Tulsa Oklahoma Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Tulsa, OK (the Tulsa metro area) was $861 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Tulsa was $854 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Tulsa median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Tulsa rental vacancy rates, Tulsa rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Tulsa.
Real Gross Rent in Tulsa Oklahoma (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Oklahoma Median Gross Rent | $814 | -1.09% | +4.49% |
| Tulsa, OK Median Gross Rent | $861 | +0.82% | +3.73% |
Tulsa, OK Real Gross Rent Trends
At $861, real median gross rent in Tulsa was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. Average gross rent for Tulsa peaked in real terms in 2018 at $859 and is now $5 (0.58%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Tulsa: Tulsa OK Median, Tulsa OK Average, Oklahoma Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Tulsa
| Date | US Median |
Oklahoma Median |
Tulsa, OK Median |
Tulsa, OK Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $814 | $861 | $854 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $823 | $854 | $859 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $804 | $849 | $839 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $779 | $830 | $818 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $805 | $839 | $816 |
| 2014 | $986 | $778 | $818 | $815 |
| 2013 | $953 | $742 | $779 | $783 |
| 2012 | $940 | $730 | $771 | $765 |
| 2011 | $941 | $729 | $756 | $748 |
| 2010 | $955 | $736 | $769 | $771 |
| 2009 | $960 | $725 | $782 | $774 |
| 2007 | $927 | $691 | $744 | $744 |
| 2005 | $910 | $684 | $736 | $751 |
Tulsa Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Tulsa Oklahoma was 8.00% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Tulsa Oklahoma
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Oklahoma | 8.00% | -0.47% | -0.08% |
| Tulsa, OK | 8.00% | -0.85% | +0.76% |
Trends in Tulsa, OK Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Tulsa peaked in 2005 at 10.68%. Since then it has fallen by 2.68% to 8.00%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2015 post peak low of 6.00%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 2.00%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Tulsa OK, Oklahoma, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Tulsa
| Date | US | Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 8.00% | 8.00% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 8.47% | 8.85% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 8.57% | 8.67% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 8.08% | 7.24% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 7.76% | 6.00% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 8.12% | 8.42% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 8.19% | 7.83% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 8.16% | 8.37% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 8.52% | 8.68% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 8.52% | 9.22% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 8.41% | 8.02% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 9.33% | 8.48% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 9.97% | 10.68% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Tulsa, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Tulsa, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.86% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Tulsa Oklahoma Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Oklahoma | 17.94% | -0.73% | -0.22% |
| Tulsa, OK | 17.86% | -0.24% | -0.58% |
Trends in Tulsa, OK Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Tulsa household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2017 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.89%. Since then it has fallen by 1.04% to 17.86%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Tulsa OK, Oklahoma, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Tulsa Oklahoma
| Date | US | Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 17.94% | 17.86% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 18.67% | 18.10% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 18.70% | 18.89% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 18.16% | 18.43% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 18.75% | 18.48% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 18.61% | 18.33% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 18.52% | 18.37% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 18.58% | 18.14% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 18.74% | 18.22% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 18.80% | 18.54% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 18.32% | 17.74% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 16.98% | 16.63% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 17.71% | 17.45% |
Renter Fraction in Tulsa Oklahoma
You can calculate the renter fraction in Tulsa in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Tulsa as a fraction of total Tulsa households. In 2019 35.22% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Tulsa Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Oklahoma | 34.46% | -0.10% | -0.64% |
| Tulsa, OK | 35.22% | +0.19% | -0.52% |
Trends in the Tulsa, OK Renter Fraction
The Tulsa household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 36.23% and is now 1.01% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Tulsa OK, Oklahoma, US
History of Tulsa Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 34.46% | 35.22% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 34.56% | 35.03% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 34.54% | 35.12% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 35.10% | 35.74% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 34.66% | 36.23% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 34.86% | 34.69% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 34.46% | 34.96% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 33.62% | 34.13% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 32.97% | 32.99% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 32.21% | 32.86% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 32.81% | 32.69% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 31.77% | 32.25% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 32.13% | 32.05% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
