Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Oklahoma City

You think about moving to Oklahoma City but want to get some additional information about the city and the lifestyle in this region before making your final decision in this regard?

Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Oklahoma City in the following chapters.

Living in Oklahoma City – Overview

Advantages of Living in Oklahoma City

1. Unemployment rate in OKC is pretty low
2. Variety of big corporations to work for
3. Property prices are pretty low in OKC
4. Rents in Oklahoma City are fairly low as well
5. Housing shortage is not a problem at all
6. Competition in the housing market in OKC is pretty low
7. You will have an easy time finding a good place to stay
8. You are in a good position as a tenant
9. You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing
10. You can save and invest enough money for retirement
11. Living costs in OKC are lower compared to other major cities
12. Financial pressure is pretty low compared to other more expensive cities
13. People in Oklahoma City are friendly
14. People often help you out
15. OKC is a tolerant city
16. People are welcome from all over the world
17. Oklahoma is an important economic region
18. Population in OKC is growing
19. OKC may have a bright future
20. Many people consider moving to OKC from all over the US
21. Easy to socialize in OKC
22. People are not only focused on their careers
23. Decent bars to hang out after work
24. Oklahoma City may still be underrated
25. OKC may be an interesting place to invest in property
26. You can watch many interesting sports events
27. OKC has a decent art scene
28. Many museums in OKC
29. Interesting architecture and history in OKC
30. You can enjoy nice summers in Oklahoma City
31. You can experience real seasons
32. You can go fishing, hunting or do other things in nature
33. OKC provides the comfort of a big city
34. You will find most things for daily life within walking distance
35. Decent public transport in the city center of OKC
36. Traffic is not as bad as in other major cities
37. You don’t have to spend lots of time searching for a parking lot
38. OKC is a multicultural city
39. You can try many different foods
40. Decent schools in OKC
41. Oklahoma City is not as crowded as other major metropolitan areas
42. You have enough spaces to relax
43. Decent air quality in OKC
44. Tap water quality in OKC is decent
45. People in OKC are not as shallow as in other major cities
46. OKC can be a great place for every age group
47. You may never have to leave the region again

Unemployment rate in OKC is pretty low

One upside to moving to Oklahoma City is that unemployment rate is pretty low and many people find pretty decent jobs from which they can make a good living and don’t have to worry about getting laid off anytime soon since even in case they lose their jobs, chances are that they will find a new one rather soon.

Variety of big corporations to work for

There are also many big corporations in the OKC region for whom you can work and make pretty good money, especially if you are an IT expert or have other valuable skills urgently needed in the labor market right now.

Property prices are pretty low in OKC

Another reason to move to OKC is that property prices are pretty low compared to most other major cities in the US and this means that you can buy a home at a reasonable price and don’t have to pay as much money on your mortgage as people living in San José or other expensive regions often have to do.

Rents in Oklahoma City are fairly low as well

Since property prices are fairly low, also rents are pretty affordable and moving to OKC therefore makes quite a lot of sense if you don’t want to spend lots of money on housing and want to have more money left to spend on other nice things.

Housing shortage is not a problem at all

Demand for housing in the OKC region is pretty low and this also means that housing shortage is not a big problem in Oklahoma City yet. In turn, you don’t have to worry that much in this regard since you will have many decent housing options to choose from and there will be something for almost every budget.

Competition in the housing market in OKC is pretty low

Due to the low demand for housing, also overall competition in the housing market is pretty low and while you will have to compete with many other prospective tenants for a home in other major cities, you will not run into serious problems in this regard in OKC.

You will have an easy time finding a good place to stay

Compared to other major cities, it will also not take you long to find a good place to stay.

While people moving to San Diego often search for weeks or even months to find a new home, you will find a decent place to live in OKC pretty soon and don’t have to spend lots of time and money searching for a suitable home.

You are in a good position as a tenant

Since demand for housing in OKC is rather low, you are in a much better position as a tenant compared to more popular cities since in case you don’t pay for rent, your landlord will be much more likely to compromise with you in this regard compared to a city where landlords have more than enough good prospective tenants to choose from and people may get evicted sooner.

You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing

Another advantage of moving to OKC is that you also don’t have to spend lots of your disposable income on housing.

Since property prices and rents are fairly low, you can just spend more money on other nice and important things of daily life while people living in more expensive regions often have to spend almost all of their income on housing and don’t have much left for other stuff.

You can save and invest enough money for retirement

Since you don’t have to spend a high fraction of your income on housing, you will also be able to save and invest enough money for retirement and you may not have to deal with old-age poverty as many other people living in more expensive regions often have to do.

Living costs in OKC are lower compared to other major cities

You should also know that living costs in OKC are much lower compared to other more expensive regions.

For instance, while you would have to spend lots of money on drinks and other things of daily life in NYC, you will have a rather relaxed time in this regard in OKC.

Financial pressure is pretty low compared to other more expensive cities

Since living and housing costs are much lower in OKC compared to other major cities, you also don’t have to make as much money in OKC and while many people living in L.A. have to work long hours just to pay their bills, you just don’t have the same high financial pressure since your basic expenses will be far lower.

People in Oklahoma City are friendly

Another benefit of moving to Oklahoma City is that people are pretty friendly and are often willing to chat with you.

In fact, you will find many people during various occasions of daily life who are willing to talk to you and this can make your life in OKC pretty interesting in the long run.

People often help you out

Not only are people in OKC friendly and outgoing, but they will also help you out and you can really count on the support of your friends since they will never let you down, at least if you hang out with the right people and are able to build deep connections with them.

OKC is a tolerant city

Most people in OKC are also pretty tolerant and the city therefore attracts people from all over the US and even the world and you can just have a great time with other people from different nationalities and can also really grow in character in the long run by listening to their stories.

People are welcome from all over the world

You also don’t have to worry about your background when moving to OKC since people are welcome from all over the world and as long as you are friendly, open and tolerant yourself, you will have an easy time making many new social connections.

Oklahoma is an important economic region

You should also know that OKC is the biggest city in Oklahoma and it is also an important economic center.

Consequently, the state will do its best to keep the city an attractive place to work and live in for many decades and public infrastructure may become even better in the future.

Population in OKC is growing

Another indication that OKC can be a great place to live is that population in Oklahoma City has been growing significantly over the past decade and this trend will most likely also continue in the future.

In turn, the region may become increasingly popular and may attract even more great people from all over the world.

OKC may have a bright future

Due to population growth and the overall decent standing, OKC may have a bright future and may be an important city for many decades.

Consequently, you don’t have to worry that too many people will leave the region anytime soon.

Many people consider moving to OKC from all over the US

Since OKC has become increasingly popular over the past decades and is known all over the US, people from different states consider moving to OKC to benefit from the low property prices and living costs and the decent public infrastructure at the same time.

Easy to socialize in OKC

Since people in OKC are friendly and outgoing, it will also be pretty easy for you to make new friends in Oklahoma City since you will find many places where you can hang out with locals and if you are open and outgoing yourself, you will find many new social connections soon and don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated.

People are not only focused on their careers

Compared to other major cities like New York, people in OKC are also not that career-focused and will have more time to engage with other people outside of work and the overall atmosphere is also not as hectic as in other cities where people just strive for material wealth and often neglect social contacts.

Decent bars to hang out after work

While OKC doesn’t have the greatest nightlife compared to other major cities, it still has some decent bars and clubs where you can hang out after work or even party until the early morning while you would often not have this luxury if you moved to smaller towns or villages.

Oklahoma City may still be underrated

While OKC has gained popularity over the past decades, it may still be underrated and a rather secret place to move to.

Thus, you may be able to make a real bargain when it comes to buying a home in OKC right now while this opportunity may go away pretty quickly once more people really that OKC is a decent place to live and demand for housing will increase.

OKC may be an interesting place to invest in property

Since property prices in OKC are reasonably low and rental yields are decent, OKC can also be a great place to invest in property since you can build a decent cash flow rather quickly while rental yields in other more popular parts of the US would often be much lower.

You can watch many interesting sports events

Another advantage of living in Oklahoma City is that you will have many sports events to watch.

For instance, if you like basketball, you can watch the games of Oklahoma City Thunder and there are many other sports teams in OKC so that you will not run out of options in this regard.

OKC has a decent art scene

While you will not find the same great art scene in OKC as people moving to San Francisco, you will still meet many artists and can spend your time with many like-minded people in case you are an artist or just interested in art in general.

Many museums in OKC

There are also more than 200 museums and exhibitions in the OKC region and this gives you more than opportunities to spend time in this regard if you are interested in those kinds of things.

Interesting architecture and history in OKC

You will also find lots of interesting architecture and history in OKC and if you are a historian or architect, moving to OKC can be a good choice for you since you may get lots of inspiration for your work and may also find many interesting things to do in your leisure.

You can enjoy nice summers in Oklahoma City

You can also enjoy pretty nice summers with many hours of sun in OKC and can meet up with your friends in parks or other cool locations outdoors.

You can experience real seasons

Since winters in OKC can be pretty cold, you will also experience real seasons in the OKC region instead of just experiencing warm weather all year long as would often be the case if you move to Dallas or other hot places and this can just make your life much more interesting in general.

You can go fishing, hunting or do other things in nature

Since OKC is surrounded by nice lakes and forests, you can go fishing, hunting, hiking or do many other nice things not too far away from the city center and this can also be great in case you have kids since you can teach them a lot about our planet and how important it is to preserve our environment in general.

OKC provides the comfort of a big city

Another upside to living in OKC is that you will also be able to enjoy the comfort of living in a big city.

You will just find everything you need and don’t have to drive to other cities as would often be the case if you moved to other smaller towns or villages where the supply of material goods is often pretty limited.

You will find most things for daily life within walking distance

In general, you will find most things of daily life within walking distance and can get everything you need within just a few minutes without having to make any effort in this regard in OKC.

Decent public transport in the city center of OKC

Oklahoma City also provides decent public transport near the city center and if you live close enough to the center, you can get around by bus in a pretty efficient manner and may not need to rely on alternative means of transport.

Traffic is not as bad as in other major cities

Since OKC is not as big as other major cities, also traffic is not a serious problem yet and while you may get stuck in traffic jams in L.A. quite often, you will not have to spend lots of time in this regard in OKC and can get from A to B in a more efficient manner.

You don’t have to spend lots of time searching for a parking lot

Since traffic is not a big problem in OKC yet, you also don’t have to search for a long time when it comes to finding a parking lot and also don’t have to spend as much money in this regard as in other big cities.

OKC is a multicultural city

Another benefit of living in Oklahoma City is that it is also a multicultural region and people are welcome from all over the world.

Consequently, you can meet many interesting people and by listening to their stories, you can become a more tolerant person in the long run and can also see the world from a different perspective.

You can try many different foods

Since you can experience many different cultures, you can also try foods from various parts of the world in OKC and this can give you lots of inspiration for cooking at home and can also make your life much better in general since you can enjoy many delicious dishes in the long run.

Decent schools in OKC

You will also have many decent schools and colleges in OKC and can make sure that you and your kids get solid education so that you and your loved ones can succeed in life later on.

Oklahoma City is not as crowded as other major metropolitan areas

While OKC is a big city, it is still not as crowded as other major cities in the US and this means that you will find more places to spend time on your own and you will also run into people less frequently and this gives you time to think about things that may be bothering you right now and you may have a better chance finding solutions to those problems.

You have enough spaces to relax

You also find many recreational spaces in OKC and this gives you more than enough opportunities to relax during lunch break or after work to reload your batteries for the stressful times yet to come.

Decent air quality in OKC

Compared to other major cities, air quality in OKC is pretty decent and this can not only be great to increase your overall quality of life since you will be more likely to hang out outdoors, but you will also be less likely to suffer from pulmonary diseases compared to people living in more polluted areas.

Tap water quality in OKC is decent

OKC also has pretty decent tap water and if you don’t want to buy bottled water, you may just rely on tap water since it will be good to drink in most cases and you can therefore save lots of time and money in this regard in the long run since you don’t always have to buy bottled water from the store.

People in OKC are not as shallow as in other major cities

Compared to other major cities, people in Oklahoma City are also more real and not as shallow on average and this gives you the opportunity to make really good friends instead of just shallow social connections that may not provide any value in the long run.

OKC can be a great place for every age group

Since OKC has many nice things to offer and also provides decent public infrastructure, it can be a great place to live for every age group and people from different generations usually get along with each other pretty nicely and conflicts are rather rare in this regard.

You may never have to leave the region again

If you move to OKC at a rather young age, you may also never have to leave the region ever again since you will find everything you need and can stay there for the rest of your life and this can be quite convenient since you can save lots of time on all the organizational stuff that always comes along with moving.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Oklahoma City.

However, you should also know that there are some drawbacks of living in OKC that I want to discuss for you in the following chapter.

Disadvantages of Living in Oklahoma City

1. Cold winters in OKC may be annoying
2. You may not spend that much time outdoors
3. High crime rate in Oklahoma City
4. OKC is not the most exciting city
5. Oklahoma City is not as glamorous as NYC or L.A.
6. Not that many great shopping opportunities in OKC
7. You will not meet many famous people in OKC
8. Average income in OKC is pretty low
9. Low-qualified people often have a hard time providing for their families
10. You may get bored living in OKC sooner or later
11. Homelessness is a serious problem in OKC
12. Social tensions have increased over the past decade
13. Many people live below the poverty line
14. Nightlife in OKC is not as great as in other major cities
15. You don’t have access to the beach
16. You may lose your old social contacts when moving to OKC
17. Public transport is pretty poor in the outskirts of OKC
18. It will take you long to get from one end of the city to the other
19. You may need a car to get around
20. OKC is not the most bike-friendly city
21. Your home may get destroyed by natural disasters
22. Your friends may not understand your decision of moving to OKC
23. OKC is flooded with new people
24. Public infrastructure may no longer be able to accommodate that many new people
25. OKC doesn’t have a big international airport
26. Hard to find world-class education in OKC

Cold winters in OKC may be annoying

One downside to living in OKC is that winters can be pretty cold and weather may be rather bad.

Consequently, if you don’t like the cold and rather want to have warm climatic conditions all year long, you should move to Austin or another warmer place instead of OKC.

You may not spend that much time outdoors

Since winters are pretty cold and poor weather is quite common, you may also not spend as much time outdoors as many other people living in warmer climatic zones where you can sit outdoors with a shirt even in winter and can enjoy a cozy atmosphere.

High crime rate in Oklahoma City

Another problem with moving to Oklahoma City is that crime rates are pretty high. In fact, crime rate is far above national average and many people living in OKC just no longer feel safe anymore.

OKC is not the most exciting city

While there are many things to do, you should also know that OKC is not the most exciting city and if you want to have entertainment and action 24/7, you should not move to OKC but rather look out for a more vibrant city instead.

Oklahoma City is not as glamorous as NYC or L.A.

While OKC offers many amenities of a big city, it is still not the most glamorous place to live and if you want to be at the heart of the universe, you may rather want to move to NYC instead.

Not that many great shopping opportunities in OKC

Another disadvantage of moving to OKC is that you will also not find as many shopping opportunities as in other bigger cities and while you will find everything you need for daily life, you will not find as many fancy boutiques and OKC may therefore not be the greatest place to move to for fashion victims.

You will not meet many famous people in OKC

Since Oklahoma is not the most popular city, you will also not meet as many famous people as in many other bigger cities in the US and this makes it harder for you to build a strong network of influential people.

Average income in OKC is pretty low

Another problem with living in Oklahoma City is that average income levels are pretty low and you need to be highly-qualified to make really good money in this region.

Even if this is the case, you would still make far less than people working in L.A. or other cities where income levels are much higher and if you want to get rich, OKC may not be the right city to move to for you.

Low-qualified people often have a hard time providing for their families

Since income levels are pretty low, wages for low-qualified people are pretty low as well and this means that many people who don’t find a good job will have to work for minimum wage and this will often not be enough to make a living and many people therefore have to work a second job in the OKC region.

You may get bored living in OKC sooner or later

Since OKC is not the most exciting city, you may also get bored living in OKC sooner or later and may just want to move to a more exciting place in the long run.

Homelessness is a serious problem in OKC

You should also know that homelessness is a serious problem in Oklahoma and it may become even worse in the future in case property prices and rents increase further and poor people may no longer be able to afford a nice play to stay anymore.

Social tensions have increased over the past decade

Also the gap between the poor and the rich has increased substantially over the past decade and if this trend continues, social tensions may become even worse and crime rates may increase even further.

Many people live below the poverty line

Another drawback of moving to OKC is that many people in this region live below the poverty line and this is not a pretty picture and also leads to serious social problems in the long run.

Nightlife in OKC is not as great as in other major cities

While you will have some decent bars and clubs to hang out, you will still not have the same great nightlife in OKC as in many other bigger cities and if you are a party person, you may not be satisfied with nightlife in Oklahoma City in the long run.

You don’t have access to the beach

Since OKC is not located at the coast, you will also not have access to the beach and this prevents you from surfing or doing many other water sports people are used to in other parts of the country.

You may lose your old social contacts when moving to OKC

Since OKC is not as popular as NYC or other major cities, many of your old friends may not visit you in OKC that often and you may just lose some of your old social contacts and may also feel lonely from time to time.

Public transport is pretty poor in the outskirts of OKC

While public transport is decent in the city center, it is also pretty poor in the suburbs of OKC and this means that you can’t rely on buses or other means of public transport if you want to be on time for important meetings.

It will take you long to get from one end of the city to the other

The OKC region is also pretty big and it may therefore take you quite a lot of time to get from one end of the city to the other and this can be really annoying in case you want to visit friends in other parts of the town since you would have to invest lots of time in this regard.

You may need a car to get around

Since public transport is pretty poor outside the city center, you may also need a car to get around and this is not only bad for your finances but also hurts the environment since it contributes to global warming and air pollution.

OKC is not the most bike-friendly city

If you consider going around by bike, you should also know that OKC is not the most bike-friendly city and traffic accidents in which bikers are involved are pretty common.

Your home may get destroyed by natural disasters

If you don’t want to live downtown but rather in the outskirts of OKC, you may also be at great risk of getting hit by a natural disaster sooner or later and if you are unlucky, you may not only lose your home but even your life.

Your friends may not understand your decision of moving to OKC

Since OKC is not the most popular city and crime rates are high, your friends may also not understand why you want to move to Oklahoma City and you may therefore have to justify quite a lot in this regard.

OKC is flooded with new people

Since population is increasing rapidly in the OKC region, you will also have many new people moving to this region every year and while this can be interesting, it can also be a real challenge integrating all those people and social problems may become worse in this regard in the future.

Public infrastructure may no longer be able to accommodate that many new people

The OKC infrastructure also has never been meant to accommodate that many people and if more and more people move to this region, public infrastructure may simply no longer work that great anymore.

OKC doesn’t have a big international airport

While most other big cities have a big international airport, OKC doesn’t have much to offer in this regard and if you want to travel to foreign countries, you may have to use the airport of a different city.

Hard to find world-class education in OKC

While education levels in OKC are decent, it is still hard to find world-class colleges and schools and your loved ones will therefore not get the best education possible.

Top 10 Moving To Oklahoma City Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Oklahoma City A Good Place To Live?

While property prices in Oklahoma City are reasonably low and unemployment rate is low as well, Oklahoma is still not the most exciting city, crime rates are pretty high compared to national average and there are many additional downsides to moving to OKC.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of living in Oklahoma City carefully to make the best possible decision in this regard.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Oklahoma City anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Antonio

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Nashville

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Denver

Sources

https://www.okc.gov/

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.