Less than OK
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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.
Abhd | West Melbourne, FL