What it's like to live in Muskogee
Muskogee is a small city in Oklahoma with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. Muskogee deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
How Muskogee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Muskogee
Based on Muskogee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,716
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $34,320 a year
- 45% of Muskogee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$29,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,610
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 39% below US
$858/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $858 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $146,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $146,100 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 12% above US
4.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 157% above US
846 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3358/100k · Muskogee Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 48% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Smith National Historic Site (57 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Muskogee's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($858/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Muskogee
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