Very high tornado risk area - 8/13/2023

Very high tornado risk area

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It is just an OK state to live in - 1/25/2022

I have lived in this state for 6 months. There are a couple of things to bear in mind when it comes to OK. If you are moving from a state that has been destroyed by politics, such as CA or NY, you will find this place heaven on earth because it is very cheap. Honestly, if you make over 60K a year in this state, you will be fine. Unfortunately, the pay in this state is horrible. Unless you work for a big company and you have a great career, don't expect to get over 50k a year. Teachers are so underpaid that they are quitting and the state has a teacher shortage. That might sound like a good opportunity to work as a teacher, however; if you do not have a bachelor's, do not expect to work as a teacher in Oklahoma. The state department of education will not let you take the certification exam with an associate's degree or perhaps being a senior in college. More teachers keep quitting and are moving to other states that pay better. Moving on to another point, I have realized that the state is boring, it has very little to offer. When I moved to OKC last year I was very excited, but after a couple of months, I have realized that it is just very boring. Not because of the people, people are nicer here than other US places, but because of the lack of diversity and entertainment. A big issue is that it is very car-centric and everything is just far away. Cars are expensive too. Yes!! In Pennsylvania, I saw Jeep Wranglers for 24k, but the same Jeep in OK will cost you about 35k-40k NO JOKE. and why is that? it is a car-centric city, if you do not have a car, you won't get anywhere. Some jobs will specifically ask you to have a car, and I strongly believe that is a downside. Dealerships are everywhere trying to sell cars to the people. There are plenty of car accidents every day because people are horrible drivers. in addition, Insurance is more expensive compared to Texas. Three months after I moved, someone was tailgating me and hit me in the back while driving in traffic. I would it is an ok city to live in, but if you are looking to increase your finances, and live a fun life, moved somewhere else.

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People best I've met. Limited good paying jobs - 2/24/2021

We moved here after living in Oregon our whole lives. Been here for 6 months and live in a middle class neighborhood. If I'm out front of the house someone was always stopping by while walking by to get to know me. Many go out of their way just to say hi. This DOES NOT happen in Oregon. I love the people and their values. One of our neighbors comes over and removes the snow from our driveway and sidewalk without ever being asked. We are not invalids either. Just neighbors helping each other. Things like this happen constantly. Surprised at the lack of competing supermarkets. Costco and Winco are relatively new here. No Kroger stores, no Safeways statewide. Over abundance of Walmarts and Sam's club. I have some concern about the low pay for jobs. Recently saw a state job that requires a bachelors and starts at $10/hr. Low housing cost helps a lot with that but everything else (plumber, electrician, roofing, food, restaurants, auto repair) seems to cost the same as in the higher income Oregon which is a concern. This obviously means that if you are going to make a good income here you need to have your own business. Residential real estate last year was in a boom and expecting a 10% appreciation this year. Not like the 20-30% we recently saw in Oregon but still monumental good news here. Concerning businesses, I'm just shocked that when you email or leave a voicemail with them that about 75% of the time they don't return the calls. Apparently they already have enough customers. I thought it had to be a fluke but it keeps happening over and over. I almost always have to call back to get a live person. This will be great when I start my business here because I will be the only one in OKC returning calls. My business will skyrocket LOL. Summarized, I don't believe that low housing costs will make up for everything else (food, utilities, contractors, etc) being the same price (as Oregon). Home insurance cost about $2600 for a $300,000 home. That tacks on an additional $175/mth (beyond Oregon insurance) to that home loan. Almost 400% more than Oregon. Sales tax 8.25% plus a "reasonable" state income tax. My property taxes were somewhat more than Oregon.

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ClosePeople - 12/21/2020

Don’t believe anything people say about this place the people are a bunch of liars, this place is pure crap. The people are some of the rudest and most miserable I’ve ever met.

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It's average or below average about everywhere. - 7/30/2019

Oklahoma City is one of those cities that constantly appears competitive on lists about starting businesses and having low costs of living and yet doesn't have any more industry or population growth than any other city. The city and State are well publicized that the city is one of the worst in the nation in health care, life expectancy, public education, higher education, public transportation and infrastructure. Oklahoma City has transformed itself with the multiple MAPS projects that tricked the citizens into making their community better- the city is modernizing, and that's neat. But it's not enough. I got a job quickly in my field of study, but I make about $30k a year for what, even in Tulsa, is about a $45-50k job. "Negotiate better!" you may say, "Get a better job!". Why, when I can just move to Tulsa, or a metro anywhere else and spend the same energy I would have spent getting $40k here into getting $50-55k somewhere nicer. If companies in this area have the money, they're not filtering it down, and I'm ready to move on because of it. I'm not the only one- my job is ABOUT workforce training- no one- degreed, skilled unskilled- is being paid well, and few of the companies are retaining any quality talent. I didn't grow up in Oklahoma, maybe some people find it charming. There's really not much to do. Sure, the convention bureau will send out flyers about concerts and every local bar has a trivia night promo. But that surface level "community" is everywhere. Nebraska has live music. Utah can answer questions about Game of Thrones. South Dakota has parks. Oklahoma's identifiable uniqueness is pretty much the red colored dirt and a little more Native American history which, despite the best efforts of local civic leaders, has managed to survive. We've got route 66, that road has more signs than some of the other roads. Pops has sodas you can only get in other states; though that's a long trip and expensive way to get a Moxie, the medicine-era soda even inventors in Lisbon, ME don't really drink. Oklahoma City is just not special. More than anything though Oklahoma City is just kind of depressing. It's a bit of a reminder of how little agency you have in the world. For example: the roads are bad. Everyone says that. It's on every citizen survey to fix our roads. But when it comes time to raise taxes the city lurches into a campaign to prevent it. Even the republican mayor, who also has virtually no power in a weak mayoral system, is asking the city to raise taxes. But it doesn't matter- perhaps due to decades of under-funding education and driving skilled labor into Dallas, Denver and Kansas City we've managed to loose the concept that taxes fund public infrastructure. But hey, that's not unique to Oklahoma either- all the mid-western and southern states are dealing with it. A lot of people are happy in Oklahoma. It's not the worst place to live. Get your kid into one of the good school districts or pay for private, get a job that satisfies you and pays you just enough, find a church that doesn't extort you or preach prosperity salvation, and you could be happy. Some people don't need more, and that's ok. But if you're a person who is more competitive and wants to compete at the top, I can't think of an industry besides maybe oil and gas that would bring you here permanently. If you're someone who wants adventure, better to move to a city where there are more nearby geographic oddities than a few man-made rust-colored rapids and lakes. If you're looking for the best of nightlife, probably don't pick a prohibitionist state where you have to drive everywhere. If you're looking for the best for your kids, I really couldn't recommend a place that makes it more difficult to learn, engage in extra-curricular activities or let them behave as "latch-key" children. And if you don't want those things or they don't apply to you, that's fine. But they do for me, and a lot of other young adults. I haven't been in Oklahoma City more than a couple years now, but wow has it left a negative impression compared to the other eight cities I've lived.

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High Standard of Living; car-oriented - 6/26/2019

I live here. Physically, it feels like any number of sprawling, flat, low-density cities in the central USA. Socially, people are very friendly, personable, and polite. Political attitudes are mostly conservative, with pockets of liberalism in the wealthier, more central districts and in youthful neighborhoods around the universities and arts district. The area population is just over a million, with many new arrivals, so cultural attitudes are more diverse than ever before. Tolerance has improved; the mayor just addressed the gay pride parade, which drew 70,000 people. The cost of living is much lower than any other city in which I've lived. Most homes are brick in construction; interior spaciousness is the norm. Most gainfully employed adults own homes; apartment living is an option for anyone, and most apartment complexes have swimming pools and fitness centers, but even with that fact it can be hard to find socially upscale rental communities because of the ownership-oriented housing market. There are many new downtown condos, and a new trolley car "system" (mostly tourism-oriented), but the overall feel of the city is car-based and sprawling.

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fugettaboutit - 12/7/2018

Midwest meets deep south. Think Mr. Rogers meets Hopalong Cassidy.

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cool - 10/30/2018

i have been there and it is very pertty.

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OK is not okay - 10/7/2017

The other negative assessments here are basically accurate. Notice the recurring issues. A friend of mine from NYC, a therapist, lived and worked in Oklahoma off and on for about 25 years and commented that she had never known a people so proud and determined to be so ignorant. I'm from OK, was raised there. I lived in California for about 21 years and made the terrible mistake of returning to OK when I retired. I'm a veteran. If you're a veteran, the Oklahoma City VA hospital is one of the worst. I ended up with third-stage cancer because of their neglect, their incompetence, their indifference. They said there was no effective treatment. They wanted me to sign up for palliative care. Thankfully, I found a much better VA and am now cancer-free. In 2015 and 2016, a federal investigation determined that the OKC VAMC had withheld access to the Veterans' Choice program for veterans. And it's not just the VA. Their medical school, at the University of Oklahoma, has been referred to as "third-rate" by physicians I know. Outside the VA, I knew of several cases of medical "treatment" that badly damaged patients, and I wondered at the time if they were experimenting on patients, but, no, looking back, I think it was just gross ignorance and incompetence and a state that does not assure decent medical care. The culture of OK is sick. It's mean. They are superficially friendly but very angry and very resistant to change. They don't realize how badly they abuse themselves and each other. There is a long history of tragedy in that state, and I think the whole culture is stuck in grief - especially anger. Huge issues with drugs, alcohol, suicide. I rarely ever met a native who wasn't on anti-depressants. Part of it is the fundamentalism. Pew Research found OK was one of only three states - Arkansas and Tennessee were the others - where more than half the population identified as church-attending fundamentalists. I repeatedly listened to natives proudly tell me that they beat their children. And they love the death penalty. Per capita, the state murders by far more inmates than any other state. "Justice" in OK is corrupt. And, yes, they call themselves the "Sooner State," and their favorite university football team is the OU Sooners. They memorialize the criminals, referred to as "Sooners," who illegally crossed the border earlier in the land-run than was legal and took unfair advantage over the settlers who complied with the law. Scott Pruitt, before his appointment to head the EPA, was their attorney general, and he spent millions in state funds - a state that is financially strapped - on frivolous lawsuits before the SCOTUS essentially fighting for the right of Oklahoma not to comply with federal law. And, yes, they've paid their teachers beans for years, and they leave for other states. But, then, wages in OK are generally very low. And the poverty is grinding. Partly the problem is what passes for a newspaper in OK. It's stated goal was to convert the state into a bastion of republicanism, and they did it. The oil and gas economy is boom-bust and those with the means leave the state during down-turns - a recurring brain-drain. And, no joke, the average IQ in OK is five points below the national average, per Pew Research. Go figure. And the climate has become extreme. I was lucky to find an awning under which to park during a four-hour hailstorm. Later, I got caught on the road in a hailstorm. Totaled my vehicle. I used to enjoy the lively weather, but the tornadoes are enormous and horrifying, now, like roving atom-bomb blasts. And it's intensely hotter than when I was a kid. 110º for ten days in a row in 2011. One day in 2012, OKC was hottest in the nation, even hotter than Death Valley. I'd never experienced that kind of heat before except in the desert Southwest. Native vegetation is dying. And, with climate change burning the place up, there's a witch hunt on to get rid of the native red cedars, a colonizing tree tough enough to withstand the extreme weather. There's a myth there that they contribute to fire, but I spoke to the head of their state forestry service who told me they'd actually documented that red cedar protected other trees in forest fires. That information will never fly in OK. And, yes, they trash their state and deny climate change. More than one fundamentalist helped me understand why: They expect the Second Coming of Christ at any time. Only the bad people will be left here - and I guess the innocent animals and plants. The bad people deserve the hell that they'll get, and since the good people will be leaving, why worry about wrecking the planet? Ah, it all makes sense, now. Needless to say, recycling isn't exactly trendy. I think my worst memory is how so many of them presumed to tell me, if I would only pray and get right with Jesus, my cancer would be healed, as if they knew anything about my spiritual life. Whatever one's faith, I can't imagine anything more sacrosanct, more private, more off limits. They are a very wounded people, but they are not open to change. And, yes, there are some wonderful people in OK, for whom I am grateful. I wish the state better times, but they need to tend their own garden. Or maybe their purpose is to be an object lesson in what not to do.

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THE NEW OKLAHOMA CITY - 9/28/2017

Welcome to the city on the rise. Not only is Oklahoma City's population growing quickly, but the cultural and progressive ideas are as well. OKC's downtown is growing at an amazing pace with great fan fair. The lucky people who call OKC home live in wonderful homes with amazing square footage. Oklahoma City is the best kept secret. So please don't tell anyone how cool OKC has become. Check out OKC!!!

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Less than OK - 9/20/2017

I moved to OKC to be closer to my family. Because of that, I can't say I regret it... but I do not like Oklahoma or OKC one bit. Of course, everything is based on taste. So, let me try to put this in perspective so that you can make your own judgement. 1. The weather. I don't think anyone likes it. Highest anywhere for tornadoes (and earthquakes, though they are usually mild). Extremes from hot to cold which 2. Tears up the roads. Bumps, holes... I had to replace my tire well from hitting one. The roads aren't well maintained but 3. The budget is all screwed up. The answer? Raise taxes. We have one of the highest sales taxes in the nation. Oklahoma sales tax sits about 4%. BUT the city tax doubles it. It's always up for votes to raise taxes because 4. Teachers are seriously underpaid (they're running to Texas) and that doesn't do much for the education system which spends less money per student than the national average AND spends way too many years teaching "Oklahoma history" HOW MUCH CAN THERE BE?! But, really it's not just that, the jails are busting at the seams (goodbye more tax dollars), they try to fit loopholes to pay for religious stuff with tax dollars (ten commandments outside the capitol-- a former issue that was rectified in a shady way) 5. If you are religious and like to live at church, then maybe you'll like living here more, but if you aren't religious, are secular, or just not into regular worship -- watch out. You can't avoid the "what church do you go to" and all other topics that revolve around church. It's very hard to make connections with people unless you have that. Which brings me to 6. Overt friendliness. Some people love it. Others don't. I personally like to shop without getting bombarded with "need any help, how about now? now? now? now?" They run me out of the stores. I counted 27 times in a 10 minute span one time. Don't get me wrong, friendly is good... to a point. which brings me to 7. Fake smiles, daggers in your back. In all fairness, some people are really nice and I've met some decent people. Beware, because the culture is to show a friendly face. That doesn't mean that people rise above gossip and back stabbing. They just aren't as forward. If you think Oklahomans are really nice-- try driving around them. They'll cut you off in a heartbeat (since you can't see their faces they get rude). 8. Crime. It's there. Lots of carjackings. Also, pan handling is legal. There are places you get approached for money non-stop on the sides of the road or in parking lots. Near the Walmart on Penn Ave is one example. Oh and did I mention that this is a place for sex trafficking (center of the U.S. is a good crossroads for this kind of crime). 9. Speaking of roads, traffic sucks. Stop and go constantly. It takes ten minutes to go 3-4 miles. 10. Check out top and bottom lists for happiest and healthiest places. Oklahoma always ranks low. It is super high in obesity and consequently health and happiness. In the work place, I was inundated with food nearly being shoved down my throat at every opportunity. (Some people may like all the "fooding," I don't). 11. Food is taxed. Not every state is. In fact, while you save in housing, you'll pay higher rates than most places in insurance, sales tax, and pay moderately in property tax and income tax. 12. Just a closer on diversity. Because of the low diversity in politics, religion, ethnicity-- OKC seems a lot more unbalanced and unaccepting of others. If you come from a more diverse and educated background, you may find this to be ignorant. Now, I want to be fair, so I'll share some good points about OKC. 1. You get a lot for your money in housing. 2. If you like to eat out, there are a lot of choices. 3. Those involved in church will find a strong community. 4. Gas prices are low. 5. The tax rate when buying a car is low. 6. The ups and downs in the job market aren't as severe as many other places. 7. If you love sports, there is a heavy sports culture here. Especially for college football. (Even women love sports here). You'll see OU and OSU plastered on houses and cars everywhere. If you don't like sports ... you will have to look harder for friends and places to eat without loud noise. If you don't like sports or religion-- run for the hills. Those are hot topics and it's harder to make friends without one or the other. If you like sports a lot, then it'll be easier to acclimate. 8. Something you can't find anywhere, if you like casinos, there are some around. I personally don't care for it, but I know people who do like them.

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The most oppressive place to live - 11/22/2016

This place is cursed! I've never lived or been to city or state this depressing in my life. I'll suggest that anyone from the east coast not to move here. If you do, you will regret it and move back only after a few months and hate yourself for making the biggest mistake of your life. I'm going to start with the goods first. 1. If you're extremely conservative, judgmental and a introvert then you'll like living here. 2. Its a midsized city, less traffic than larger cities. 3. The job market is still relatively decent despite their recession. 4. OKC is a family oriented city, so if you're single and liberal...you need not to move here. 5. The housing market is affordable but the rental market is not so...its cheaper cost living is relative because most jobs here pay lower pay scales. The bads outnumbers the bad. The bads are...1. Extreme weather that involves Earthquakes, tornadoes, hailstorms, hot miserable summers. 2. Lack of real entertainment and nightlife...your nightlife is basically going to a Wednesday night bible study or church service. 3. High crime/high poverty rates. You will become a victim of theft or burglary if you live here for some time. 4. Lack of infrastructure and decent public transit. Riding a bicycle is your public transportation. 5. Fake, mean spirited people and deceitful. They seem nice on the surface but they will backstab you, lie and steal from you without any conscience but get this they are CHRISTIANS! Lol. Misery loves company and this is a very miserable place to live. 6. Low teacher salary. The teachers are paid food stamp wages! 7. High child abuse, high incarceration rates for women, domestic violence rates, divorce rates, obesity, meth and drug use out of any state in the country. 8. Very boring city overall and not as attractive as other cities its size but there are some beautification projects underway downtown. 9. Bad schools, the schools are better in Putnam and Edmond. 10. The most backwards alcohol laws in the entire country. 11. Racism is acceptable...especially against blacks. This is the most racist dump that I've ever seen and the minorties live it and do nothing about it. 12. Thirty years behind every city in the entire country...you've been warned!!!!!!

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The name says it all - simply Okay - 10/21/2016

The pros : 1. Insanely low cost of living (you can get a two-bedroom detached or semi-detached house with a garage and yard in an area 15 to 20 minutes from downtown with good schools and moderate crime for $150 to $175,000, and pay less on groceries and gas than the national average). 2. Growing IT, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors. 3. Tons of outdoor recreation opportunities. 4. Pro basketball, and a pretty good team at that. 5. Mild winters compared to the rest of the Midwest. 6. Above-average salaries + below-average cost of living + average taxes = "the American dream" still remotely possible. 7. Low unemployment rate. 8. Nice art gallery and orchestra. 9. Well educated populace. 10. Clean, attractive downtown. 11. Most restaurants per capita in the continental US. And now the cons: 1. Horrid schools. 2. High property crime. 3. Inane sales tax. 4. "Good ol' boy" conservative types everywhere. 5. Over-reliance on the oil industry. 6. Issues with illegals and drug cartels. 7. Corrupt politicians. 8. Oppressive summers. 9. Horrid traffic. 10. Sprawl that makes Southern California look like Scandinavia. 11. Nightlife consists of High school football and bible study. 12. Two words. Giant. Spiders. In short: if you can get over the cons and find a job, it's actually a pretty nice place, but if you seek arts and culture or livable summers, look elsewhere.

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Culture/Environment - 3/13/2016

Thank you for the postings on what it is like to live in Oklahoma City. I am interviewing for a job in the area and now I am having second thoughts about even considering to live there. My plan was to get the job experience and move on, but I'd have to square away money for another move.

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Not so cheap - 5/21/2015

Apartments range from 500 to the thousands, but salaries are in the low 20k so COL, very relative

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ease of use - 4/9/2015

I enjoyed myself at this site

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Housing - 12/3/2014

Housing in Oklahoma City is one of the cheapest in the country. The city is fairly big in size so it is not as densely populated as some other cities. As of 2013, the population was 610,613. The area growing the fastest is the Edmond area which is just North of Oklahoma City. The downtown area is one of the worst when compared to other states in my opinion. It is a pretty boring city overall, which is why I am looking to get out of here ASAP.

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Possible Relocation to OKC - 9/4/2014

Hello, I am considering a possible move to Oklahoma from the Baltimore, MD area with my Fiance'. We are both of asian decent and are in our late 20's. We do not do much partying anymore and now for the most part enjoy going on date nights and to the theater. We are looking for a place to start a future family. Anyone have any thoughts of what type of a lifestyle change that we will need to consider moving from Maryland to Oklahoma? And we do not have any family or friends in Oklahoma, so will it be difficult to assimilate to the local population?

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Oklahoma City is a mixed bag - 8/26/2014

I lived in OKC altogether for about 25 years, mostly because of my business. It's true about not being able to make friends unless you grew up there and/or have kids. People aren't so much unfriendly as they are content in their own little bubbles and not curious about anybody who isn't in their bubble. There are a lot of immigrants, but they mostly stick to their own ethnic communities. Housing appears to be cheap, however repair costs and insurance are high due to the weather--ice storms, snow storms, hail storms, tornadoes,etc. An average year will see lows of 0 degrees to a high of 110 degrees. Grocery stores are mostly a sorry lot. The library system is actually quite good. If you're into outdoor recreation head for the lakes, especially Hefner (bike path), Overholser (boat house with kayak rentals), or Arcadia (hiking trails and camping). Jobs outside of health care, government and oil and gas are mostly low paid. Regulations are poorly enforced, especially in real estate (buyer beware.

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DON'T DO IT - 5/31/2014

The only pro I can think about OKC is that low cost of living. We moved here from Chicago a year ago for a job and we are just waiting for an opportunity to get out of here. People here are odd as ever. I use to think they were just un-friendly but I also realize they are incredibly dumb and act as if you’re odd for wanting to have an intellectual conversation or if you show any kind of energy in your conversation. Most people here are rude as hell and customer service in this town is shocking. No grocery stores, well Whole Foods and Sprouts but they are like novelty stores, not regular grocery stores??? July and August you will be inside, too hot to go out, and the winter is milder temperature wise than the upper Midwest but the wind is wicked and very cold. Trash is everywhere! People do not pick up trash here and the winds are always whipping the trash all over the city. THE UGLIEST CITY you will ever see is OKC. It is so ugly it’s depressing. The phony Christians will drive you nuts quickly. If you’re single, a black professional, non-Christian, or LGBT you will have a difficult time here. Very few sidewalks in the city, they force you to drive everywhere. You will need a home security system here in OKC, this has to be the burglary capital. Auto insurance is high because of the yearly hail damage. You HAVE TO have a garage or carport. Tornadoes are a huge threat here, especially in April and May. But oddly, they talk about them here almost like they’re proud of them?? I guess because it’s so boring, tornadoes bring a little excitement. There is a reason why OKC has a bad reputation in the United States.

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