Rents are 3% below what Tulsa's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,273 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Tulsa usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in July, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Tulsa is 0.1% below its high of $1,274 in August 2026, at $1,273 as of September 2026.
Rent in Tulsa changed +3.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 31 Oklahoma cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Tulsa rose 43.1% while median household income rose 25.6% ($47,650 to $59,838). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Tulsa is 47.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($59,838) is $1,496 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,205); a 3-bedroom is $1,591.
The priciest of 21 ZIP codes in Tulsa, 74114 ($1,490/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 74136 ($898/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tulsa. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Tulsa, OK is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 33.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tulsa, OK has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Tulsa, OK has shifted from $948 to $1,273, up 34.3% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Tulsa, OK now reports about $59,838, up from $52,438 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Tulsa, OK reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Tulsa on your salary?
At $1,273/mo, how Tulsa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tulsa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tulsa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tulsa
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tulsa is $1,273/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $909/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,205/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $970/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,591/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($59,838/yr), Tulsa ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Tulsa rent compare to other cities in Oklahoma?
At $1,273/mo, rent takes ~26% of Tulsa's median household income ($59,838/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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