Oklahoma City, OK — Wages, Rent, Taxes & Livability by the Numbers

Oklahoma City’s value proposition is simple: low housing costs and a short average commute, with a car often doing the work that transit cannot. BLS puts the metro’s May 2025 mean wage at $29.00 an hour, while management averages $59.53 and healthcare practitioners and technical roles $46.98. 1

Apartment List’s August 2025 figures put the citywide median at $903 for a 1BR and $1,119 for a 2BR. Its neighborhood averages run lower in Greenvale, Cloverleaf, Hilldale, Lansbrook, and Northwest Oklahoma City. The cards label distance from downtown as an approximate editorial estimate; Apartment List gives commute-time context, not mileage. 23

The tax picture needs careful reading. Oklahoma’s 2025 state income-tax brackets run from 0.25% to 4.75%; the Tax Foundation’s 2025 table gives a 4.50% state sales tax and a 9.005% population-weighted state-plus-average-local rate. SmartAsset lists a 0.75% statewide median effective property-tax rate, but its Oklahoma page does not provide a city-specific income-tax rate or an Oklahoma City sales-tax quote. 4567

Mobility is the catch. Census QuickFacts reports a 22.2-minute mean travel time to work for 2020–2024, while Walk Score’s live city page shows 34 Walk / 17 Transit / 40 Bike. A downtown location can score much higher than that citywide average, so the exact address matters. 89

U.S. News gives Oklahoma City a 6.2/10 overall score, an 8.5/10 Value Index, and a 5.8/10 Job Market Index, with a 2025 median home value of $251,848. Census also reports 5.7% population growth from the 2020 estimates base to July 2025 and 15.1% of residents in poverty. Numbeo’s 186.31 Quality of Life Index and 49.34 Safety Index are a current, crowd-sourced snapshot updated August 5, 2026—not an administrative crime rate and not directly comparable to U.S. News. 81011

Oklahoma City makes the most sense for a mover whose job pays above the metro mean and whose housing choice keeps the drive manageable. It is a weaker fit for anyone prioritizing frequent transit or a car-free routine. Next up: Grand Rapids, MI.

Cover photo: Oklahoma City canal scene from Pexels. 12