Moving to the Greater Tulsa Area: How Do I Choose Where to Live?

Moving to Tulsa? Start with your commute, then the neighborhood. The Greater Tulsa Area includes Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, and Catoosa, and each one connects to the rest of the area through different highways. The drive from a specific house to the places you go every week will narrow your search faster than anything else.

I'm Christina Shortsleeve, a REALTOR® with REMAX Results, and I help buyers moving to the Greater Tulsa Area learn the towns, commutes, and school districts before they choose where to live.

"In Tulsa" doesn't tell you enough about the commute. Two homes in the same town can mean very different drives, depending on which side of town they're on and which highway you use.

My advice is to check the drive from each house at the time you would normally make it, to the places you go regularly: work, shopping, and the people and activities that fill your week.

• Tulsa: The BA Expressway, I-44, and Highway 169 make a big difference depending on where you work, and Riverside is the route you come to know near the river.
• Broken Arrow: The Broken Arrow Expressway and the Creek Turnpike are the main routes toward Tulsa. Commutes differ a lot from one side of Broken Arrow to the other.
• Owasso: Highway 169 is the main route into Tulsa, and 76th, 86th, and 96th Streets connect different parts of Owasso to it. As a starting estimate, Tulsa is around a 20-minute drive.
• Collinsville: Highway 20 runs through town and connects to Highway 169 on the east and Highway 75 on the west, the routes for trips toward Owasso or Tulsa.
• Coweta: Highway 51 is the main route to Broken Arrow and Tulsa. As a starting point, allow around 20 minutes to Broken Arrow and roughly 30 to 40 minutes to Tulsa.
• Glenpool: Highway 75 is the first route to think about, especially into Tulsa, and the Creek Turnpike is nearby for trips across the area. Tulsa can be around 20 minutes in lighter traffic.
• Jenks: Jenks offers access to south Tulsa, along with an established downtown and riverfront destinations.
• Catoosa: Route 66 runs through Catoosa, and I-44 and Highway 412 are the important routes toward Tulsa or farther east.

These are starting points. Where you land in each town, and the time of day you drive, can change the trip, so check the drive from the specific house.

Once you know which areas fit your drive, compare the homes themselves. Different parts of the Greater Tulsa Area offer different mixes of older homes, newer subdivisions, and homes with more land. Each town page on my site covers what the homes are like, what's nearby, and the trade-offs to weigh.

Check the school district for each specific address, too. A town name in the address doesn't always tell you which district a home is in. My article on whether a Broken Arrow address means Broken Arrow schools explains why.

Choosing a town from another state is hard to do from listing photos alone. I help my relocation buyers learn the towns, commutes, and school districts before they start looking at homes, and then compare actual homes and drives rather than assuming one town is the better fit.

You can read more about how I help buyers relocating to the Greater Tulsa Area.

• Choosing a town by name alone. Commutes vary a lot within the same town.
• Checking the drive at the wrong time of day. Check it at the time you would normally make it.
• Assuming the address tells you the school district. Check the district for each specific home.

Which towns are part of the Greater Tulsa Area?

Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, and Catoosa.

How do I choose where to live when moving to Tulsa?

Start with your commute. Check the drive from each house at the time you would normally make it, to the places you go regularly, then compare the homes and neighborhoods that fit.

How long is the drive from Owasso, Glenpool, or Coweta to Tulsa?

As a starting estimate, Owasso is around 20 minutes to Tulsa, Glenpool can be around 20 minutes in lighter traffic, and Coweta is roughly 30 to 40 minutes. Check the drive from the specific house.

Does a town name in the address tell me the school district?

Not always. Check the school district for each specific address.

If you're planning a move, start with my page for buyers relocating to the Greater Tulsa Area, and when you're ready, send me a message. I'll help you learn the towns and commutes that fit your life before you start looking at homes.

Christina Shortsleeve is a REALTOR® with REMAX Results in the Greater Tulsa Area, helping first-time buyers, homeowners ready to upgrade, and downsizers buy and sell with a clear plan. She has sold 127 homes since 2020.