4 Best Towns Near Tulsa For Retirees

Retiring near a major city like Tulsa gives you the best of both worlds. Not only does it mean you’ve got access to world-class healthcare and big-city amenities, but you still get to enjoy living somewhere quieter, more affordable, and easier to get around. Oklahoma consistently ranks as one of the most retirement-friendly states in the US, with low property taxes, no state tax on Social Security benefits, and a lower-than-average cost of living. Claremore fits that appeal well, combining small-town ease with Route 66 character and major attractions like the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Okmulgee offers something different, pairing Muscogee (Creek) Nation history, local healthcare, and easy access to nearby outdoor spaces. These advantages make both towns strong options for retirees looking for a small community within reach of Tulsa.

Claremore

A community of a tad over 20,000 people, Claremore’s location, 30 miles northeast of Tulsa on Route 66, makes it an ideal choice for retirement. The hometown of Will Rogers, the famous rope-trick artist who became a Hollywood star, retirees who enjoy history will find Claremore one of the more interesting small towns in northeastern Oklahoma in which to live.

The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is the town's top attraction and is chock-full of personal artifacts, old photos, and rare manuscripts that trace the star's rise from a ranch in Indian Territory to worldwide fame. You can binge on a different Rogers film every day in the on-site theater and spend time reading and researching the legend at the library and archives.

The J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum houses one of the largest privately owned firearms collections in the world. Among its more than 14,000 pieces are weapons from conflicts, including World War I, while the “outlaw” section features guns used by legendary bad guys Pretty Boy Floyd and Pancho Villa.

Downtown Claremore also has great appeal for retirees and has undergone a revival in recent years. Highlights include the Lilac District, a commercial stretch that’s pleasant to stroll, and the Belvidere Mansion, a Victorian property built in 1902 that’s popular for its Pink House Restaurant; it’s an ideal place to hang out and chat with friends new and old.

On the practical side, Claremore bats big for a small town. For healthcare services, Hillcrest Hospital Claremore, part of the Hillcrest HealthCare System, offers full acute care, including cardiology, orthopedics, and a comprehensive intensive care unit. Tulsa's major hospital systems are within a 35-minute drive of each other. And for housing, median home prices here run around $240,000, while the town's cost of living is between 13-16 percent below the national average.

Okmulgee

Located just 38 miles south of Tulsa (it’s a 40-minute drive by car), Okmulgee’s population of just 11,300 souls makes it ideal for those wanting a close-knit community to retire to. The capital of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation since 1868, for retirees looking to stretch a fixed income without having to sacrifice being close to some beautiful scenery, Okmulgee is a great (and practical) choice.

If history and culture are your cup of tea, there’s no end of interesting things to do. The Creek Council House Museum, the town's most significant cultural landmark, was built in 1878 with exhibits about Muscogee history from the Indian Territory period between 1878 and 1907. Culture vultures will want to gravitate to the Orpheum Theatre, opened in 1920 with elegant Spanish Baroque Revival architecture and still a working movie house.

There’s plenty to do outdoors here, too. Okmulgee and Dripping Springs Lake & Recreation Area, just five miles west of town, encompasses the two lakes after which it’s named. Both have camping, boat ramps, fishing access, and hiking trails. For birdwatchers, the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge covers over 10,000 acres of hardwoods and wetlands and is home to more than 254 bird species.

As for practicalities, Okmulgee’s got you covered. Healthcare is provided locally by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Medical Center, a 66-bed facility, while the Baptist Village of Okmulgee is an independent and assisted-living community with a variety of private apartment options. A home of your own will set you back only around $105,000, well below the Oklahoma average.

Muskogee

Muskogee is located on the Arkansas River about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa, with a population of just under 37,000 residents. That size comes with practical benefits, including greater shopping and dining choices and a solid healthcare infrastructure. In fact, healthcare in Muskogee is covered by Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee, a community staple since the 1960s that provides full acute care services.

It’s the fun side of Muskogee that’s most likely to make you want to include it in your retirement plans. The Three Rivers Museum covers local history from frontier figures like Belle Starr and Bass Reeves to the impact of the railroad and oil industries on the region. The Five Civilized Tribes Museum is also worth a visit and features the stories and cultures of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations through collections of original artwork, records, and rotating exhibits on tribal life.

Other popular town attractions include Muskogee War Memorial Park, home of the USS Batfish, a preserved World War II submarine that set a record for sinking three Japanese submarines in just 76 hours in 1945 (tours are available). Got an ear for music? Then volunteer at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, which honors the state's musical legacy (inductees include Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood).

There’s also plenty of green space available in Muskogee, so you can get those steps in. Honor Heights Park is especially pleasant in spring, with the Azalea Festival a great time to visit. Hiking trails, picnic areas, and a lakeside arboretum add to the park’s year-round appeal.

As for housing, buying a property in Muskogee shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Median home prices are around $185,000. Several senior-friendly assisted living and independent living facilities are also available, including Country Gardens Assisted Living Community. As for the cost of living, expect to find it running at roughly 18 percent below the national average.

Bartlesville

Although a tad further from Tulsa than the other towns on this list (it’s 50 miles away to the south), Bartlesville is worth considering as a place to retire. With its population of roughly 38,500, affordable homes selling for approximately $152,000, as well as great healthcare providers in Jane Phillips Memorial Medical Center and Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Hospital, you can retire here safe in the knowledge that all bases are covered.

You won’t be disappointed with the Bartlesville lifestyle, either. The town is closely associated with the Phillips Petroleum Company, founded here in 1917 and shaping much of Bartlesville's prosperity and cultural infrastructure. These include the Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright's only fully realized skyscraper. At 19 stories, this amazing 221-foot copper-and-concrete structure was completed in 1956 and was even described by Wright as "the tree that escaped the crowded forest," referring to the fact it was originally meant to be built in Manhattan.

Leading events here include the OK Mozart International Festival, a showcase of classical music that attracts internationally recognized performers for a week of concerts. And when you need to burn some calories, the Pathfinder Parkway is an 11-mile paved trail running through the city and along the Caney River that’s ideal for walking and cycling.

Four Towns That Deliver for Retirees

Connected by a combination of affordability, proximity to Tulsa, and enough local character to make daily life interesting, the small towns of Claremore, Okmulgee, Muskogee, and Bartlesville are all ideal retirement destinations. Add to this mix Oklahoma's many advantages for retirees, including no state tax on Social Security and one of the lowest costs of living in the nation, and you’ll agree that all four are worth a visit before making any decisions.