated: methodology