Between 2024 and 2025, Tulsa saw improvement in disparities between racial groups on things like chronic absenteeism and business ownership. The city also closed a gap between the number of south and north Tulsa residents filing housing complaints.
But Tulsa is still struggling with food deserts, officer use of force by race and homicide victims by race.
That’s according to the city’s annual equality indicator report released Thursday. Tulsa recorded its highest score since the report’s inception in 2018. Across 54 indicators, the city received a score of 44.52 out of 100. That’s 5.82 points higher than its first rating.
The score encompasses six themes: education, housing, economic opportunity, public health, services and justice. Education led with a 56.78 score, while justice was lowest at 28.78.
“While we are working toward closing disparities, there are still gaps that continue to affect
residents,” Mayor Monroe Nichols said in a statement. “Particularly the widening gap in homicide victimization by race. I remain committed to making Tulsa the safest big city in America.”
When the indicator report began, it was meant to serve as a way to measure the extent of disparities over time between the most advantaged and disadvantaged population groups.
The numbers are based on the level of disparity and according to the city, “should not be interpreted as an assessment of the overall well-being of Tulsa’s population.”
A high score means that the level of disparity between the groups being compared is relatively small, while a low one means the disparity level is larger.
“These indicators are not just about whether numbers improve – they are about whether outcomes are becoming more equal across communities and whether that progress is happening in positive, meaningful ways,” Nichols said in a statement.
The research is conducted by Tulsa Area United Way in conjunction with the city.
Best overall score
- Business ownership by race (100)
- Chronic absenteeism by race (100)
- Dropping out by income (100)
- Homelessness by veteran status (100)
- VA appt. wait time vs national. avg. (100)
Lowest overall score
- Payday loans and banks by geography (1)
- Food deserts by geography (1)
- Officer use of force by subject race (13)
- Homicide victimization by race (15)
- Homelessness by disability status (20)
Highest improvement in score
- Chronic absenteeism by race (+67)
- Dropping out by income (+63)
- Housing complaints by geography (+54)
- Business ownership by race (+48)
- Internet access by race (+33)
Largest drop in score:
- Child abuse and neglect vs. national average (-29)
- Female arrests vs. national average (-21)
- Homicide victimization by race (-21)
- Homelessness by disability status (-15)
- Youth homelessness by race (-13)
Comparing disparities to 2024
Last year’s report followed a similar theme — education scored the highest at 55.11 and justice also came in lowest at 30.44.
Since taking office in late 2024, Nichols has prioritized ending homelessness and promoting social justice through his Road to Repair initiative to address lingering impacts from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
As of March 31, 1,209 housing units were reported complete under Nichols’ administration, including 815 affordable units. Another 2,286 have received permits, with 819 of them being marked as affordable.
He also established the Office of Children, Youth and Families to set 15,000 children on the path to economic mobility in five years. The office has fallen behind on several key goals, according to Tulsa Flyer reporting.
The city will host a learning session based on the report’s findings from 10:30 a.m. to noon July 7 at Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder Ave.
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
