The cheapest big cities to rent in America – and number one is a ‘complete bargain’
Oklahoma City is the cheapest big city in the country to rent, a new poll shows.
The average rent for an apartment is $839 per month, which is 46 percent below the national average, according to data collected by the Cost of Living Index from the Council for Community and Economic Research showed.
In terms of rent affordability, Oklahoma City, with a population of 1,396,445, came in just ahead of Birmingham, Alabama, and nearby Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The list – which was compiled by Kiplinger from urban areas in the US with a population of more than 1 million residents – shows many affordable cities in the South and West.
Oklahoma City has some of the cheapest apartments in major US metropolitan areas
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 2 Typical rents in Oklahoma City average $839 per month, 46 percent below the national average](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpg)
Typical rents in Oklahoma City average $839 per month, 46 percent below the national average
Earlier this year, it was revealed how it is now cheaper to rent than to buy a home in all 50 of America’s largest metropolitan areas, according to Realtor.com’s rental company. report.
While it was already cheaper to rent than to buy in the vast majority of metropolitan areas by 2023, higher mortgage rates and rising home prices have now turned around the remaining markets.
Although the cost of living in Oklahoma City is comparable to other small towns, Oklahoma City has a variety of big-city amenities, including its own philharmonic orchestra, the National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum, and Oklahoma City, the NBA. The Thunder basketball team.
Several leading oil and gas companies have also made Oklahoma City their home among the region’s major oil producer employers.
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 4 There are numerous cultural activities in Oklahoma City, including the Festival of the Arts held every April](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716100650_106_The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpeg)
There are numerous cultural activities in Oklahoma City, including the Festival of the Arts held every April
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 6 You can even go whitewater rafting on the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716100652_961_The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpeg)
You can even go whitewater rafting on the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City
Devon Energy, Chesapeake Energy and Continental Resources are all based in the city.
There are currently twelve cities in the state of Oklahoma that are among the cheapest small towns in America, but to come in second place when it comes to the most affordable rental options, you’ll have to venture further south.
Birmingham, Alabama, with a population of just over 1.1 million, came in second on the list with an average apartment rent of $1,032 – a 33 percent discount compared to the national average.
Aside from ‘cheap’ rents, groceries, transportation and health care are all lower than the national average, reports say Kiplinger.
For those looking to buy, housing costs in Birmingham are also affordable: they are 20 percent below national levels.
Culturally, Birmingham serves as the capital of Alabama and features several museums and galleries, along with the Alabama Ballet and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, that enrich the local arts scene.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, with just over 1 million residents and an average apartment rent of $1,059, came in third on the list — about 31.5 percent below the national average.
Once a cattle town, Tulsa is now known as the “Oil Capital of the World.” It is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts who can enjoy the urban wilderness area in the Turkish mountains, just a short drive from the city center.
The 300 hectare area is full of forests and ponds, with walking and cycling paths.
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 8 Birmingham, Alabama, with a population of just over 1.1 million, came in second on the list, with the average apartment rent at $1,032 — a 33 percent discount to the national average](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716100655_18_The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpeg)
Birmingham, Alabama, with a population of just over 1.1 million, came in second on the list, with the average apartment rent at $1,032 — a 33 percent discount to the national average
Often billed as “the greatest little city in the world,” Tulsa evoked images of the “Old West” and there are museums in the city that pay tribute to this history.
The Gilcrease Museum has several exhibits on the American West, while the Philbrook Museum of Art, housed in a mansion funded by the oil boom, has been called “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma.”
Tulsa is even offering people to move to the city and will pay people to live there grants of $10,000 under the ‘Tulsa Remote’ program.
Since the program’s launch in 2018, approximately 2,900 people have been hired, bringing more than $300 million to the city’s fast-growing job market.
The fast-growing program has also generated an estimated $2.5 million in sales tax revenue for Tulsa County and $3.1 million for the Sooner State — a place where Route 66 Americana meets south-central metro areas.
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 10 Tulsa, Oklahoma is often heralded as](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716100659_130_The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpeg)
Tulsa, Oklahoma is often heralded as “the biggest little city in the world.” The average rental prices are here
![The cheapest big cities to rent in America - and number one is a 'complete bargain' 12 Housed in a mansion funded by the oil boom, the Philbrook Museum of Art has been called](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716100661_602_The-cheapest-big-cities-to-rent-in-America-and.jpeg)
Housed in a mansion funded by the oil boom, the Philbrook Museum of Art has been called “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma”
Other cities in the top ten aAll are priced similarly to St. Louis, Missouri, where they rank fourth with an average apartment rent of $1,061. Buffalo, New York, is slightly more expensive at $1,119 and came in fifth.
At just over $100 more per month, Columbus, Ohio came in sixth place, while neighboring Cincinnati, Ohio, came in seventh with an average rent of $1,381.
Houston, Texas, ranks eighth with average rents of $1,368.
Ninth is Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, with average rents of $1,398, while Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, rounds out the top ten at $1,426.