Is Tulsa, Oklahoma Safe? (Crime Rates And Crime Stats)


If you are thinking about visiting Tulsa and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.

Lets deep dive into the some crime statistics and crime rates and see how safe or dangerous Tulsa really is.

Is Tulsa, Oklahoma safe?

Statistically speaking, Tulsa is a unsafe safe city. It’s violent crime rate of 1,104.18 per 100,000 residents is nearly 3 times higher than the national average and it’s property crime rate of 4,976.69 per 100,000 residents is 2.5 times greater than the national average.

A person has a 1 in 91 chance of being a victim of a violent crime in Tulsa, whereas they have only a 1 in 217 chance in the whole state of Oklahoma. The city also has a much higher rate of burglary, rape, robbery, and theft per 100,000 people than the whole of the U.S.

Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Tulsa’s violent crime rate:

tulsa crime rate

Tulsa, Oklahoma’s crime rate breakdown

Violent Crime Rate

In 2020, Tulsa reported 4,561 violent crimes: 78 homicides, 378 rapes, 741 robberies and 3,364 aggravated assaults.

You have a 1 in 163 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Tulsa.

Year over year violent crime has increased 15%

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in Tulsa over a 11 year period.

violent crimes in Tulsa graph

*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.

Tulsa’s Murder Rate

In 2020, Tulsa reported 78 murders and had a murder rate of 18.88 per 100,000 residents. Tulsa’s murder rate is 3 times greater than the national average.

Year over year murder has increased by 39%.

You have a 1 in 5,296 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Tulsa.

Here’s a graph showing you how murders have trended over the last 11years in Tulsa.

homicides in Tulsa graph

Tulsa’s Property Crime Rate

In 2020 Tulsa reported 20,557 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 4,976.69 per 100,000 residents. Tulsa’ property crime rate is 2.5 times greater the national average.

Year over year property crime has decreased 4%.

You have a 1 in 20 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Tulsa.

Here’s a graph showing you how property crime has trended in Tulsa over a 11 year period.

property crimes in Tulsa graph

*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson

Tulsa’s crime rate vs other cities in Oklahoma (2020)

Here’s a graph showing you how Tulsa’s crime rate compares to other cities in Oklahoma. Tulsa had the highest crime rate of all the cities listed in 2020.

City

Population

Violent Crime Rate (2020)

1. Tulsa

413,066

1,104.18

2. Lawton

90,381

804.37

3. Oklahoma City

681,054

707.43

4. Enid

51,308

454.12

5. Midwest City

58,409

313.31

6. Stillwater

48,394

301.69

7. Norman

128,026

285.88

8. Moore

62,793

208.62

9. Broken Arrow

113,540

169.10

10. Edmond

94,428

147.20

Tulsa, Oklahoma Crime Rate Comparison

Here’s a list of the top 20 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Tulsa’s crime rate is nearly 2.7 times less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.

tulsa crime rate vs most dangerous cities us

How are Tulsa’s crime rates calculated?

Crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

For example, in 2020 there were 4,561 violent crimes in Tulsa and the population was 413,066. This equals a crime rate of 1,104.18 per 100,000 residents.

Tulsa’s Crime Statistics

The most recent, complete set of crime statistics comes from the Tusla Police Department and are for 2019 and 2020:

2019

2020

Percent Change

Homicide

56

78

39%

Rape

341

378

11%

Robbery

718

741

3%

Aggravated Assault

2,850

3,364

18%

VIOLENT CRIME TOTALS

3,965

4,561

15%

Burglary

4,846

4,407

-9%

Larceny/Theft

13,457

12,246

-9%

Motor Vehicle Theft

3,033

3,904

29%

PROPERTY CRIME TOTALS

21,336

20,557

-4%

TOTALS

25,301

25,118

-1%

How much has crime increased in Tulsa?

In 2020, Tulsa reported 25,118 total crimes, which is a 1% decrease over 2019.

In 2020, Tulsa reported 4,561 violent crimes, which is a 15% increase over 2019.

In 2020, Tulsa reported 78 murders, which is a 39% increase over 2019.

In 2020, Tulsa reported 20,557 property crimes, which is a 4% decrease over 2019.

Neighborhoods to avoid in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Here’s a map showing you the bad parts of Tulsa. Red are areas you generally want to avoid.

neighborhoods to avoid in tulsa

Is Downtown Tulsa safe?

is downtown tulsa safe

Downtown Tulsa is generally a safe area. Just be aware that the further north you go, the sketchier it gets, especially at night. Stick to well populated areas and avoid walking through desolate parts of downtown and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Keep in mind that in certain parts of downtown you might encounter some vagrants and homeless people, but as long as you avoid them and don’t make eye contact, you should be good.

Is the public transportation in Tulsa safe?

The public transportation system in Tulsa is handled by the Tulsa Transit and it offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.

The buses are generally a safe option to use during normal commuting hours (7am – 6pm), however we recommend that you use a taxi or ride sharing service outside of those hours. At night there are less people using the buses and it can get sketchy.

If you are taking the bus, you might encounter some weird and erratic passengers, but if you just ignore them, then you should be fine.

Download the GO PASS, it will help you plan out your routes and you can pay for your fare in advance.

Is Tulsa safe at night?

Tulsa is generally safe at night as long as you stay out of the problem areas listed above (North Tulsa, 61st and Peoria). Be aware that streets and squares that are perfectly safe to visit in the daytime can be questionable and sketchy at night.

Is Tulsa safe from Tornadoes?

Tulsa is not safe from tornadoes and is actually susceptible to them. Tulsa is in tornado alley. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska are consider part of tornado alley. A study of tornadoes that occurred between 1921–1995 concluded almost 1/4 of all significant tornadoes occur in this area.

Tulsa has tornado sirens set up and they test them every Wednesday and Friday from March until June. You should get familiar with weather patterns, especially in the spring and listen to the meteorologists. The news coverage of tornadoes is top-notch and will give you fair warning should a tornado descend upon the city.

What do residents of Tulsa say about it’s safety?

  1. "Tulsa is strange in that it has the culture of a small town, but the crime rate reflects that of a much larger city."
  2. "The further south you go from 15th street, the safer you are."
  3. "61st and Peoria is probably the worst area of Tulsa."
  4. "Avoid north Tulsa. Stay in south Tulsa and you’ll be ok."
  5. "I’ve walked through south side Chicago at night and Tulsa is nowhere near as bad as that."
  6. "Most people in Tulsa is going to tell you that the North side is “scary” but its really neighborhood by neighborhood on the North side."
  7. "North Tulsa 100% has more violent crime. That is based on HARD evidence and statistics and not anecdotal evidence. Anyone that says otherwise is foolish."
  8. "There are nice parts of North Tulsa just as there are bad parts in South Tulsa, however I know I would feel much more comfortable walking around Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby or Owasso, than I do on Pine or Admiral."
  9. "Most of North Tulsa the area directly north of downtown is not very safe."
  10. "It’s not as bad as Baltimore or Detroit, but yes Tulsa does has a crime problem."
  11. "I’ve lived in Tulsa for nearly 30 years of my life. I’ve traveled throughout most of the United States and I can confidently say it’s not as bad as people make it out be. Yes, there is a rough part of town(North Tulsa) but it’s nothing like the projects of Detroit."
  12. "Avoid the area south of I-44 between Peoria and Riverside."

Tips to stay safe while visiting Tulsa

  • Research the city before you arrive. Learn which parts of the city are good and which parts are sketchy and plan your trip with this knowledge.
  • Always be aware of your surroundings. Stay off your cellphone and keep your eyes and ears open for any potential dangers.
  • Don’t leave valuables in your car or in plain sight in your car.
  • Don’t park in desolate areas or areas that are not well lit. Consider using parking garages when visiting.
  • Save the sight seeing for the day time and avoid wandering through North Tulsa at night.

Facts about Tulsa

  • The population of Tulsa in 2020 was 442,241 and is the 47th most populous city in the United States.
  • The city covers a land area of 197.75 square miles.
  • 87.8% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 31.3% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
  • The median income for a household in the city was $49,474. The per capita income for the city was $31,753.
  • 18.3% of the population live below the poverty line.
  • The median home value in Tulsa is $195,000 in 2022.
  • In 2022, the average rent for a Tulsa 2-bedroom apartment is $1,004.

Mariska Lee

Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since.

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