We can tell you what it’s like living here. We can talk about our art districts, museums, family-friendly zoos and waterparks, professional sports, live theater, riverfront and boathouse district activities; our third-shortest average commute times; our community spirit and high volunteerism rates; our billion-dollar investment into our public schools; or our fabulous local restaurant and food community. We could brag about our live music scene, our unbelievable housing value, and the friendliness of the people. We could point out our strong economy, low unemployment, and #1 housing market. We could let you know we were #3 on BusinessWeek’s “Forty Strongest U.S. Metro Economies” list, #1 on Fortune / CNN-Money’s “Best Place to Launch a Business” and #1 on KPMG’s Business Cost Survey. We could wax eloquently about our quality of life and why Oklahoma City offers more than you would expect, especially if you haven’t given us a look lately. But nothing we say can convince you like you seeing it for yourself. Check us out and see A Better Living and A Better Life in action.

LOW TAX BURDEN
Oklahoma is known for being friendly, but not when it comes to high taxes. The state ranks squarely in the bottom third of the U.S. for taxes as a percentage of income.

Sales Tax: Varies according to municipality, currently 8.375% (4.5% state + 0.0% county +3.875% city) in Oklahoma City proper.

Property Tax: Oklahoma ranks 47-lowest in property taxes, according to MSN Money. Rates vary by county and area of county, in Oklahoma County assessment ratios vary from 11% for real property to 13.75% for personal property. Homestead exemptions allow a $1,000 deduction from the assessed value for primary residences. More info can be found here.

Personal Income Tax: State income tax levels range from 0.5% to 5.5%. The highest bracket was recently reduced from 6.65% to 6.25% in 2006, and then from 6.25% to 5.5% in 2007.

PLENTIFUL, EASY AIR SERVICE
Oklahoma City’s newly-renovated and expanded Will Rogers World Airport is the primary commercial airport for Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas. Located in the southwest corner of the City, it is easily accessible by interstate, freeway and major traffic thoroughfares. Will Rogers World Airport is classified by the FAA as a medium-hub airport.

Six major carriers serve the airport (American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United) and provide 19 non-stop flights to 17 different cities, ensuring it’s easy to get where you’re going.

LOW COMMUTE TIMES – REALLY!
If you’re used to driving longer than 20 minutes or so just to get to work in the morning, you’re about to gain back some extra free time. According to numerous studies, Oklahoma City boasts some of the lowest average commute times in the nation. Our freeways are plentiful and relatively crowdless and our city’s traffic grid is ultra-efficient. In fact, among the nation’s 52 largest cities, the U.S. Census Bureau recently ranked Oklahoma City’s commutes the third-lowest in the country at 21.35 minutes one-way on average, ranking only behind Rochester and Buffalo-Niagara Falls. Among cities of similar size, Oklahoma City easily beats the competition. So no need to rush – you’ve got plenty of extra time to relax in OKC.

LOW COST OF LIVING
This comprehensive Cost of Living Calculator can help you see how far your money will go in a city with a cost of living index of only 89.9.

OKC BY THE NUMBERS
Data for days!  GreaterOklahomaCity.com has all the numbers you need, and more, on the MSA that makes up OKC.

OKC DATASHEET
Download a PDF with Oklahoma City MSA info.

OKLAHOMA CITY HISTORY
Born at the sound of a gunshot, Oklahoma City was settled by a historic land run involving 10,000 homesteaders on April 22, 1889. Located equidistant from both coasts, Oklahoma City has long been hailed as Mid-America’s International Connection. The convergence of I-35, I-40 and I-44 as well as the development of Tinker Air Force Base made Oklahoma City into a major interchange on the interstate highway system – with 130-plus miles of federal interstate and state highways. And with the central location of the nation’s major highway arteries, Oklahoma City became a principal distribution center within the state and the southwest region. Efficient transportation has been the cornerstone in the overall planning of Oklahoma City. As a result, getting to any part of the city (622.5 square miles!) takes about 20 minutes or less.

During the 1970s and 80s, Oklahoma witnessed a decline in the inner-city as residents were choosing to live in the suburbs. For that reason, the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) redevelopment project was passed in 1993. Through this initiative, Oklahoma City has succeeded in developing and renovating a series of nine public projects. These include renovations to the Convention Center, Civic Center Music Hall and Oklahoma City fairgrounds, development of Redhawks Field / Bricktown Ballpark, Bricktown Canal, Oklahoma City Arena, Library, Spirit Trolley System, and the Oklahoma River and recreational facilities. In Dec. 2009, MAPS 3 was passed. This will fund eight new public projects, including a 70-acre downtown park, a new convention center, modern downtown transit, new sidewalks and trails throughout the city, improvements to the Oklahoma City River including a whitewater rafting facility, improvements to State Fair Park and the construction of several senior health and wellness aquatics centers.

OKC FACTOIDS
• Most populous city in the State of Oklahoma.
• Nation’s 44th largest metropolitan area with more than 1.2 million residents
• Ranked one of the Top 19 Home Markets with the Best Expected Performance by Local Market Monitor.
• In land area, it is the 3rd largest in the nation.
• The Greater Oklahoma City area includes 10 counties with more than 1.2 million citizens.
• The capitol building at 23rd and Lincoln is the only capitol in the nation with a working oil well on its grounds.
• Tinker Air Force Base is the 2nd largest military air depot in the nation.
• The world’s first installed parking meter was in Oklahoma City, on July 16, 1935.
• In addition to being an Aerospace Capital, it is also the Energy Capital with industry leaders such as Devon Energy, Chesapeake Energy and SandRidge Energy headquartered here.
• Ranked in the last year as the No. 1 Most Cost-Effective City in America (FDI Magazine), the No. 1 Best Place to Launch a Small Business (Fortune) and the No. 1 Fastest Growing Large MSA in terms of Per Capita Income (Bureau of Economic Analysis).

Oklahoma City Government: Current Mayor Mick Cornett, first elected in 2004, has focused on two key priorities - education and jobs. Cornett’s leadership in the implementation of MAPS for Kids, OKC's landmark $700 million public education investment program, has led the way in renovating the school infrastructure in the inner city. Additionally, Cornett has been instrumental in the City’s continuation of an economic renaissance with employment expansion, acquisition of the NBA franchise and infrastructure development. Most recently, Cornett led and passed the campaign for MAPS 3, which will fund eight new major civic projects.

Local University Enrollment:
University of Oklahoma
26,103
Oklahoma State University
22,516
Oklahoma City Community College
14,365
University of Central Oklahoma
16,092
Rose State College
9,378
Oklahoma Christian University
2,171
Oklahoma City University
3,810
Total Enrollment (all 18 colleges/univ in area)
120,620

Oklahoma City Transportation
- Metro Transit, a division of the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA), offers more than 25 interconnecting routes, including two Express routes with convenient service and the flexibility of numerous stops throughout the Oklahoma City metro area. Local patrons will enjoy the versatility of the operating schedule which generally offers service from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- The Oklahoma City bus systems cover 465 miles of the metropolitan area, including the Edmond area. This transit service provides a convenient Monday-Saturday operating schedule.
- Oklahoma Spirit Trolley, a division of the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA), travels throughout the downtown area on the Red & Blue Lines. They also tour the I-40/Meridian corridor on the Orange Line. This transit system provides flexible daily inbound and outbound services.

Population:
Year: 2008 - 2015 - 2020
City: 563,762 - 616,374 - 657,461
County: 715,755 - 768,781 - 809,463
MSA: 1,215,023 - 1,332,413 - 1,424,364

Oklahoma City Quick Facts:
Date Founded
1889
Date Incorporated
1907
Population
566,927
Land Area
621 square miles
Elevation
1,285 Ft. above sea level
Average Annual Rainfall
32.03 inches per year
Average Annual Precipitation
33.36 inches per year
Average January Temperature
47 degrees Fahrenheit (high) 25 degrees Fahrenheit (low)
Average July Temperature
93 degrees Fahrenheit (high) 71 degrees Fahrenheit (low)
Average Sunshine Days:
More than 300 days per year
Major Industries:
Energy, aerospace, health care