Wichita receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Tulsa
Wichita
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
72 · Top 16%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
62 · Bottom 36%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 43%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
93 · Top 19%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
62 · Top 36%
vs68 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Tulsa | Wichita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,037,534 | 652,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,359 | $70,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,716 | $37,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 165/sq mi | 157/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $221,700 | $201,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,078 | $987 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.5% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,117 | 3,881 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | 23.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 32.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Tulsa
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Wichita
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Tulsa, OK Metro Area · Wichita, KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology