Courtesy of Lillian Griffith
- Lillian Griffith is a 25-year-old data engineer at General Motors.
- She moved to Tulsa for the Tulsa Remote program, with a one-year stipend of $10,000.
- She said she's much happier in Tulsa and the people there are incredibly kind.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lillian Griffith, a 25-year-old data engineer at General Motors, who moved to Tulsa for the Tulsa Remote program. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I initially heard about the Tulsa Remote program through my mom, who joined the program in 2021 and then referred me to it later.
When my mom told me she was leaving Alpharetta, Georgia — where we're from — and moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I said, "Well, good luck." I thought there was absolutely no chance that I'd move there. However, after visiting, I saw how she was living her life and I began to fall in love with the place.
I applied for the Tulsa Remote program in early 2022 and it only took me about a week to get tentatively approved. I was officially welcomed into the program in July 2022 and moved to Tulsa the next month, in August.
The people in Tulsa are incredibly kind and generous
Someone once said, It's not difficult to get people to move to Oklahoma and Tulsa — It's just difficult to get people to visit. That's exactly how I feel. Being a part of the LGBTQ community, it felt really good to be in an area where I could see Pride flags on buildings, when I finally visited. Compared to where I grew up, Tulsa is much less conservative.
I graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2020 and lined up a job at General Motors in Roswell, Georgia. However, since Roswell is a very affluent and suburban area about 25 miles north of Atlanta, I realized pretty quickly that I wasn't going to be able to afford to live there on my own. I ended up living about an hour's drive away.
I commuted to Roswell until I started my current position as a data engineer in May 2022. A couple months later, I was approved for the Tulsa Remote program.
The application process was very straightforward, consisting of questions about my background and whether I could work remotely. After that, there was a brief interview to determine if I was the right fit.
Tulsa offered me a $10,000 stipend and the program lasted one year
The program is designed to attract remote workers to Tulsa, and they offer a stipend of $10,000. I had the option to use the money as a down payment on a house, or I could get paid throughout the year — I chose the monthly payment option. I received $500 each month, in addition to a $2,500 initial payment and $1,500 final payment.
The program also offers community events and volunteer opportunities — it connects a lot of businesses around Tulsa. If you're an entrepreneur, you can rent a large office space and have access to software at a cheaper price. The program typically offers desk spaces, free printing, and free notary services to all participants.
When I moved to Tulsa I used the notary service to notarize a lot of paperwork in order to register my car and it was a lifesaver.
I met a lot of tech workers in this program
The remote program also hosts many events, such as "lunch and learn" sessions, weekly meetings, and the Oktoberfest where we could go to the bars and get free drink tickets. All of the events are voluntary and only the virtual one-day orientation was mandatory.
Most people that I met in the program are in the tech space, but I've also met teachers and musicians. I think it's incredible to meet people from different backgrounds. The Tulsa remote program is not some elitist program that only accepts people who work in high-paying positions — it's more about pulling people who can bring a good culture to the city.
When I see people from different backgrounds around, it just reaffirms that I'm a part of something good. I graduated from the program in August and now I'm considered an alumni, but I still attend some events. Recently, I attended one that taught us about the Arkansas River Development, which is a focal area in Tulsa.
The cost of living in Tulsa is lower than living in Atlanta
When it comes to housing, the cost of living in Tulsa is much lower than in Atlanta. In Georgia, I lived in a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath house with my roommate. My half of the rent was $950. In total, the rent for the whole house was $1,900 a month, but it was in the boonies — not downtown Atlanta.
When I first moved to Tulsa, I lived in a historic six-unit building downtown, where I rented a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment for $1,450 a month. I've now closed on a three-bedroom, two-bath house that's priced at around $275,000.
Technically, I paid more for housing in Tulsa. But if we compare the locations downtown Tulsa is less expensive than downtown Atlanta. Also, I was living in Cumming, Georgia — 1.5 hours away from Atlanta.
In Atlanta, the traffic can get pretty bad. I often had to drive at least 20 minutes to get anywhere. But in Tulsa, my commute is typically just a five-minute drive or a 25-minute walk to reach most places. Even if I were working from home in Atlanta, I had to fill up my car either once a week or every other week, and each time it cost me $40 to $50. In Tulsa, I only need to fill up my gas tank once a month.
Tulsa is not the most convenient city, but there's a lot to do
I regularly travel to Detroit for work, but there aren't any direct flights between Tulsa and my job, which can be frustrating. Also sometimes, I have to pay more to fly out from Tulsa than I would if I flew out of Atlanta.
It also seems like it takes a lot longer for popular stores and chains to come to Tulsa. I love Kroger, but we don't have a Kroger store here and I don't know if we're ever going to have a Shake Shack. Overall, these things aren't necessary, but they're nice to have.
Still, there's a lot to do in Tulsa and other parts of Oklahoma. Artists like Paramore and Lizzo have performed here; I recently saw Marcus King in Oklahoma City; and we also have the Tulsa Fairgrounds — a big indoor expo hall.
The Gathering Place is another space we have. It's a park that has been voted several times as one of the most beautiful parks in the US. There's also Greenwood Rising, a museum that discusses the Tulsa Race Massacre. That area is now called "Black Wall Street."
I've made good friends here in Tulsa
Back in Georgia, living in the suburbs made it tough to meet people my age and find activities tailored to me. My closest childhood friend was a 45-minute drive away. Here in Tulsa, new friends are probably just 10 minutes away, max.
I met my closest friend, Elizabeth, at a dog park last year. It was an instant connection. I told her that I moved here for the Tulsa Remote program, and then she said she was also in the program. It was like an immediate bond, and we've been really good friends ever since.
If I could go back in time, I'd still move to Tulsa. I'm significantly happier here. Being constantly surrounded by people just feels very nice to me. Don't write it off if you haven't visited a city yet.
Did you relocate to work remotely and want to share your story? Email Aria Yang at ayang@insider.com