Built-in community, by design. Tulsa Remote has brought more than 3,500 remote workers to Tulsa, with strong completion and retention rates. The city built real infrastructure for people to land and stay.
Rent based on 2BR median. Mortgage estimated at median home price, 6.5% rate, 5% down. before any programs applied.
Best for
Remote workers with no geographic ties. Tulsa Remote is the anchor. People seeking a built-in community from day one. Entrepreneurs and early-career professionals drawn to the GKFF ecosystem.
Worth knowing
You're building a life from scratch. no existing ties unless you create them. Summer heat is serious. Limited public transit. you'll need a car for everything.
Where to Live
Neighborhoods worth knowing
Tulsa is surprisingly varied. Art Deco downtown, established midtown neighborhoods, and suburbs with top-rated schools all within 20 minutes.
Brookside City
Family favorite · Walkable strip · Established
Tulsa's most walkable family neighborhood. Peoria Avenue has restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques in a classic Main Street layout. The homes are 1920s–1950s bungalows and Tudor-styles with big yards. This is where Tulsa Remote families tend to land, close to downtown, great schools nearby, real neighborhood feel.
$310KMedian home
7/10School rating
72Walk Score
Midtown / Cherry Street City
Young professionals · Restaurant row · Central
Cherry Street is Tulsa's restaurant and nightlife corridor, but the residential streets behind it are tree-lined and quiet. Mix of apartments and bungalows. Central location puts you 10 minutes from everything. The Philbrook Museum is in your backyard. Great for couples or young families who want urban energy.
$265KMedian home
6/10School rating
68Walk Score
Jenks Suburb
Top schools · Suburban · Family-first
If schools are your #1, Jenks is the answer. Jenks Public Schools is consistently ranked among the best in Oklahoma. The trade-off: it's suburban, 15 minutes south of downtown. But the school system is the draw. families plan their entire move around it. The Riverwalk area adds walkable retail.
$280KMedian home
8/10School rating
35Walk Score
The Gathering Place / Maple Ridge City
Park-adjacent · Historic · Upscale
Maple Ridge surrounds the Gathering Place. Tulsa's $465M flagship riverfront park. Historic homes, mature trees, walking distance to the park and Philbrook. This is Tulsa's most prestigious residential area. Higher price point but the park alone changes your quality of life.
$380KMedian home
7/10School rating
58Walk Score
Schools
Where the kids go
Tulsa has a genuine split: Tulsa Public Schools is uneven, but the suburban districts (Jenks, Union, Bixby) are among the best in the state. Many families plan their neighborhood around the school district line.
Public
Jenks Public Schools
Consistently ranked #1 or #2 in Oklahoma. The high school is massive (2,000+ students) with exceptional STEM, arts, and athletics. The Trojan Aquarium is the largest living classroom in the state. Many families choose Tulsa specifically for this district.
Grades K–12 · 8/10 GreatSchools · Jenks
Public
Union Public Schools
Tulsa's other top district. Strong academics, excellent extracurriculars, diverse student body. Union Intermediate High has an award-winning engineering program. Generally more diverse than Jenks.
Grades K–12 · 7/10 GreatSchools · South Tulsa
Magnet
Booker T. Washington High School
Tulsa Public Schools' flagship. IB program, strong arts (the Hornet jazz band is legendary). Diverse, historic, consistently one of the top-performing schools in the TPS system.
Grades 9–12 · 7/10 GreatSchools · Midtown
Public
Bixby Public Schools
Fast-growing district south of Tulsa. Strong academics, newer facilities, excellent athletics. The town has a small-town feel with big-district resources. Good option if you want suburbs without the Jenks price premium.
Grades K–12 · 7/10 GreatSchools · Bixby
Charter
Tulsa Honor Academy
College-prep charter serving predominantly low-income students. Extended school day, strong results. Part of the growing charter network in Tulsa.
Grades 5–8 · 6/10 GreatSchools · North Tulsa
Private
Holland Hall / Cascia Hall
Tulsa has a strong private school network. Holland Hall (Episcopal, K–12) and Cascia Hall (Catholic, 6–12) are the top two. Both offer financial aid and have strong college placement records.
Grades K–12 · Various · Midtown / South Tulsa
Key insight: Tulsa's school district boundaries matter more than the city vs. suburb distinction. You can live in the city of Tulsa but be in the Jenks or Union district depending on your exact address. Ask your realtor to map district lines.
Eating & Drinking
Where to eat (the real list)
Tulsa's food scene has quietly become one of the most interesting in the South. A mix of chef-driven spots, deep Oklahoma comfort food, and a growing international scene.
Oren
Modern American · Tasting Menu
Chef-driven, seasonal, the kind of restaurant that puts Tulsa on the national food map. Small space, big ambition. The tasting menu is an event. James Beard-recognized.
📍 Downtown
Burn Co. Barbeque
BBQ · Oklahoma-style
Oklahoma BBQ is its own thing. brisket, ribs, and burnt ends that compete with Texas and KC. Burn Co. is the best in Tulsa. The bologna sandwich is a sleeper hit. Cash only, line out the door.
📍 East Tulsa
Laffa Medi-Eastern
Mediterranean · Israeli
Fresh laffa bread, shawarma, falafel. all made in-house. Multiple locations. The kind of fast-casual that's better than most sit-down restaurants. Locals eat here weekly.
📍 Brookside / Downtown
Hideaway Pizza
Oklahoma Institution
Born in Stillwater, beloved in Tulsa. Not fancy. it's thick-crust Oklahoma pizza and pitchers of beer. The kind of place where you take your kids on Friday night and your friends after a game.
📍 Multiple locations
Elgin Park
Brunch · New American
Cherry Street brunch institution. Creative menu, great cocktails, the patio is the move. Became a gathering spot for Tulsa Remote folks. Community-building disguised as brunch.
📍 Cherry Street
Lone Wolf Banh Mi
Vietnamese · Fast Casual
Banh mi, pho, and Vietnamese coffee done right. Small, fast, affordable. A sign of Tulsa's growing food diversity. The lemongrass chicken is the move.
📍 Brookside
Work
The job scene
Tulsa's economy is energy, aerospace, and healthcare, but Tulsa Remote brought 3,500+ remote workers, and the GKFF network is building something genuinely new.
Energy (Traditional + Transition)
Williams Companies, ONEOK, Helmerich & Payne. Tulsa is still an energy town. But the sector is evolving: clean energy startups, carbon capture, and energy tech are growing. If you're in energy transition, Tulsa has the infrastructure and the talent.
Williams, ONEOK, H&P, WPX Energy
Aerospace & Defense
American Airlines has a massive maintenance base in Tulsa (the largest in the world). Spirit AeroSystems, NORDAM, L3Harris. aerospace is a $28B industry in Oklahoma. Blue-collar and engineering roles alike.
American Airlines, Spirit Aero, NORDAM, L3Harris
GKFF Ecosystem
George Kaiser Family Foundation doesn't just fund Tulsa Remote. They fund Build in Tulsa (Black entrepreneurship), Atlas School (low-cost tech education), Campus Tulsa (talent attraction), and the Gathering Place. It's a city-building network, not just a grant program.
Tulsa Remote, Build in Tulsa, Atlas School, Campus Tulsa
Remote-First (Tulsa Remote)
This is Tulsa's superpower. 3,500+ remote workers relocated with $10K+ grants, 3-year Gradient membership, and dedicated community staff. A 2025 Upjohn Institute study estimated more than $4 in local benefits for every $1 spent.
Gradient coworking hub, Tulsa Remote community
Financial Programs
Every dollar you may qualify for
Tulsa Remote is the headline, but layer in state housing programs and a remote-working teacher from Austin could unlock $37K+ upfront.
Total potential: $15K–$35K+
Straightforward Most buyers qualify
Has Requirements Income caps or extra steps
Competitive Limited slots or strict criteria
Homebuying & Moving Now
Relocation
Tulsa Remote (GKFF)
$10K+ cash grant for remote workers relocating for one year. Includes 3-year Gradient coworking membership, dedicated community staff, and programming. 3,500+ people have relocated through the program.
$10,000+
Cash Grant
Has Requirements
County
Tulsa County First Home (TCHFA)
Below-market rate (6.35% locked, ~0.25% under FHA) from $25M in bonds. 3.5% DPA as forgivable 2nd mortgage (0% interest, 5yr). First-come, first-served.
~$9,000
DPA + Rate Discount
Straightforward
State
OHFA Gold Program
3.5% of total loan as grant for first-time buyers. FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional. OHFA-approved lender required. Recapture tax if sold within 9 years.
~$8–9K
Grant
Straightforward
State
OHFA Dream Program
3.5% of total loan for first-time AND repeat buyers with higher incomes (up to $150K). Same grant structure as Gold with broader eligibility.
~$8–9K
Grant
Straightforward
State
REI Oklahoma Gift 100
Rural Enterprises Inc. offers 3.5–5% of loan as a gift (no repayment) on FHA/VA/USDA, or 7yr forgivable on Fannie Mae HFA Preferred.
3.5–5% of loan
Grant / Forgivable
Has Requirements
State
OHFA 4Teachers / Shield / State Employee
Rate discounts + 3.5% DPA for teachers (4Teachers), firefighters/police/EMTs (Shield), and state employees.
Rate + 3.5% DPA
Rate Discount + Grant
Has Requirements
City / HUD
Housing Partners of Tulsa DPA
Through Housing Partners of Tulsa. 8-hour education course required. Income limits and price caps apply.
Up to $5,000
Assistance
Has Requirements
State
OHFA Mortgage Credit Certificate
Up to $2,000/yr federal tax credit on mortgage interest for the life of the loan. Cannot combine with OHFA mortgage (use with other lenders).
$2,000/yr
Tax Credit (ongoing)
Straightforward
Long-Term Family & Career Benefits
Career
Build in Tulsa (GKFF)
Black entrepreneurship program. Funding, mentorship, and community for founders of color building in Tulsa.
Varies
Startup Support
Competitive
Education
Atlas School (GKFF)
Full-time tech education program in Tulsa. $5,005 tuition for a 20-month program, with financing and outside-aid options. Strong option if you're career-switching into tech as part of your move.
$5,005
Tech Education
Straightforward
Career
Campus Tulsa (GKFF)
Recent grad talent attraction program. Connects new grads to jobs and community in Tulsa.
Career +
Talent Program
Straightforward
Lifestyle
Experience Tulsa (GKFF)
The retention layer: "Best of Tulsa" guides, events calendar, neighborhood content, community programming. Part of the infrastructure that keeps people here long-term.
Community
Lifestyle
Straightforward
Tax
Oklahoma. No Tax on Social Security
Oklahoma doesn't tax Social Security benefits and has relatively low overall tax burden. No local income tax in Tulsa.
Ongoing
Tax Savings
Straightforward
Tulsa Remote is the anchor, but it's not the whole stack. Layer in TCHFA + OHFA + REI Oklahoma and a remote-working teacher moving from Austin could unlock $37K+ upfront plus ongoing tax savings.
Interested in Tulsa?
We'll follow up with programs you may qualify for and keep you posted as new ones launch.
No spam. No sales calls. Just programs you may qualify for.