Broken Arrow 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Broken Arrow is a suburb of Tulsa and offers 55+ homebuyers a variety of amenities to enjoy throughout the year. This small Oklahoma town offers a surprising number of restaurants, music venues, shops, and sports arenas, ensuring that active adults choosing the area will have plenty of fun things to do. Area residents enjoy Northeast Oklahoma’s natural beauty, as Broken Arrow and Tulsa are surrounded by picturesque plains, rivers, and lakes that provide a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities, including fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming. With so much to offer active adult homebuyers moving to the area, it’s no wonder Broken Arrow has become a popular spot for those looking for warmer weather and small-town charm.

Affordability and Cost of Living

Money goes further in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where the cost of living is about 10 percent lower than the U.S. average. Housing is especially affordable, and whether renting or buying, the cost of a home may be up to 30 percent lower than the national average. Healthcare is the only cost of living metric that falls just over what most people in the United States pay. 

Social security benefits are not taxed, and retirement income is partially taxed when funds are withdrawn. The 2023 sales tax rate for Broken Arrow in 2023 is 8.42 percent, and that includes the total of state, county, and city sales tax rates. The state sales tax in Oklahoma is 4.5 percent. There are no exemptions to the sales tax, but lawmakers frequently take up debate on a bill to repeal the tax for groceries. There is no inheritance tax in Oklahoma, nor is there an estate tax. 

The Sooner State has some of the lowest property taxes in the country. The state average is 1.16 percent, and the median annual property tax paid by Oklahoma homeowners is around $1,424. Oklahoma also allows for a “Senior Freeze,” wherein property owners 65 and older are eligible for property valuation freezes if their annual gross household incomes meet the requirements set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Currently, the income threshold is $82,200.

Climate and Geography

Broken Arrow has a humid subtropical climate with warmer summers and relatively cold winters. The average midsummer high temperature hovers in the low 90s, according to Best Places, while the midwinter lows reach down into the 20s. The town receives about 42 inches of rainfall annually, which is slightly higher than the national average. The area’s annual snowfall, however, is usually about five inches, which is significantly lower than snowfall averages in other areas of the U.S. With its 228 sunny days per year and relatively infrequent snowfall, Broken Arrow is a great place to live and enjoy the sunny warmth of Broken Arrow.

West of Broken Arrow and Tulsa are plains, lakes, and rolling hills. The Arkansas River runs through Tulsa and provides a number of fishing and swimming spots. East of town are more plains and, eventually, the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The entire area is part of Oklahoma’s Green Country Region, which is one of the state’s most ecologically and topographically diverse areas. Sitting at about 800 feet above sea level, Broken Arrow’s proximity to lakes, rivers, and the gently rolling Green Country plains guarantees active adults access to a wide array of recreational opportunities.

Recreation, Shopping, and Entertainment

Broken Arrow has much to offer active adult homebuyers in the way of cultural events, shopping, recreational opportunities, and entertainment venues. Whether you enjoy spending time outdoors, catching a movie, or attending a local festival, Broken Arrow provides a wealth of varied attractions.

Golf and Racquet Sports:

• LaFortune Park Golf Course
• The Golf Club of Oklahoma
• Broken Arrow Golf Course
• Timberbrook Tennis Courts

Hiking, Biking, and Boating:

• Collinsville Lake Trails
• Two Rivers Trail
• Keystone Lake
• Skiatook Lake

Museums and Historical Sites:

• The Museum Broken Arrow
• Philbrook Museum of Art
• Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium
• Elsing Rock Museum

Performing Arts Venues:

• Broken Arrow Community Playhouse
• Kirkland Theatre
• Tulsa Performing Arts Center
• Chapman Music Hall

Shopping:

• County Line Shopping Center
• Woodland Hills Mall
• Utica Square
• Plaza Shopping Center

Parks and gardens:

• Urbana Park
• Ray Harral Nature Park & Center
• Keystone State Park
• Broken Arrow Neighbors Community Garden

Festivals and Fairs:

• Water Lantern Festival
• Rooster Days Festival
• Main Street Burn Cigar Dinner
• Taste of Summer Ice Cream Festival

Health and Wellness

Residents of Broken Arrow have access to a number of quality hospitals and medical centers. St. Francis Hospital South is a short drive away in Tulsa. St. Francis provides a number of specialties and services, including heart health, orthopedics, cancer care, and women’s health. Ascension St. John Medical Center is also in Tulsa and offers 24/7 emergency care, a rehabilitation center, and much more. Broken Arrow area hospitals ensure that active adult homebuyers will have convenient access to comprehensive healthcare services.

Recommended Itinerary for Visiting Area 55+ Communities

Day 1

Morning:

• Start your day with breakfast at 50’s Diner, where local residents enjoy breakfast skillets, egg entrees, omelets, and griddled hot cakes.
• After breakfast take a relaxing stroll through Haikey Creek Park in Tulsa County, which features picnic areas, walking trails, and a disc golf course.

Afternoon:

• For lunch, head over to Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant, which serves up a wide array of dishes, including tacos, enchiladas, and burritos.
• After lunch stroll down Main Street in Broken Arrow’s Rose District, where you’ll find a number of shops and other attractions.

Evening:

• Enjoy an Italian dinner at Cheri Ann’s Trattoria, where you can have a bottle of fine wine with some excellent Italian cuisine.
• Take a short drive to Downtown Tulsa and catch a concert at Cain’s Ballroom, which features live music acts from around the country.

Day 2

Morning:

• Head on over to Waffle House off of Highway 51 for breakfast, where locals enjoy pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and much more.
• Take a relaxing walk along Lynn Lane Reservoir on the A.B. Jewell Walking Trail.

Afternoon:

• Have lunch at Duffy’s Restaurant near the intersection of South Elm Place and West Houston Street. This cozy local spot is known for its burgers, sandwiches, and country fried steak.
• Meet with a local 55places real estate expert to tour the various 55+ communities near Broken Arrow.

Evening:

• Drive over to Downtown Tulsa for some fine dining at Juniper, an award winning farm-to-table restaurant you won’t want to miss.
• Round out your Broken Arrow stay with a trip to Rose Rock Microcreamery, where locals enjoy some of the area’s best house-made ice cream.

Getting to Broken Arrow, OK

Broken Arrow is accessible via many nearby highways, including Interstate 44, Highway 51, and Highway 412. The closest airport is Tulsa International, which is a short drive away from Broken Arrow. This airport is serviced by many of the major airlines and offers connections to several major destinations, both domestic and international. The closest Amtrak station is in Oklahoma City, which is a two-hour drive from Broken Arrow. There are also buses that run between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, ensuring that active adults chave multiple travel options.