OVERALL POPULATION
CONTINUES TO GROW

Tulsa County’s 2020 population is up 9% from 2010; Projected to increase at an average of 8% per decade.

POPULATION HAS GROWN
OLDER OVER THE DECADES

Growth due to declining birth rates, longer life expectancy and progression of Baby Boom population.

POPULATION INCREASE
DUE TO MINORITY GROWTH

Between 1980 – 2019, overall population increased by 38% primarily due to growth in non-White populations.

PEOPLE OF COLOR GAINING IN SHARE
OF POPULATION

Current total population is nearly 40% people of color; young child population is now majority children of color.

POPULATION INCREASE DRIVEN
BY HISPANIC GROWTH

Were it not for the growth in the Hispanic population, Tulsa County would have about 90,000 fewer residents.

POVERTY WAGE FAR BELOW
LIVING WAGE

The dollar amount associated with the poverty level falls substantially short of what is required to meet a family’s basic needs.

MANY FAMILIES EARN LESS
THAN LIVING WAGE

The average Tulsa family with children earns nearly $10,000 less than living wage, which is annual wages required to be self-sufficient.

NOTHING TO SPARE FOR FAMILY
EARNING LIVING WAGE

To be self-sufficient, a typical Tulsa County family of three would need to earn $6,254 per month.
This is a modest budget.

CHILDREN MOST IMPACTED BY LOW WAGES

14% of residents live below 100% of poverty and 33% live below 200% of poverty; Nearly 1/4 of young children live below 100% of poverty and 1/2 below 200% of poverty.

MANY FEMALE-HEADED FAMILIES IN CRISIS

Female-headed families with children are the poorest of all family types, with 39% living below the poverty line, and nearly 75% living below 185% of poverty.

MOST RESIDENTS ARE EMPLOYED

Most residents (67%) over age 16 are working. Employment rates by race are 75% Hispanic/Latinx, 73% Native American, 68% Black, 64% White, 72% Asian.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
FALLING PRIOR TO COVID

Unemployment rates have fallen consistently since a peak in 2010 at 7%; In 2019 reached lowest level since 2000 at 3%; In 2020 rose to 6% and in mid-2021, fell to 3.6%.

REAL WAGE INCREASE
ONLY FOR DEGREE HOLDERS

Since 1975, for persons without a college degree or high school diploma, wages have remained basically unchanged or have fallen.

MANY RELY ON ASSISTANCE
FOR BASIC NEEDS

Many families are unable to make ends meet with their current income and must rely on public assistance programs. 

MOST STUDENTS RELY
ON FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

A growing number and percentage of students participate in school free and reduced lunch programs.

MANY CHILDREN NOT ATTENDING
PUBLIC PRE-K

The number of children enrolled in public Pre-K programs has been increasing every year but still falls short of the number attending Kindergarten.

MOST THIRD GRADERS
NOT PROFICIENT IN ELA

Only four of 14 school districts report at least 50% of students scored proficient or advanced on the 3rd grade reading/ELA assessment.

FOUR OUT OF TEN HAVE EARNED
COLLEGE DEGREE

Among Oklahoma residents, 25.6% have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, ranking the state among the 10 least educated in the U.S.

OKLHOMA REMAINS ONE
OF UNHEALTHIEST STATES

In 2019, Oklahoma ranks 46 out of 50 in overall health. Only Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama are ranked less healthy.

STATE RANKS POORLY ON DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Oklahoma measures among the 10 unhealthiest states for social/economic factors, physical environment, clinical care and behaviors.

STATE RANKS POORLY
ON HEALTH OUTCOMES

Oklahoma measures among the 10 unhealthiest states for behavioral health, mortality, and physical health, including non-medical drug use, premature death and risk factors.

RATES OF INFANT DEATH
REMAIN HIGH

The infant mortality rate for African American residents is triple that of White residents, and double that of Native American and Hispanic residents.

MANY INFANTS BORN FACING
CHALLENGES

In 2019, 12% of births were premature and 7.1% were of low birthweight, both of which can lead to health and developmental complications.

STATE RANKS HIGH IN ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of occurrence of ACEs, which is a model for understanding the impact of childhood trauma.