What it's like to live in Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow is a mid-size city in Oklahoma with home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Broken Arrow deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Broken Arrow compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Broken Arrow
Based on Broken Arrow's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,640
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,800 a year
- 40% of Broken Arrow renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,040
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,320/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,320 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $250,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $250,400 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 30% below US
3.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 40% below US
198 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1082/100k · Broken Arrow Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 16% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
31 public schools inside the boundary
There are 31 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Smith National Historic Site (88 miles away).
Bottom line
Broken Arrow's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,320/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Broken Arrow
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