Tulsa, OK: Rental Property Market Guide

Updated March 2026 · Pop. 411,894

Tulsa has a secret weapon that no other mid-size city can match: the Tulsa Remote program pays people $10,000 to move here. Since launching in 2018, the program has brought 3,000+ remote workers to Tulsa, most of them earning $60-120K in tech, finance, and professional services jobs from employers based in San Francisco, New York, and Austin. These are ideal tenants — high income, low drama, new to the city and looking to rent while they decide where to buy. The program has quietly transformed Tulsa from a declining oil town into a genuinely interesting place where remote workers, old-money energy families, and a thriving arts scene coexist.

The Tulsa Remote Effect on Rentals

Tulsa Remote participants receive $10,000 over their first year ($500/month for 12 months plus a lump sum) and are required to live within Tulsa city limits. Most of them cluster in the same neighborhoods: Brookside (74105), Cherry Street (74114), Midtown (74104), and Kendall-Whittier (74112). They typically rent first, signing 12-month leases at $1,000-1,500/month while they explore the city. For investors, marketing to Tulsa Remote arrivals is a real strategy: list your property in the Tulsa Remote Facebook group and Slack channels, and you'll get inquiries from vetted, high-income professionals who need housing immediately. These tenants often stay 2-3 years before buying, giving you stable occupancy with excellent credit profiles.

Brookside and Cherry Street

Brookside (74105) is Tulsa's most walkable neighborhood — a stretch of Peoria Avenue lined with restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques that feels like a small-town main street. Cherry Street (74114) is similar but oriented along 15th Street. Both neighborhoods have seen strong appreciation (15-20% over the past 3 years) as Tulsa Remote participants and returning Tulsans discover the quality of life. Properties in these areas run $200-280K for a 3-bed bungalow, renting for $1,200-1,500. Cap rates have compressed to 5-6%, making these better appreciation plays than cash-flow investments. If you want cash flow in Tulsa, look further south or east.

North Tulsa: Proceed With Homework

North Tulsa (74106, 74110, 74115) has the lowest prices in the metro — properties under $80K that produce eye-catching cap rates on a spreadsheet. But the reality is more complicated. North Tulsa has faced decades of disinvestment (rooted in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and subsequent discriminatory policies), and while revitalization efforts are underway, challenges remain: higher vacancy rates (10-12%), limited retail and services, and a tenant pool with more screening challenges. Investors who succeed in north Tulsa are typically local, hands-on, and deeply familiar with the specific blocks. Out-of-state investors buying north Tulsa properties through turnkey companies have a poor track record. If you're serious about north Tulsa, spend time on the ground first.

The QuikTrip Economy

QuikTrip, the $11 billion convenience store chain, is headquartered in Tulsa and is the city's largest private employer. Combined with Williams Companies, ONEOK, and Helmerich & Payne (all energy-related), Tulsa's corporate base provides stable middle-management employment. These are $50-80K/year jobs that support $1,000-1,300/month rents in south and midtown Tulsa. The energy sector remains important but Tulsa has diversified more successfully than Houston — the economy doesn't swing as dramatically with oil prices because the energy companies here are midstream (pipelines and processing) rather than upstream (drilling), and midstream revenue is more stable.

Tulsa County Taxes and Insurance

Tulsa County's effective property tax rate is approximately 1.0% — identical to OKC. On a $190K property, annual taxes are roughly $1,900. Combined with tornado insurance averaging $1,500/year, your fixed carrying costs (excluding mortgage) are about $3,400/year — significantly lower than what you'd pay in Texas, Ohio, or Wisconsin for the same property value. The Tulsa County Assessor's website (assessor.tulsacounty.org) provides online property data. One Tulsa-specific note: the city has been investing heavily in stormwater infrastructure after flooding events in 2019, which has improved flood risk in some areas but also triggered special assessments on properties near creek channels. Check for special assessments or pending improvement districts before buying.