City comparison
Yes. Oklahoma City's crime index is 183 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 197 versus 393, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Oklahoma City and 2023 FBI data for New Orleans.
Oklahoma City is cheaper. Median rent is $1,130 a month versus $1,251 in New Orleans.
Safety is where Oklahoma City and New Orleans split most clearly. Oklahoma City scores 167 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,130 in Oklahoma City and $1,251 in New Orleans.
Oklahoma City is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. New Orleans makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Oklahoma City is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Oklahoma City has rougher pockets and New Orleans has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Oklahoma City and New Orleans are 576 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,130 a month in Oklahoma City to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, up $121 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $68,656 in Oklahoma City to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $12,025 (18%).
The crime index goes from 183 in Oklahoma City to 350 in New Orleans, up 167 points (91%).
The move
New Orleans and Oklahoma City are 576 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,130 a month in Oklahoma City, down $121 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $68,656 in Oklahoma City, up $12,025 (21%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 183 in Oklahoma City, down 167 points (48%).
Oklahoma City, OK
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
New Orleans, LA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Oklahoma City and New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Oklahoma City rent is 10% cheaper than New Orleans
Oklahoma City
Winner$1,130/mo
New Orleans
$1,251/mo
Typical rent runs $1,130 a month in Oklahoma City versus $1,251 in New Orleans, so Oklahoma City is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,452, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Oklahoma City still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in New Orleans.
Planning to buy in Oklahoma City? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
21% higher
Oklahoma City's median income is 21% higher than New Orleans
Oklahoma City
Winner$68,656
New Orleans
$56,631
Median household income is $68,656 in Oklahoma City versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 21% higher in Oklahoma City (about $12,025 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Oklahoma City is the stronger labor market on paper. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
48% lower crime
Oklahoma City's crime index is 48% lower than New Orleans
Oklahoma City
Winner183 (100 = avg)
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
Oklahoma City's crime index is 183 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 48% lower in Oklahoma City. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Oklahoma City is the easier city. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
12% more comfortable
New Orleans weather is 12% more comfortable than Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
61°F avg · 69°F highs · comfort 89/100
New Orleans
Winner73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Oklahoma City averages about 61°F (69°F highs); New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Oklahoma City averages around 61°F. New Orleans sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans scores 12% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Oklahoma City if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Oklahoma City is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,130 a month. Choose Oklahoma City if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Oklahoma City is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 21% higher here ($68,656). Start with Oklahoma City if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Oklahoma City is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 48% lower than New Orleans (183 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick New Orleans if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (73°F) beat Oklahoma City on this page's weather index by 12%. Oklahoma City may pay more or cost less, but New Orleans is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Oklahoma City leads on safety (42/100 vs 22/100 in New Orleans). Typical rent is $1,130 in Oklahoma City and $1,251 in New Orleans; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (42/100 in Oklahoma City vs 22/100 in New Orleans), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 61°F in Oklahoma City and 73°F in New Orleans.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Oklahoma City; New Orleans only makes sense when you have walked the New Orleans ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,251 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Oklahoma City and New Orleans, plus other cities in OK and LA.
