Wichita receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wichita
Tulsa
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
66 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
64 · Bottom 43%
vs62 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 17%
vs96 · Top 32%
Access
97 · Top 20%
vs93 · Top 31%
Economic stability
68 · Top 36%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Wichita | Tulsa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 652,622 | 1,037,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,655 | $69,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,675 | $38,716 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 157/sq mi | 165/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,200 | $221,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $987 | $1,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.3% | 65.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.8% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,881 | 5,117 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 23.0% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.6" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 37.4 | 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
Wichita
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Tulsa
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: Wichita, KS Metro Area · Tulsa, OK Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology