Oklahoma City Accolades

The world has taken notice of Oklahoma City’s renaissance. This page is regularly updated with the latest websites and publications ranking Oklahoma City on their list of the best and brightest.

OK ranked among list of top ten most friendly states
March, 2025 - World Population Reveiw
The World Population Review published a study that found Oklahoma to be in the top ten most friendly states, being ranked No. 9, just ahead of Hawaii. These rankings were decided by votes from tourists in 2023. Describing Oklahoma’s ranking, this publication said “People in Oklahoma are amicable and always look after their communities (and visitors). Oklahoma City is even nicknamed “The Big Friendly” because of its kind residents.”

OKC recognized for using data to improve city services
March, 2025 - Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification
Results for America has named Oklahoma City one of 21 new cities to be awarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for establishing exceptional data capabilities to inform policy, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate programs, and engage residents. Notable efforts in Oklahoma City that helped achieve this include a new blood transfusion program by the Fire Department, the Key to Home Partnership, and general use of data in the city for decision making in projects like MAPS.

OKC ranked in the top 10 for street art
March, 2025 - USAToday
The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards announced Oklahoma City as ranking ninth for street art in the country. USA Today described Oklahoma City as “a veritable outdoor gallery”, and highlighted the Plaza District, Western Avenue corridor, and Bricktown.

Oklahoma ranks No. 1 in profit per employee
March, 2025 - DoFollow
Oklahoma is the most productive state in the nation with an average profit per employee of $1.2 million, 10 times higher than the national average of $126,824.

Horizon District in Southern Living's best places to go in 2025
January, 2025 - Southern Living
Oklahoma City’s Horizon District was listed as one of Southern Living’s “The 25 Best Places To Go In The South In 2025”. They highlighted the First American’s Museum and the incoming Okana resort, praising their blend of enertainment and education.

OKC Will Rogers International Airport sets record passenger count
January, 2025 - Will Rogers International Airport
According to a recent City of OKC news article, OKC Will Rogers International Airport set a passenger traffic record in 2024 with 4.6 million people flying in and out of the airport. This is 4.6% higher than the previous year.

Oklahoma ranks as one of the best for grocery prices
January, 2025 - Food & Wine
Oklahoma ranked No. 7 in most affordable grocery prices amid rising grocery price trends. This ranking is based on an index they create through comparing prices in different regions across time.

Oklahoma ranked No. 11 in growth
January, 2025 - U-Haul
Oklahoma was ranked No. 11 in the nation in growth, according to the U-Haul index, which tracks one-way customer transactions for U-Hauls. This came from a 30-spot rise in the rankings from the previous year, the most out of any state.

Oklahoma has lowest gas prices in nation
December, 2024 - Visual Capitalist
Oklahoma is the lowest of all 50 states in average regular-grade gas prices, according to Visual Capitalist. Oklahoma beat the next lowest states of Mississippi, Texas and Missouri.

Sooner State ranked No. 3 for economic freedom in North America
December, 2024 - Fraser Institute
Oklahoma Ranked third in economic freedom based on the all-government index in a comparison of all 50 U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and Mexican jurisdictions. This is from a study by the Fraser Institute, “Economic Freedom of North America 2024”.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful recognizes Stillwater’s commitment to sustainability and clean communities
December, 2024 - Keep Oklahoma Beautiful
Stillwater was awarded Affiliate of the Year by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful for its strong cleanup efforts. The city cleaned 5,432 cubic yards of debris and swept 12,898 lane miles. In addition, it hosted many different events and programs centered around improving the environment and quality of life.

OKC recognized as 19th most up-and-coming tech market in North America
October, 2024 - CBRE
Oklahoma City is proud to be recognized as one of North America's top 50 up-and-coming tech talent markets, ranking 19th in CBRE's latest report. With a robust tech workforce of 22,590 employees—the 3rd highest among emerging markets—our city is closing in on leaders like Omaha and Huntsville. Oklahoma City’s tech wages have surged by 17% over the past five years, and we continue to nurture innovation by producing over 1,000 tech graduates annually, ranking 9th for tech talent production.

Oklahoma City Skyline ranked one of the 100 most breathtaking views in America
August, 2024 - Mixbook
Oklahoma City continues to capture the hearts of both residents and visitors with its striking skyline, recently recognized among the 100 most breathtaking views in America by Mixbook. The view from Myriad Botanical Gardens showcases the city's impressive architecture, including the iconic Devon Tower, beautifully reflected in the garden's serene lake. This accolade highlights Oklahoma City's blend of urban sophistication and natural beauty, solidifying its place as a must-visit destination for photography enthusiasts.

OCCC ranks as one of the best film schools in the U.S./Canada
August, 2024 - MovieMaker
Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has earned a prestigious spot among the top 30 Best film schools in the U.S. and Canada for 2024. The OCCC Gray Frederickson Department of Digital Cinema is celebrated for its hands-on training with industry-standard equipment, affordability, and the opportunity for students to work on significant film projects. Founded by the late Oscar-winning producer Gray Frederickson, the program continues to build on his legacy by providing practical, comprehensive filmmaking education.

Edmond ranks No. 6 most desirable relocation
July, 2024 - MoveBuddha
A recent study by MoveBuddha highlights Edmond as one of the top 6 most desirable relocation destinations for Americans in 2024, ranking sixth on the list of premier family-friendly places to live. The study, which initially reviewed 188 potential relocation spots across the U.S., emphasized Edmond's appeal due to its exceptional public school system, boasting an A+ rating, high graduation rates, and nationally acclaimed high schools. Additionally, Edmond received favorable marks for housing affordability and safety, with a notable move-in-to-out ratio of 1.42, indicating more people are choosing to relocate to Edmond than leave it.

Oklahoma has the lowest cost of living in country
July, 2024 - GOBanking Rates
Oklahoma has been recognized for having the lowest overall cost of living among the 50 states, according to a new report from GOBankingRate. The total annual expenditures for the average family in Oklahoma amount to $62,900, which is 14.8% lower than the national average. Housing costs in Oklahoma are nearly one-third (31.5%) less than the national average, drawing homebuyers from other states, particularly those who can work remotely.

OKC ranked one of the friendliest
July, 2024 - World Population Review
World Population Review utilized a Big 7 Travel survey of 2.5 million social media followers and tipping rate data compiled by Zippia to determine that Oklahoma ranks the 9th Friendliest State in the United States.

OKC adding more houses than most of the country
July, 2024 - StorageCafe
A recent report by StorageCafe ranks Oklahoma City as the 10th fastest-growing housing market among large U.S. cities. Over the past decade, the city's housing stock grew by 16%, reaching over 288,800 homes, while its population increased by 15%, now standing at 702,767.

OKC ranks as a great place for college grads
June, 2024 - Zumper
Many factors affect where recent graduates choose to begin their next chapter, including median rent prices, average income, unemployment rate, and the potential for social opportunities. Zumper has ranked 100 cities by these factors, and other key categories, to determine the best cities for 2024 college graduates to live. Oklahoma City ranked No. 10 on the list, receiving high remarks for our median rent prices and low unemployment rates.

Looking to rent? OKC is the spot
June, 2024 - Zumper
In the most recent analysis from Forbes Advisor, Oklahoma City ranked No. 5 for best city in the nation for renters among 95 major U.S. cities that were analyzed. OKC ranked second best in the affordability category, and tied with Cincinnati, Ohio, for ninth best for median monthly rent price at $1,300, compared to the study average of $1,995. Rent accounts for 18.6% of renters’ income in the Oklahoma City metro, where there are 185 available units per 100,000 households.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 9 for job creation across the country
May, 2024 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
New statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Oklahoma No. 9 in the nation for job creation. Oklahoma made the biggest jump in the Stateline analysis of job creation rankings, going from #31 to #9. Economists said Oklahoma is starting to see the payoff of decades of investments Oklahoma has made in itself. The ranking was largely driven by Oklahoma City, which is helping not only keep, but also attract, people to the state.

OKC restaurant makes "50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America" list
May, 2024 - People Magazine/OpenTable
The Great Hall at the First National Center in Oklahoma City has been named one of America’s 50 Most Beautiful Restaurants by People Magazine and OpenTable. “This palatial lobby inside the landmark First National Center building in Oklahoma City reflects its opulent Arts Deco origins.”

OKC has the most affordable apartment rent in the U.S.
May, 2024 - Kiplinger
Kiplinger recently analyzed data from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index. In the analysis, Kiplinger ranked Oklahoma City No. 1 for the most affordable apartment rent among large metros nationwide. The typical apartment in Oklahoma City goes for $839 a month, or 46% less than the national average. OKC received high remarks for the city’s low overall housing costs, which run 33.5% below the national level.

Oklahoma ranks No. 5 for real GDP growth in 2023
May, 2024 - Visual Capitalist
Visual Capitalist ranked the top 10 states by real GDP growth. Oklahoma ranked No. 5 in 2023 with +5.3% for real GDP Growth Year-Over-Year. The United States overall was +2.5%.

Family-owned businesses have a home in OKC
May, 2024 - OnDeck
In the most recent analysis, OnDeck ranked Oklahoma City in the top 5 for the metros with the highest percentage of family-owned business in the United States. Oklahoma City ranked #3 with 33.4%.

OKC ranks No. 2 for small business
May, 2024 - Forbes Advisor
The Oklahoma City metro was ranked the second-best place for small businesses nationwide by Forbes Advisor in its 2024 report on the most and least risky places for small businesses in America. The report analyzed metrics focused on financial risk, safety risk, and workforce and customer risk for the 50 largest metro areas with available data. OKC ranked among the top three best places for small businesses due to its above-average gross domestic product growth rates and positive population growth.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 34 for most diverse city in the U.S.
May, 2024 - WalletHub
To identify the most diverse cities in the United States, WalletHub compared 501 of the largest cities across 13 metrics in five major diversity categories. Of those 501 cities, Oklahoma City ranked No. 34 for the most diverse city in the U.S.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 16 for entrepreneurs
May, 2024 - Simplify LLC
Through a recent study, Simplify LLC magazine has determined that Oklahoma is the 16th best state in the country for starting a new business. Simplify LLC used the most recent data for six metrics to determine the best and worst states to start a business. These metrics included: new business growth rate, job creation rate, consumer spending growth, maximum corporate tax rate, regional inflation, and educated worker mobility.

Oklahoma is 1 of 14 states where you can afford a home earning under $75,000
April, 2024 - Bankrate
There are only 14 U.S. states where residents who earn less than $75,000 can afford a median-priced home, a new Bankrate analysis reveals. Oklahoma ranked #7 at $65,443 for most affordable home value, based on the annual income needed to cover homeownership costs without spending more than 28% on housing.

Affordable rents are the norm in Oklahoma
April, 2024 - Newsweek
In the most recent analysis, Newsweek mapped all 50 states to determine which states had the highest and lowest median rent, utilizing data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The median gross rent in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2022 data, was $1,300. Oklahoma ranked #10 for the state with the lowest rent with a median gross rent of $937.

Oklahoma City chef announced as James Beard Award Semifinalist for second consecutive year
April, 2024 - James Beard
An Oklahoma City chef is on the list of semifinalists for the James Beard Award for the second year in a row. Chef Jeff Chanchaleune, the owner of Ma Der Lao Kitchen in the Plaza District, has been announced as a semifinalist for the Best Chef Southwest award.

OKC Ranks No. 3 for best city to move to in 2024
April, 2024 - Forbes Home
In the most recent analysis, Forbes Home ranked Oklahoma City No. 3 for best city to move to in 2024. Forbes Home analyzed cities based on housing costs, cost of living, crime rates, air quality, quality of education, median income, employment rates, weather, entertainment establishments, average commute time, and net migration to the city to determine which are the best cities to move to in 2024. Oklahoma City received a score of 80.25 out of 100 and received high remarks for our low unemployment rate, low cost of living, and abundance of outdoor activities.

Oklahoma ranks as a top 10 state for lowest taxes
April, 2024 - WalletHub
A new report from WalletHub breaks down the average overall state tax burden in each of the 50 states, showing where residents can expect to spend the smallest share of their income on taxes. Oklahoma ranks in the top 10 for lowest state tax burden in the United States.

OKC Ranks No. 14 for best cities to buy a house in America
April, 2024 - Niche
In the most recent analysis, Niche ranked Oklahoma City No. 14 for the best city to buy a house in the United States. To find the best cities to buy a home, Niche analyze cities across the U.S. based on home values, property taxes, home ownership rates, housing costs, and real estate trends.

Norman ranks in the top 25% for most investable cities in America
March, 2024 - The Stock Dock
Online investments insight company The Stock Dork ran a survey of 3,000 investors to curate a City Confidence Index. Respondents were asked which cities they would most likely invest in. Norman ranked in the top 25% for the most investable cities in the United States.

OKC ranks No. 6 for market with lowest income needed to purchase a home
March, 2024 - Zillow
Zillow recently released a study that outlines the income needed to afford a “typical home” in different metros. Oklahoma City ranked No. 6 for the metro with the lowest income needed to purchase a home in 2024 with $74,732 per household.

Edmond named one of South's best cities on the rise
March, 2024 - Southern Living
The editors of Southern Living compiled a list of cities based on research, reporting, and their own experiences, then readers selected their top picks in the annual South’s Best Awards survey. Edmond ranked No. 24 on the list.

Oklahoma ranks No. 9 for lowest average monthly rent
March, 2024 - Doxo
Doxo recently released its annual Household Bill Pay report, which breaks down how much the average U.S. household spends on essentials, including auto loans, utilities, health insurance, mortgages, and rent. In the report, Oklahoma ranked No. 9 for the list of states with the lowest average monthly rent.

Moore ranks No. 8 for best market for first-time homebuyers in 2024
March, 2024 - Realtor.com
Realtor.com recently released their 2024 Housing Forecast to determine the best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2024 and Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City, ranked no. 8 on the list as one of the top housing markets in the country first-time homebuyers.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 2 for purchasing power
February, 2024 - SmartAsset
Personal finance website SmartAsset reviewed how federal, state, and local taxes impact a $100,000 salary in 72 of the U.S.'s largest cities, and took into account the local cost of living in those cities to find what that salary would be worth across the country. Oklahoma City ranked No. 2 for purchasing power of $100,000 after adjusting for taxes and cost of living. The study found that $100,000 has the purchasing power of $87,585 in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 for lowest Cost of living among large cities in 2023
January, 2024 - C2ER
The latest C2ER report ranks Oklahoma City No. 1 for the lowest cost of living among all reporting large cities over 500,000 population. The C2ER Annual Cost of Living Index for Oklahoma City in 2023 was 85.1 (or 14.9 points below the national average).

OKC Mayor David Holt makes ArtDesk 100: 2024 Discovery List
January, 2024 - ArtDesk
Each year, ArtDesk creates a list of their top 100 creators, thinkers, and voices who “give the best of themselves and evangelize for a better world in a way that transcends their own success.” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt was among one of the honorees for the ArtDesk 100: 2024 Discovery List. Holt was among many well-known artists such as Angelina Jolie, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and Elton John.

Oklahoma is the fifth-youngest state in the U.S.
January, 2024 - Visual Capitalist
In the most recent analysis utilizing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Visual Capitalist ranked Oklahoma No. 5 for the state with the youngest median age in the United States. The report noted that Oklahoma has a median age of 37.

Oklahoma ranks No. 9 for manufacturing
January, 2024 - Site Selection Group
Earlier in 2023, Site Selection Group ranked Oklahoma as the No. 9 best state for manufacturing. The criteria included labor volume and demand, targeted skill sets, operating costs, organized labor and accessibility.

OKC ranks No. 2 among top ZIP codes where renters get the most space for their money
December, 2023 - RentCafe
RentCafe looked at 1,665 ZIP codes in the 50-largest U.S. cities to see how much space renters can get for $1,700 per month. On average, $1,700 pays for an apartment of about 944 square feet. In the 73127 zip code, renters can find an apartment of the same price for 1,993 sq ft.

OKC ranks No. 3 for most affordable city to own a home
November, 2023 - Visual Capitalist
Visual Capitalist mapped out the annual salary needed to afford a 30-year mortgage (at 6.37%) to buy a home in America’s 50 most populous metropolitan areas. An average person would only need to make $1,500 in Oklahoma City per month to be able to afford a mortgage in OKC’s market, compared to the national average at $2,300.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 10 in the nation for net migration
November, 2023 - Storage Cafe
In the most recent analysis, Storage Café ranked Oklahoma in the top 10 of states with the highest net migration as a share of population, with almost 10 newcomers for every 1,000 residents.

OKC ranks in the top 5 for downtown foot traffic post-pandemic recovery
November, 2023 - University of Toronto
In the University of Toronto’s most recent analysis, OKC ranked no. 5 at 93% for its Downtown Recovery Rankings. The recovery metrics in the analysis were computed by counting the number of unique visitors in a city's downtown area in the specified time period (standardized by region), and then dividing it by the standardized number of unique visitors during the equivalent time period in 2019.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 2 for women entrepreneurship
November, 2023 - Gusto
From 2019 to 2023, the percentage of women business owners in Oklahoma City grew from 24% to 30%.

OKC brewery wins major award in “Super Bowl” of beer festivals for second consecutive year
October, 2023 - Great American Beer Festival
A local brewery in Oklahoma City recently won a major award for the second consecutive year at the “Super Bowl” of all beer festivals in Denver. The Big Friendly is the two-time winner of brewery and brewer of the year at the Great American Beer Festival awards, bringing home the victory over thousands of other breweries.

Love's Travel Stops ranks No. 1 for work wellbeing
October, 2023 - Indeed
In a new analysis, Indeed revealed their first-ever list of top 20 companies for work wellbeing. Topping the list at No. 1 was Oklahoma based company Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores.

2023 resident survey shows OKC is setting the national standard as a place to live, work, and retire
October, 2023 - City of Oklahoma City
Satisfaction with Oklahoma City as a place to live, work, raise children, visit, and retire is significantly above the national average according to results from the City’s annual survey administered in July 2023. OKC ranked 33% above the national average as a place to live, 19% above as a place to work, and 12% above as a place to retire. As a place to raise children, Oklahoma City ranked 6% above the national average, and as a place to visit OKC ranked 4% above the national average.

Metro Tech director named national award finalist
October, 2023 - National ACTE Teacher of the Year
Karen Upton, the director of extension programs at Metro Technology Centers, recently was named as a finalist for this year’s National ACTE Teacher of the Year Award. Upton oversees all Metro Tech programs operating at the district’s sending schools as well as Project Search and TANF programs. She received state and regional recognition for her previous role as a biomedical sciences teacher at the Metro Tech STEM Academy.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 7 for least expensive household bills
September, 2023 - Doxo
Doxo’s 2023 State by State Bill Pay Market report took a look at the $3.87 trillion U.S. consumer bill pay market, with specific state-level breakdown of the 10 most common household bill payment categories. Oklahoma ranked No. 7 on the list for least expensive state for household bills with an average monthly bill of $1,705 which is 16.7% below the national average.

OKC ranks No. 12 for fastest growing metro
September, 2023 - Lending Tree
LendingTree analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data to determine the largest and smallest share of homeowners and renters — individually and combined — in the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas who moved into their current home in 2019 or later. Within the study, Oklahoma City ranked No. 12 for the fastest growing metro since 2019.

OKC Mayor David Holt has been named by TIME to its 2023 TIME100 Next List
September, 2023 - TIME
In the most recent publication, OKC Mayor David Holt was named to TIME’s list of “100 Next” most influential people in the world. Mayor Holt is the fifth American Mayor to be named TIME100 Next, joining Pete Buttigieg (2019), Francis Suarez (2019), Michelle Wu (2022) and Mattie Parker (2022).

Local restaurant makes Bon Appetit's list for best new restaurants of 2023
September, 2023 - Bon Appetit
Every year, Bon Appetit releases a list of the 24 Best New Restaurants in the country. This year, Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood of Oklahoma City made the list.

Yukon, OK ranks No. 30 for best suburb for first-time homebuyers
September, 2023 - Today's Homeowner
Analysts with Today’s Homeowner looked at more than 580 suburbs located outside 78 of the largest cities in the U.S., ranking them on affordability and quality-of-life factors. Yukon came in at No. 30 on the list and is Oklahoma City’s top suburb in the rankings.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 11 for best beer city in the U.S.
September, 2023 - Real Estate Witch
Clever conducted an analysis to determine the top 50 beer scenes in the country, and Oklahoma City came in at No. 11 in the most recent rankings. According to the findings, a beer in Oklahoma City costs an average of $3.68, a dollar cheaper than the national average of $4.78. The city’s rapidly growing brewery scene helped bolster its ranking on the list. Oklahoma City breweries average a rating of 4.31 out of 5 on Yelp.

Oklahoma City Ranks No. 2 for young professionals
July, 2023 - Forbes
To determine the best places for young professionals, Forbes Advisor analyzed data for 99 major U.S. metros spanning four key categories: employment & pay, housing affordability, lifestyle, and cost of living. The OKC metro area ranked as the second-best place for young professionals. Oklahoma City earned high remarks primarily for its affordability and diverse economy.

Looking for your first home? OKC is the place
July, 2023 - This Old House
Using Zillow and Census data, the report found that Oklahoma City is the only city that ranks in the top 10 for both livability and affordability. Oklahoma City ranks as the No. 4 best city to purchase a starter home and 10th in affordability, with an average price of $111,837.

Oklahoma ranks in the top 10 for youngest states
July, 2023 - Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee analyzed the most recent U.S. Census Data to determine the median ages of all the states in the U.S. Within the analysis, Oklahoma ranked No. 6 for the youngest state in the country with a median age of 37.1.

OKC continues to be one of the best run cities in the U.S.
June, 2023 - WalletHub
In the most recent analysis, WalletHub ranked Oklahoma City No. 11 for best run city in America. WalletHub compared the operating efficiency of 149 of the largest U.S. cities to reveal which among them are managed best.

Oklahoma City named one of the best food cities in the world
June, 2023 - Taste Atlas
Oklahoma City was named one of the best food cities in the world by Taste Atlas. OKC found itself among the list alongside places like Florence, Italy, São Paulo, Brazil, Tokyo, Japan and more. Taste Atlas released its list of 100 best cities to try local food and Oklahoma City came in at #87.

OKC ranks No. 8 for affordable housing markets
June, 2023 - Homebay
Homebay conducted a study aiming to identify the cities where it’s most affordable to make the jump from renting to buying a home. OKC ranked No. 8 on the list. Oklahoma City’s 2023 typical monthly rent price is $1,306 and typical home value is $217,508. Compared to the major metro average rent price of $1,863 with a typical home value of $417,936.

Scissortail Park has the best summer outdoor splash pad in the U.S.
May, 2023 - USA Today’s 2023 Readers’ Choice List
USA Today asked readers to vote on the 10 best outdoor summer splash pads across the United States and Scissorttail Park came in No. 1.

Scissortail Park ranks No. 3 for best summer outdoor concert series
May, 2023 - USA Today’s 2023 Readers’ Choice List
To find the best outdoor concert series to attend this summer, USA Today asked a panel of experts to nominate their favorites, then readers voted for their top picks. Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City ranked No. 3 on USA Today’s 2023 Readers’ Choice List. Scissortail Park earned high marks for being a favorite attraction among locals and visitors alike.

OKC ranks No. 9 for lowest property tax
April, 2023 - Lending Tree
In the most recent report, LendingTree ranked Oklahoma City No. 9 for metros with the lowest property tax. To illustrate the variances in people’s property taxes, LendingTree analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data on the median amount paid annually in each of the nation’s 50 largest metros.

Energy executives rank Oklahoma No. 3 place to invest
March, 2023 - Fraser Institute
the most recent report, the Fraser Institute ranked Oklahoma No. 3 for most desirable place to invest in energy. According to the most recent survey, Wyoming is the most attractive jurisdiction for oil and gas investment followed by Texas (2nd) and Oklahoma (3rd).

Oklahoma ranks No. 4 for living affordability
March, 2023 - Savoteur
In the most recent analysis, Savoteur ranked Oklahoma No. 4 for the most affordable state to live in the United States. The study utilized data from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) cost of living index, U.S. Census Bureau, and Zillow’s home value index.

Yukon ranks No. 2 for homebuyers
March, 2023 - OpenDoor
Yukon earned high remarks for drawing homeowners for their proximity to major employers while still being a good fit for families.

OKC receives AAA bond rating from Moody’s and AAA for 15th-straight year
March, 2023 - Moody's & AAA
Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings have each affirmed the City of Oklahoma City’s top-notch bond rating and stable long-term outlook. It’s the 15th year in a row OKC achieved the highest rating.

Guthrie ranks in the top 150 best small towns in America
March, 2023 - Family Destinations Guide
In their most recent study, Family Destinations Guide polled 3,000 families across the U.S. to identify the best small towns to visit and Guthrie ranked in the top 150 cities.

Guthrie ranked in the top 50 best small towns in the South
March, 2023 - Southern Living
Southern Living released its 50 Best Small Towns in the South 2023 Report, and ranked Guthrie, Oklahoma was No. 34 on the list.

OKC ranks No. 9 for affordability
February, 2023 - Kiplinger
In the most recent analysis from Construction Coverage, utilizing data from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, Oklahoma ranked No. 14 for best road conditions. According to the recent analysis of national data, 63.6% of major roadways in Oklahoma are in good condition.

Oklahoma ranks high for road conditions
February, 2023 - Construction Coverage
Kiplinger compiled their rankings of America's 25 most affordable places to live based on the Council for Community and Economic Research’s (C2ER) calculations of living expenses in 265 urban areas with over 50,000 inhabitants. Oklahoma notably received high marks for its housing cost (27% below the national average).

Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 for lowest cost of living among large cities
February, 2023 - C2ER
The latest C2ER report ranks Oklahoma City No. 1 for the lowest cost of living among all reporting large cities over 500,000 population. The C2ER Annual Cost of Living Index for Oklahoma City in 2022 was 84.0 (or 16.0 points below the National Average).

OKC has the most affordable rent in the U.S.
January, 2023 - Realtor.com
In their most recent report, Realtor.com ranked Oklahoma City No. 1 as the least expensive metro for rent for January 2023. In order to identify the cities with the cheapest rent, Realtor.com used rental sources that reliably report data each month within the top 50 largest metropolitan areas.

Billboard Magazine names OSU's Greenwood School of Music as a top music business school
November, 2022 - Billboard Magazine
Billboard magazine recently named OSU’s Greenwood School of Music as a top music business school, listing it among the likes of Abbey Road Institute and the Los Angeles College of Music as being among the best in the nation. OSU’s Bachelor of Science in music industry program was specifically highlighted for housing its own student-run music company, which connects students to professionals in the industry.

OKC ranked one of the best capital cities
November, 2022 - WalletHub
In their most recent report, WalletHub ranked Oklahoma City No. 10 as the best state capital to live in. In order to identify the best state capitals to live in, WalletHub compared all 50 cities across affordability, economic well-being, quality of education, health and quality of life.

Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission program named most innovative
October, 2022 - NASAO
The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission was named the Most Innovative State Program at the National Aviation Conference for its Web-based Airport Infrastructure Management System. This year, the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) recognized the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission for its Aerospace and Aviation Education Program, which has impacted thousands of students with varying levels of awareness, exposure, and certification to better prepare them for a career in the aviation and aerospace industry in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma universities earn diversity honors
September, 2022 - Insight Into Diversity
Insight Into Diversity magazine has included Oklahoma State University and The University of Oklahoma on its list of 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipients. In addition to being honored as a 2022 HEED Award recipient, Insight Into Diversity magazine recognized OSU as a Diversity Champion for the sixth straight year.

Princeton Review ranks five OKC-area schools among top colleges
September, 2022 - Princeton Review
The Princeton Review has named Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma State University and The University of Oklahoma among its “2023 Best Colleges: Region by Region.” The Princeton Review annually identifies colleges and universities across the nation it deems exceptional based on results of an 85-question survey that asks students to rate professors, administrators, school services and other aspects of life at colleges.

Oklahoma has some of the best home values in the U.S.
September, 2022 - The Ascent
In the most recent analysis from The Ascent, Oklahoma ranked in the top 5 states for home price value. The Ascent analyzed that the typical single-family home value in 2022 for Oklahoma was $181,574.

Oklahoma ranked as one of the most underrated destinations
September, 2022 - CNN Travel
CNN Travel ranked the top 22 underrated travel destinations in the United States that remain refreshingly underrated despite the surge in travel this year. CNN stated that Oklahoma’s high rating is greatly attributed to its surprising food scene, the OKC RIVERSPORT and Oklahoma's long stretch of Historic Route 66.

Oklahoma City is one the best cities to live in
August, 2022 - Bankrate
In its most recent analysis, Bankrate ranked Oklahoma City No. 4 for the best city to live in 2022. To identify the best places to live, Bankrate examined the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. through the lens of an essential question: What makes a place livable and lovable? Applying a 10-point scale, they considered several factors, including: affordability, overall well-being, diversity, job market, and migration patterns.

Oklahoma ranks No. 5 for best bridge conditions
August, 2022 - Federal Highway Administration
In the most recent report, Oklahoma has earned a No. 5 national ranking for the overall condition of its bridges by the Federal Highway Administration. Bridge reconstruction projects and repairs made in 2021 helped move Oklahoma up to No. 5 in the nation for the first time. The ranking applies to the bridges on Oklahoma’s highway system maintained by the state, which includes interstates, U.S. highways and state highways.

OKC ranks No. 1 for street art for the second consecutive year
August, 2022 - USA Today
For the second consecutive year, Oklahoma City has been selected as USA Today’s number No. 1 city for street art. The site put together a panel of experts and in-house editors to determine a top 20 list of nominee cities. Then, the public was allowed to voice support for their favorite city through a four-week voting period to determine the final rankings.

OSU and OU aviation programs rank among the nation's best
August, 2022 - Flying Magazine
The School of Aviation at the University of Oklahoma was recognized recently by Flying Magazine as the top college aviation program in the country. The program at Oklahoma State University was also judged by the magazine among the nation’s top performers ranking No. 4.The OU School of Aviation scored a total of 43 points out of 50. OSU earned 40 out of a total 50 possible points.

OKC is among the best-run cities in America
August, 2022 - WalletHub
Oklahoma City is listed in the top 10 of WalletHub’s “2022’s Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America” list. The site compared 150 of the United States’ largest cities to determine the rankings. Cities were judged on their quality of services in contrast to their per-capita budget. Oklahoma City ranked No. 8.

OKC ranks No. 4 for favorite cities to visit in the U.S.
August, 2022 - Travel Awaits
Travel Awaits’ 2022 Best of Travel Awards gave readers the opportunity to vote for their favorite travel destinations and businesses across the country. Oklahoma City ranked No. 4. The article mentioned several historical landmarks around the city including the Stockyards, the First National Center, and the Boathouse District.

Oklahoma ranks #1 in the nation for high schools aviation programs
August, 2022 - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The four-year "You Can Fly" high school curriculum developed by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is being adopted by school districts at a record pace throughout the state. Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell announced that Oklahoma is first in the nation for the number of schools approved to teach the AOPA aviation curriculum starting this fall. There will be 58 school districts across the state signed onto the program.

OKC has some of the most affordable rent in the country
August, 2022 - Zumper
The most recent Zumper National Rent Index ranked Oklahoma City No. 6 as the most affordable city for one-bedroom rents. According to Zumper, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in OKC is $850. Oklahoma City was just one of 18 cities where the average one-bedroom rent still comes in under $1,000.

Cyber-defense program earns Rose State College national recognition
August, 2022 - National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Rose State College has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. The designation was announced recently by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Cybersecurity courses at Rose State provide students with opportunities to apply a variety of technologies employed in the complex world of cybersecurity. Courses are continuously updated to ensure that students remain current on strategies. When they complete training, they’re ready to take positions in high demand across a wide variety of public and private industry sectors.

OU ranks No. 1 for best college to study meteorology
August, 2022 - OutstandingColleges.com
OutstandingColleges.com recently ranked OU’s School of Metrology program as the best in the nation—surpassing universities such as Cornell, MIT and Yale. OutstandingColleges.com cited the school’s broad portfolio of academic and research offerings addressing weather and climate research topics “from the tropics to the poles” and how students and scientists at OU study issues critical not just to day-to-day forecasts but to the long-term health of the environment, the national economy, and to the future of people in Oklahoma and around the globe.

UCO ranks among best schools for software engineering
August, 2022 - BestAccreditedColleges.org
The University of Central Oklahoma has earned top rankings among universities for its software engineering program. According to BestAccreditedColleges.org, UCO earned high marks for the overall excellence of its program as well as for its affordability.

OCCC ranks among best film schools
August, 2022 - MovieMaker
Oklahoma City Community College has been named among MovieMaker’s 40 Best Film Schools of 2022. The annual list highlights schools that prepare students for every aspect of moviemaking. OCCC’s Digital Cinema Production program offers hands-on film production classes and has instructors who are actively working in the industry.

Oklahoma ranked No. 1 for drone readiness
July, 2022 - George Mason University
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University completed a study on which states are ready for drone commerce and Oklahoma ranked number one out of all 50 states.

OKC ranks No. 16 for the 100 best metros to visit on vacation this summer
June, 2022 - WalletHub
In order to determine the best summer vacation spots, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated metro areas across six key categories. Wallet Hub evaluated those categories using 43 key indicators.

Oklahoma earns No. 6 ranking for veteran-owned businesses
June, 2022 - U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
According to a recent review of data provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. Census Bureau, about 7.7% of businesses in Oklahoma are owned by veterans.

OKC now the 20th-biggest city in the U.S.
June, 2022 - U.S. Census
The new census population data showed that Oklahoma City is the 20th largest city in the country, surpassing Nashville and Washington D.C., with around 687,700 people.

Oklahoma City named a top-10 city for college grads
June, 2022 - Zumper.com
Zumper.com has named Oklahoma City as one of the “Top 10 best cities for college grads.” The site considered average income, median rent prices, unemployment rates, opportunities for social activity and more in their analysis of the country’s top cities.

The Sooner State has some of the lowest gas prices in the U.S.
June, 2022 - GasBuddy.com
According to industry watcher GasBuddy.com, which tracks fuel prices at more than 150,000 fuel stations across the country, Oklahoma – with an average pump price of $4.41 a gallon – claims the third-lowest prices among the 50 states.

Oklahoma ranks No. 5 for least expensive state for household bills
June, 2022 - Doxo
According to the report, the average U.S. household spends $24,032 annually, or roughly $2,003 per month, covering common household bills. The average monthly bill expense for Oklahomans is $1,634, or 37% of household income. This amount is 18.4% below the national average.

Arbor Day Foundation recognizes OKC as a Tree City USA for the 17th year
May, 2022 - Arbor Day Foundation
Oklahoma City was named a 2021 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to supporting a community that places value on the planting and caring of trees. Oklahoma City achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: forming a tree board or department, creating a tree-care ordinance, having an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

OKC has the lowest home rental rates in the U.S.
May, 2022 - Realtor.com
Realtor.com ranks Oklahoma City the lowest metro for overall median rent out of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country. In December 2021, Oklahoma City was the only metro on the list to have an overall median rent cost to be under $1,000.

Oklahoma ranks No. 4 for the lowest median home price
April, 2022 - World Population Review
World Population Review ranked Oklahoma No. 4 for the state with the lowest median home price in 2022. Oklahoma had a medium home price of $136,800.

OKC ranked No. 3 for the most affordable places to buy a new home
March, 2022 - Realtor.com
To find the best places to buy a brand-new home, Realtor.com looked at the median sales price of newly constructed homes in more than 500 metro areas. Each metro had at least 50 new-home sales to be included, and they looked at all types of properties, from single-family homes to condos and townhomes.

Young professionals looking for a place to live? Check out OKC
March, 2022 - Policygenius
Policygenius analyzed 250 cities for cost of living, average housing costs as percent of income, and the number of “fun” businesses — including bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues. They also looked at three different numbers to indicate how healthy the city’s economy is and how available jobs are too early-career workers and the population at large. The results? Oklahoma City is a top 25 metro for young professionals.

OKC ranked No. 2 for lowest cost of living
March, 2022 - C2ER
Oklahoma City ranked No. 2 for Lowest Cost of Living among all reporting large cities over 500,000 population. The C2ER Annual Cost of Living Index for Oklahoma City in 2021 was 86.5.

OKC earns AAA rating for 12th year in a row
March, 2022 - Moody's/S&P
Moody’s and S&P affirmed Oklahoma City’s AAA rating. The triple-A rating is the highest awarded by each agency. It’s the 12th year in a row OKC achieved the highest rating.

OKC's Paycom ranks among World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022
March, 2022 - Fast Company
Paycom Software, Inc., a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list for 2022, which emphasized Paycom’s latest innovation Beti™, an industry-first technology that empowers employees to do their own payroll.

Oklahoma ranks No. 12 for most military families
March, 2022 - U.S. Census
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more military families living in Oklahoma than in most other states. A recent analysis of census data found that 4.4% of Oklahomans live in military households. That ranks Oklahoma the 12th highest in the nation.

OKC again named among 'best places to live and work as a moviemaker,' moves up in rankings
March, 2022 - MovieMakers
MovieMaker's annual list of "Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker" included Oklahoma City at No. 13 of the big cities list, outpacing cities such as San Diego, Dallas, Kansas City, Portland and San Francisco. The magazine highlighted not only the passage of the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, which increased the incentives cap from $8 million to $30 million of the state's film rebate program (20% to 38%), but also the talent of local crews and the fact that "we've got everything you need for a major production," according to filmmaker Mickey Reece as quoted in the piece.

OKC named a top place for creatives
February, 2022 - Thrillist
Through our commitment to public art, our fabulous museums and galleries, and the entertainment options that thrive on musical and theatrical genius, our community is drenched in creative talent. We’ve been noticed on a national scale for the creativity we take pride in. Oklahoma City was recently named by Thrillist as one of the nation’s “Great American Cities for Creatives (That You Can Actually Afford to Live In).”

OKC is one of the best cities for startups
February, 2022 - Real Estate Witch
To determine the best cities for starting a business, Real Estate Witch analyzed publicly available data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, UpCounsel, Google Trends, U.S. Patent Office, and the American Legislative Exchange Council Center for State Fiscal Reform. OKC came in at No. 12 in their rankings.

Oklahoma City named as an emerging future hub for life sciences development
February, 2022 - Bisnow National
Bisnow National recently named Oklahoma City as one of the five cities that are developing the infrastructure for larger life sciences ecosystems.

Oklahoma City named as one of the 100 most-loved destinations around the world
January, 2022 - Tourism Sentiment Index
For the first time ever, destinations around the world have been ranked by Tourism Sentiment Index to uncover those that are most-loved. These top destinations made the list according to consumer sentiment – what people really feel. Being named in the rankings means Oklahoma City has earned the love and an impressive Tourism Sentiment Score® during one of the toughest years the tourism industry has faced.

OG&E ranks among top business service providers
December, 2021 - Escalent
Top human behavior and analytics advisory firm Escalent named OG&E a 2021 Business Customer Champion. The firm recognized 29 utility companies, noting that OG&E’s customer engagement scores on recent surveys position them as a best-in-class provider, signifying that business customers value the relationship and view and consider the utility a trusted energy adviser.

Oklahoma ranks No. 11 for the best states for manufacturing
December, 2021 - Site Selection Group
Site Selection Group ranked Oklahoma as the 11th best state for manufacturing in 2021. The criteria included labor volume and demand, targeted skill sets, operating costs, organized labor, and accessibility.

Energy executives rank Oklahoma as desirable place to invest
December, 2021 - The Fraser Institute
According to a report by The Fraser Institute, Oklahoma came in second recently among U.S. states and Canadian provinces ranked according to their desirability as places to invest in oil or gas projects. The survey, conducted between May and August, ranked 22 North American jurisdictions.

Grady County Ranks #2 in the country for top small counties
November, 2021 - EMSI Talent Attraction Scorecard
In the 2021 6th annual EMSI Talent Attraction Scorecard, Grady County ranked #2 in the country for top small counties. Grady county, just southwest of Oklahoma City, was propelled 814 spots to #2 (previously ranked #816 in 2020), due to a 118% increase in migration, and a 23% increase in education attainment.

Report ranks Oklahoma 4th among states for oil production
November, 2021 - Commodity.com
Commodity.com released a recent report of the top states in the country that produce the most oil. Among the list, Oklahoma ranked 4th among the top states in the country for oil production. According to the report, Oklahoma produced a little more than 171 million barrels of crude last year.

OKC features a great combo of plenty of jobs and affordable housing
November, 2021 - GOBankingRates
According to a recent report published by GOBankingRates, Oklahoma City ranked among the top 10 cities in the US with plenty of jobs and affordable housing.To identify cities in the U.S. that have plenty of jobs and affordable housing, GOBankingRates gathered information on the 200 biggest housing markets in the US, according to Zillow.

Oklahoma's median housing costs among lowest
October, 2021 - Filterbuy.com
Filterbuy.com assessed that Oklahomans spend a smaller percentage of their household income on housing than Americans do across most of the rest of the nation. They determined, among other things, that in Oklahoma homeowners typically dedicate 13.9% of median household income to cover housing costs.

OKC ranks fifth for jobs bounce back
October, 2021 - WalletHub
Personal finance website WalletHub recently ranked Oklahoma City the nation’s fifth most recovered city when it comes to unemployment resulting from the pandemic. WalletHub compared 180 cities based on changes in unemployment during particular months or periods over the last couple of years.

Young entrepreneurs are flocking to OKC
September, 2021 - LendingTree
An analysis by LendingTree shows that entrepreneurs in Oklahoma City generally launch first enterprises earlier than entrepreneurs in other big cities. In Oklahoma City, the average age of first-time entrepreneurs was 39.2, according to the data analyzed.

OKC listed as the 9th most affordable housing market in U.S.
September, 2021 - USA Today
Several houses can be bought here in the region for the same amount as one relatively small house in California. Real estate investor Edwin Su said that a 1,650-square-foot house he bought for $180,000 in Mustang would fetch around $1.6 million in the San Francisco area.

OKC ranks #1 in nation in terms of likelihood of restaurant industry recovery in 2021
September, 2021 - LendingTree
Oklahoma City was ranked #1 based upon strong employment recovery and a sizable pool of restaurant workers. A 22% uptick in leisure and hospitality job postings from January 2020 and June 2021 and a decent amount of restaurant workers compared to the national average help move OKC to the top of the rankings.

OKC named top city for young families
August, 2021 - Insurify
To identify the best cities in the nation for young families, Insurify scored locations based on real estate market hotness and inventory, diversity in local school districts, access to parks and outdoor recreational facilities, and residential and road safety.

OKC is among the friendliest in the country for first-time homebuyers
August, 2021 - LendingTree
LendingTree recently ranked Oklahoma City number two in the country for first-time homebuyers. Despite the competitive housing market nationwide, our metro area offers individuals a cost-effective place to make their first home purchase.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 13 for best run cities in America
August, 2021 - WalletHub
Among the 150 largest U.S. cities, Oklahoma City was ranked as the 13th best run city. WalletHub determined the operating efficiency of cities by comparing the quality of services residents receive against the city ’s per-capita budget.

OKC ranks among top cities for tech talent growth
July, 2021 - CBRE
A recent report by CBRE, showed OKC has had a 3% growth in tech talent over the past five years. This growth ranked 15th in the country.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 3 for overall housing affordability
May, 2021 - Urban Land Institute
Among U.S. metros with more than 1 million population, Oklahoma City ranked third for the lowest percentage of severely cost burdened middle-income households.

SmartAsset: OKC has the most affordable housing market in the U.S.
May, 2021 - SmartAsset
According to SmartAsset your housing budget simply stretches further in OKC. Oklahoma City homeowners and renters pay $916/month and median annual housing costs are only 19.81% of Oklahoma City’s median household income, which is the lowest percentage of income on housing costs in the study.

USA Today has named Oklahoma City as the best place in the country for public art
May, 2021 - USA Today
Oklahoma City is renowned for its rotating murals and sculptures. The city’s public art scene has grown over time thanks to investment through the MAPS initiatives, the Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership and private support and the USA Today took notice.

Oklahoma City ranks No. 3 for lowest business costs
April, 2021 - Moody’s North American Business Cost Review
The Moody’s North American Business Cost Review analyzed 53 Metro areas over 1,000,000 people and ranked various costs associated with doing business. Oklahoma City was ranked as 3rd overall for the lowest cost of doing business, as well as 1st for lowest energy costs.

OKC makes recent '10 coolest cities with lowest cost of living’ list
March, 2021 - PureWow
Unsurprisingly, our city’s recognition continues to increase throughout the nation. With an 86.6 cost of living index combined with an array of attractions, culture, and entertainment, Oklahoma City made PureWow’s recent top ten list of “coolest cities with the lowest cost of living” in the nation.

OKC rated No. 1 for lowest cost of living among large cities
March, 2021 - C2ER
Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 for Lowest Cost of Living among all reporting large cities over 500,000 population. The C2ER Annual Cost of Living Index for Oklahoma City in the most recent quarter of 2020 was 86.6.

Guthrie ranked one of the best small towns in America
March, 2021 - Southern Living
Located just north of OKC, Guthrie is noted for its Victorian-era downtown being the largest contiguous Historic Preservation District in the naton. The charming community was recently rated by Southern Living as the No. 4 "Best Small Town in America".

Moody's, S&P affirm OKC's AAA bond rating
March, 2021 - Moody's, S&P
Moody’s affirmed the city’s Aaa rating and stable outlook in a March 11 report, and S&P affirmed its AAA rating and stable outlook in a March 15 report. The triple-A ratings are the highest awarded by each agency. It’s the 11th year in a row OKC achieved the highest rating.

Oklahoma is one of the top states ready to accommodate the drone industry
February, 2021 - George Mason University
Oklahoma is one of the top states ready to accommodate the drone industry, according to an analysis by researchers at George Mason University. The study ranked Oklahoma No. 3.

State of Oklahoma ranks top 10 for lowest tax burden
February, 2021 - U.S. Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances
Oklahoma ranks as the 7th-lowest tax burden state in the nation. Rankings are based upon total taxes as a percent of income. On average, Oklahomans pay 7.19% of their income on taxes or $3,295 per person.

OKC named among 'underappreciated American cities you should totally move to'
February, 2021 - Thrillist
Thrillist's recent piece highlighted a number of cities that offer "comfort, culture, or verve" but "minus the wall-to-wall people, soul-sucking traffic jams, and wallet-draining cost of living."

Action! OKC ranked as one of the best places to live and work for moviemakers
January, 2021 - MovieMaker
The filmaking industry in Oklahoma City is on the rise but don't take our word for it. MovieMaker recently ranked OKC as a top 15 large metro to "Live and Work for Moviemakers".

Oklahoma ranked in top 10 for manufacturing
January, 2021 - Site Selection Group
Site Selection Group recently ranked the State of Oklahoma as the 10th best state for manufacturing investment in 2020.

OKC one of the most livable metros in the U.S.
January, 2021 - SmartAsset.com
According to a recent analysis by SmartAsset, Oklahoma City ranked in the top 25 most livable cities in the U.S., taking into account a variety of factors like unemployment rate, crime, housing costs and more among the 100 largest cities in the nation.

Mayor Holt elected to National League of Cities board of directors
December, 2020 - OKC.gov
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt has been elected by the nation’s municipal leaders as a member of the National League of Cities Board of Directors. The National League of Cities is the nation’s official organization for all municipal elected officials – councilmembers and mayors. Mayor Holt was also elected this year as a Trustee for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the highest level of leadership in that organization.

OKC ranks among top cities in small business environment
November, 2020 - JustBusiness.com
Justbusiness.com ranked Oklahoma City as the fourth-best city to work for a small business. The business website used a combination of factors including establishment rate, growth rate, employees, average payroll and housing costs into the equation. Oklahoma City’s 61.96 index score only trailed first-place New Orleans (74.20), Cleveland (67.27) and Buffalo, N.Y. (63.37).

State of Oklahoma ranks Top 10 for lowest average monthly mortgage payment
October, 2020 - Lending Tree
The State of Oklahoma ranks No. 7 for the lowest average monthly mortgage payments in all 50 states.

Oklahoma has some of the most affordable home prices in the country
September, 2020 - The Ascent
A recent look at home prices found Oklahoma has the No. 4 most affordable market in the U.S.

Need hard workers? Oklahoma is the place for you
September, 2020 - WalletHub
WalletHub recently ranked the Hardest-Working States in America and Oklahoma was ranked No. 6. To help determine its ranking, they compared the 50 states across 2 key dimensions: direct work factors and indirect work factors.

Oklahoma ranks in top 10 for highway bridge conditions
September, 2020 - Federal Highway Administration
Oklahoma ranked as the ninth-best state for highway bridge conditions, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Only 1.27% of Oklahoma's bridges are rated poor.

Zippia.com ranks OKC as one of the best places to start your career
July, 2020 - Zippia.com
Zippia.com, a career-advice website, recently set out to find the best cities to start a career and Oklahoma City came in at No. 9. The website looked at factors such as median income, rent and unemployment rate in more than 200 cities.

Best run cities in the U.S.? Of course OKC ranks high
June, 2020 - WalletHub
WalletHub recently ranked the "Best-Run Cities in America" and Oklahoma City came in at No. 20. A multitude of factors were looked at with OKC scoring especially high when it came to financial stability.

OKC has the highest PPP Loan acceptance rate in the U.S.
June, 2020 - Smart Asset
Due in no small part to OKC's top-notch banking community, the metro ranked No. 1 for PPP Loan acceptance rates. 78% of the businesses in OKC that applied for the relief program received the loan.

OKC now the 25th-largest metro in the U.S.
June, 2020 - U.S. Census Bureau
In the most recent annual population estimates released by the U.S. Census, Oklahoma City is now the 25th largest city in the United States. Since 2010, Oklahoma City has grown by more than 12%. Oklahoma City has moved past Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Portland, Las Vegas and Baltimore in population.

OKCPS produces top two high schools in Oklahoma
April, 2020 - U.S. News & World Report
According to U.S. News & World Report, the top two high schools in Oklahoma are products of the Oklahoma City Public Schools District, Classen SAS and Harding Prep. Both schools also ranked in the top 100 in the country. In total, eight out of the top 10 high schools in the state are located in the Oklahoma City MSA.

OKC earns AAA bond rating for tenth year in a row
April, 2020 - Moody's/S&P
Moody’s Investors Service awarded Oklahoma City a AAA Bond rating for the tenth-consecutive year. S&P Global Ratings also affirmed the City’s top-notch bond rating.

Freelancers should look to OKC
February, 2020 - Fundera
With our stable housing market and low cost of living, it should be no surprise OKC made Fundera.com's "Best 15 U.S. Cities for Freelancers" list. The metro's impressive job-growth rate and self-employment stats also contributed to the high ranking.

OKC among Reader's Digest 'best American cities for live music'
February, 2020 - Reader's Digest
No, it's not just you: there really are a lot more opportunities to see great live music in OKC these days. We've talked a lot about OKC's emergence as a live music destination on this and some of our sister sites, and recently, other outlets have begun to take notice. Another example is Reader's Digest, who last month named OKC among their "Best American Cities for Live Music (Besides Nashville)."

Oklahoma City ranked No. 1 place for startups to expand
February, 2020 - Zillow
Zillow ranked Oklahoma City No. 1 out of 42 large metro areas nationwide for tech companies and start-ups to expand. The study focused on these five factors: housing affordability, market ‘“hotness,” demographics & labor, tech availability and livability.

OKC named to Travel+Leisure's Top 50 Destinations in 2020
December, 2019 - Zillow
OKC is just one of seven destinations across the U.S. included in the 2020 list.

OKC ranks No. 5 for veterans
October 23, 2019 - Veterans United
OKC ranks as the No. 5 place in the U.S. to live for veterans according to website VeteransUnited.com. OKC is home to more than 42,000 veterans.

Oklahoma City’s resident satisfaction ratings among the best in U.S.
October 23, 2019 - OKC.gov
According to this year's Citizen Survey, nearly nine out of 10 residents think Oklahoma City is an “excellent” or “good” place to live. The national average for large American cities (population 250,000+) is about half.

SWOKC ranks among top for completed industrial space
October 22, 2019 - CoStar
Annual industrial completions has hit a historical peak in Oklahoma City this year. CoStar recently released an article showing us that out of the 2,500 industrial submarkets that CoStar tracks nationally, the SW Oklahoma City submarket ranked 16th in total square feet of industrial space completed over the past 12 months. During this time, approximately 2.8 million square feet of industrial space has been completed.

OKC is the easiest place in North America to do Business
October 16, 2019 - ASU Center for the Study of Economic Liberty
According to the recently released Doing Business North America Report, OKC is the easiest place in North America to do business. The report looked at a variety of business factors with OKC scoring high in employing workers, low taxes and ease of registering property.

Oklahoma has the lowest retail electricity rates in the U.S.
June 21, 2019 - S&P Global Market
A recen report by S&P Global Market that looked at residential, commercial and industrial electricity rates across the country found that customers in Oklahoma paid the lowest retail rates.

Greater Oklahoma City ranks among top ten places in Oklahoma with the most incoming investments
June, 2019 - SmartAdvisorMatch
Five of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s Ten County Region appeared in the top ten places with the most incoming investments in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has the second lowest property and corporate income taxes per capita
March 13, 2019 - Tax Foundation
Oklahoma collects only $699 in property taxes per capita--less than half of the national average of $1556. Oklahoma's corporate income tax per capita is the second lowest as well at $40 per capita. The nation's average is $122 per capita.

Oklahoma City's housing market still getting high marks
January 29, 2019 - Demographia
According to Demographia’s 15th International Annual Housing Affordability Survey, Oklahoma City metro area’s housing market was found to be the third most affordable among 309 cities in eight countries across four continents.

More accolades for OKC's Myriad Botanical Gardens
January 22, 2019 - Star Tribune
Among public parks like Central Park, the Boston Commons and the National Mall, Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens was listed in the top ten public parks in the United States by the Star Tribune.

Need a fresh start? Livability says Oklahoma City should be a the top of your list.
January 15, 2019 - Livability.com
Citing OKC's lively art scene, Livability suggests Oklahoma City to people who want to make, see, or just “soak up the creative energy” of art.

OKC ranked No. 3 for places business professionals to work and live
December 12, 2018 - BusinessStudent.com
The website BusinessStudent.com recently ranked OKC as its No. 3 place for business professionals to work and live. The metro's low rental costs and high average salary for professionals propelled OKC into the top 5.

Oklahoma City ranked best city for retired vets
November 1, 2018 - BusinessWire
With especially strong scores in "veteran-specific metrics and for overall quality of life measures" Oklahoma City is dubbed the best city for retired vets.

Oklahoma City among top 5 cities for veteran homebuyers
November, 2018 - Veterans United
By weighing economic wellness, employment, availability of VA benefits and quality of life for veterans, Oklahoma City was found to be among the top 5 best cities for veteran homebuyers.

Oklahoma City ranked most livable community
November 12, 2018 - Livable
A strong and growing economy, outstanding cultural offerings and bold municipal leadership helped propel Oklahoma City to the top of the list of the most livable communities.

Oklahoma City metro makes top 25 cities for millennial job seekers
2018 - Jetty
Thanks to low costs of living, high wages, low unemployment and one of the largest millennial workforce percentages, the Oklahoma City metro ranks among the nation's best cities for job seeking millennials.

Oklahoma has the best unemployment insurance tax structure
2018 - The Tax Foundation
For the fourth year in a row, Oklahoma was found to have the best unemployment insurance tax structure based on weighing "the actual rate schedules in effect in the most recent year, and the statutory rate schedules that can potentially be implemented at any time depending on the state of the economy and the UI fund."

Oklahoma City's Myriad Gardens rank among top 10 urban sanctuaries
August 22, 2018 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"Oklahoma City’s most beautiful and vibrant urban park space" ranks among the best urban sanctuaries in the country and is called a "huge civic asset."

Oklahoma City among top 5 cities with youngest entrepreneurs
August 14, 2018 - Lending Tree
More entrepreneurs choose to start their businesses earlier in Oklahoma City thanks to things like low cost of living, more networking opportunities, a large millennial workforce and a healthy business environment.

OKC ranks as a great place for young entrepreneurs
August 14, 2018 - Lending Tree
Based on the average age of company founders, Lending Tree ranked OKC No. 4 on its "Top 5 Cities with the Youngest Entrepreneurs" list.

Looking for good weather? Give OKC a gander
July 13, 2018 - U.S. News and World Report
Due to its mild temperature and plethora of sunny days, Oklahoma City was ranked as the No. 8 "Best Places to Live in the U.S. for Weather" according to U.S. News and Wprld Report.

Oklahoma City ranked in top 20 cities where millennials make the most money
July 16, 2018 - Credit Sesame
High wages and low cost of living for one of the largest millennial workforces (41% of our working population--tied for the largest percentage on the list) put OKC in the top 20 cities were millennials make the most money.

Oklahoma City ranked best-run city with a population over 500,000 for the second year in a row, ranked tenth best overall
July 9, 2018 - WalletHub
Based on categories such as financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure, WalletHub found OKC to be one of the absolute best run cities in the US for the second year in a row.

Oklahoma City among the top 10 best places to live for outdoor space
July 6, 2018 - Pots Planters and More
Beautiful parks, wonderful air and lovely temperatures put OKC in the top 10 cities with the best outdoor space.

Oklahoma City tops U.S. cities with fastest construction growth rates
June 27, 2018 - Construction Productivity Blog
The construction of the new MAPS 3 convention center has caused substantial growth for construction in OKC. The rate of project growth in 2018 tops the list at 17%.

Oklahoma City is #1 city to watch for meetings and events in 2018
June 2018 - MeetingsToday
The Cox Convention Center's pivotal location in the center of Bricktown, the upcoming MAPS 3 convention center and OKC Streetcars, gorgeous hotels, and great food made OKC the obvious #1 choice for cities to watch for meetings and events in 2018.

OKC rated among top 20 most prosperous large cities in the US
May 15, 2018 - RentCafe
By weighing six indicators of prosperity (population, median income, home values, share of inhabitants holding a higher education degree, poverty rate and unemployment rate), RentCafe ranked OKC in the top 20 most prosperous large US cities.

Oklahoma City among top 10 cities for building your savings
May 10, 2018 - Bankrate
Based on factors such as income versus the cost of necessary living expenses like groceries and mortgage payments, Bankrate found that OKC is the 10th best city for building a savings fund in.

Five OKC schools ranked among best high schools in US
May 10, 2018 - News9
Harding Charter Preparatory School, Dove Science Academy, Classen School of Advanced Studies, Harding Fine Arts Academy and Southeast High School are ranked among the best high schools in the US.

Oklahoma City named second best city for first-time homebuyers
May 7, 2018 - SmartAsset
By weighing factors like affordability, home sizes, and stable home markets, OKC was named the second best city for first-time homebuyers. This is the fourth consecutive year OKC's made the top 3.

Oklahoma City comes in at #1 on WalletHub's "2018 Best Large Cities to Start a Business" list
April 30, 2018 - WalletHub
Looking at "Business Environment," "Access to Resources" and "Business Costs" metrics with various inputs in each category (19 different variables were used in all), WalletHub found that OKC ranked first among the largest U.S. cities in which to start a business.

Oklahoma City Designated as a Tree City USA
March 23, 2018 - Arbor Day Foundation
For the third year in a row, Oklahoma City has been designated as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. The honor goes to communities who meet several standards for planting trees and spend at least $2 per capita on a community forestry program.

Millennials should look to OKC to buy their next home
March 22, 2018 - GoBankingRates
When it comes to home ownership for millennials, Oklahoma City ranks near the top according to GoBankingRates. The website ranked OKC No. 7 on its "Best Cities for Aspiring Millennial Homeowners" list due to the metro's home values and millennial home ownership levels.

Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s reaffirm Oklahoma City’s AAA bond rating
March 13, 2018 - Standard & Poor's, Moody's
As a result of sound fiscal management, for the eighth consecutive year, Standard & Poor's and Moody's have given the City of Oklahoma City the highest bond rating possible. The strong ratings allow the City to sell bonds at lower interest rates. The savings allow the City to spend more on bond projects like streets, bridges, sidewalks, trails and park improvements.

OKC makes best vacation destination list
March 6, 2018 - Southern Living
National magazine Southern Living ranked Oklahoma City on its "15 Incredible Solo Vacations to Take in the South" list. The ranking further shows off OKC's impressive quality of life and highlighted the metro's impressive culinary offerings.

Time / MONEY: Oklahoma City among "The 20 Best Places To Go in 2018"
March 6, 2018 - Time / MONEY
Due to our ability to consistently deliver "quality, cost, and value" on a variety of fronts, OKC's once again in good company. MONEY used "more than 32,000 data points in total from dozens of sources, covering cost, year-over-year trends, and customer satisfaction" as well as Lonely Planet travel data to compile and round out their list.

OKC ranks among best cities to start a new small business
February 27, 2018 - LendingTree
Oklahoma City ranked in the top 10 for LendingTree's "Best Cities for New Small Business" list. The study looked at average annual revenue and profitability.

CNBC: OKC top city for low cost of living / high wage combo
February 27, 2018 - CNBC / GOBankingRates
GOBankingRates looked at average annual income and average monthly living expenses to find the city where wages most outpaced expenses. Oklahoma City landed in the number one spot.

Oklahoma ranks No. 2 in wind power capacity
Januarty 31, 2018 - American Wind Energy Association
According to a recent report by the American Wind Energy Association, Oklahoma has huge potential in wind energy. The data says Oklahoma ranks behind only Texas in installed wind power capacity.

New Grads Should Take Notice of OKC
January 1, 2018 - OnlineDegrees.com
According to the website OnlineDegrees.com new grads should take a hard look at OKC as the metro ranked No. 11 in its "Best Big Cities for New Grads" rankings. The ranking is based on factors such as average rent, cost of living and nightlife.

OKC ranks high as veteran-friendly place to live
November 6, 2017 - WalletHub
Among the 100 largest cities in the U.S., WalletHub ranked OKC as the 13th best place to live for military veterans based on 17 key indicators.

OKC Ranks as a Top City to Launch a Small Business
October 2, 2017 - Inc.
The OKC business environment certainly impresses as Inc. recently ranked OKC as a top six city to start a small business.

Best Cities for Jobs? You Bet OKC Made the List
September 29, 2017 - Glassdoor
Using factors such as job satisfaction, salaries and home values the website Glassdoor looked to find the best U.S. metros for jobs. Oklahoma City came in No. 15 on the list, scoring especially high in job satisfaction.

OKC a Top Metro for Millennials
September 8, 2017 - Apartment List
A recent study by Apartment List placed OKC as the #8 best city in the U.S. for milliennials based on jobs, affordability and livability.

OKC Ranks in Top Ten for Most Popular U.S. Cities to Live
June 6, 2017 - Business Insider
It's a good time to be in OKC. New data Business Insider obtained from realtor.com shows OKC coming in at No. 8 on their list of most popular cities everyone wants to live right now. The list is based on factors such as the migration ratio and growth rate.

OKC in Top Ten Among Cheapest U.S. Cities to Live
May 31, 2017 - Kiplinger
According to Kiplinger, OKC housing costs run 28.8% below the national average, earning it the No. 10 spot on their list of cheapest U.S. cities to live.

OKC Top City for Saving Money
May 26, 2017 - MarketWatch
From an analysis of the 60 largest U.S. cities, MarketWatch listed Oklahoma City at No. 3 when it comes to saving money. The research found that Oklahoma City is one of the most affordable cities to live in the U.S., taking into account income, cost of living and unemployment.

OKC Best Place to Start a Business in 2017
May 3, 2017 - WalletHub
Looking at the top 150 cities in the U.S., WalletHub examined a variety of metrics including financing, growth rates, business environment/affordability and more and found that Oklahoma City ranked #1 as the best place to start a business.

Millennials are on the Move to the OKC Metro
May 3, 2017 - Travel+Leisure
Millennials are on the move. From an analysis of 50 metro areas in the U.S., OKC came in at No. 12 on Travel+Leisure's list of top metro areas that millennials are moving to.

Want to Build Your Forever Home? Edmond Ranks No. 1, OKC No. 33
May 2, 2017 - Goodcall
Recently, out of 468 municipalities in the U.S., GoodCall ranked Edmond as the No. 1 place, and Oklahoma City at 33rd, in the U.S. to build your forever home. Examining data from 468 cities, Goodcall found that low construction costs combined with gains in home value make the OKC metro attractive.

OKC Ranks as a Top City to be a Millennial
April 26, 2017 - Trulia
OKC comes in at No. 5 in a study conducted by Trulia comparing the largest 100 metros in the U.S. to see where millennals were excelling in the areas of homeownership, education, employment and income.

OKC Gets High Marks for First-Time Homeowners
April 15, 2017 - SmartAsset
According to new research from SmartAsset few metros stack up to Oklahoma City when it comes to buying a home for the first time. OKC's steady housing market and affordability garnered the metro No. 2 on the "Best Cities for First-Time Homebuyers" list.

Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Reaffirm Oklahoma City’s AAA Bond Rating
Mar. 15, 2017 - Moody's / Standard & Poor's
For the seventh year in a row, the City of Oklahoma City has earned the highest bond ratings possible from two of the nation’s most respected financial rating services. Strong financial policies and practices, high reserve levels and the City’s role as an economic center are three of the factors that led to Oklahoma City’s strong rating.

OKC #1 on "Most Romantic Cities" list
Feb. 6, 2017 - OpenTable
It's fun to be in love in (and with) OKC! Doing some inventive data mining, OpenTable looked at percentage of restaurants labeled "romantic," reservations for tables of two, and people who went out for Valentine's Day in 2016 to generate their rankings.

Oklahoma City at #7 on "Best Cities to Raise a Family" ranking
Feb. 2, 2017 - SmartAsset
SmartAsset examined eight factors, including high school graduation rates, percentage of people below the poverty line, unemployment rate, child care costs, housing costs and more and found what locals already know: OKC is a great place to live and raise a family.

Demographia: OKC top-ten major market for housing affordability
Jan. 23, 2017 - Demographia
3rd Quarter 2016 housing and income data showed that OKC is a top-ten city for housing affordability among big cities, according to urban policy consutancy Demographia.

OKC in top ten among large cities for recession recovery
Jan. 11, 2017 - WalletHub
Looking at 505 cities and 18 key economic indicators, WalletHub found Oklahoma City came back stronger from the recession than cities like San Francisco, San Jose, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, among others.

OKC is One of the Top Metros for Wage Growth
Dec. 7, 2016 - Forbes
Forbes recently looked at a study by Headlight Data to find which large metros had the fastest growing wages over the past decade. They found that the Oklahoma City metro had a 5.3-percent median wage growth rate which ranks No. 8 in the country.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 1 for Oil & Gas Investment Worldwide
Dec. 7, 2016 - Fraser Institute
In their annual look at the top places for oil and gas investment, the Fraser Institute ranked Oklahoma the "Most Attractive Jurisdictions for Petroleum and Development Investment" in the world. It is the first time Oklahoma has beaten out Texas for that honor.

What are the Best Cities for Workforce? OKC Earns High Marks
Nov. 23, 2016 - Global Trade
In Global Trade's annual look at the top cities for global trade, Oklahoma City scored high marks for work force. "Young, smart professionals have been flocking to the city - it's grown by more than 125,000 people since 2000 - attracted by a low cost of living, low housing costs and healthy job growth," said the publication.

OKC is Tops Among Tourists
Oct. 19, 2016 - USA Today
USA Today set out to find what U.S. cities leave tourists the most satisfied and Oklahoma City got high marks. The metro made the top 25, finishing No. 4 among Southwest cities, in the survey.

OKC Among the Top Cities Rebounding from the Great Recession
Aug 16, 2016 - CNBC
CNBC listed Oklahoma City at No. 5 on its “7 Cities where Incomes have Rebounded the Most since the Great Recession” list. The metro has seen a personal income growth rate of 13.4 percent since 2009.

Business Facilities: OKC Ranks No. 1 for Quality of Life
Aug 3, 2016 - Business Facilities
Business Facilities recently released its 12th annual rankings report and it was full of good news for Oklahoma City. Greater Oklahoma City took the top spot in quality of life. “By just about any benchmark you can raise in evaluating the quality of life in a location, OKC is a frontrunner,” said the publication.

OKC Has Some of the Lowest Business Cost in the U.S.
Aug 3, 2016 - Business Facilities
Oklahoma City was once again recognized for its low business cost as Business Facilities ranked the metro No. 8 on its annual “Lowest Cost of Business” list.

Your Dollar Goes Further in OKC
Aug 3, 2016 - Business Facilities
We’ve always claimed your dollar simply stretches further in Oklahoma City but don’t take our word for it. Business Facilities listed Oklahoma City at No. 7 on its recent “Best Cost of Living” ranking.

Oklahoma City Ranked as One of the Best Cities for 20-Somethings
June 8, 2016 - Angie's List
Move.org listed Oklahoma City as the ninth best city to live in while in your 20s. The metro was highly recommended when looking at median gross rent, unemployment rates, short commutes and cost of living.

The Housing Market in OKC gives you more Bang for your Buck
May 23, 2016 - Angie's List
Website Angie’s List ranked Oklahoma City No. 5 among the least expensive major metros to own a home. The website found that OKC has one of the lowest monthly tax rates, home maintenance costs and the lowest percentage of income spent on housing costs in the country.

OKC Makes the Honor Roll when it Comes to College Grads
May 18, 2016 - Zumper
Website Zumper recently gave Oklahoma City an A+ on its "Best Cities for New College Graduates" list. The site ranked OKC No. 10 and said "Oklahoma City's bustling economy is a great place to start a career."

Best Cities for Jobs? You know OKC Makes the List
May 18, 2016 - Glassdoor
Website Glassdoor released their 2016 list of "Best Cities for Jobs" and Oklahoma City came in at No. 10. The list was based on factors such as hiring opportunity, cost of living and job satisfaction.

OKC Ranked in Top 10 for Best Cities to Start a Career
May 9, 2016 - WalletHub
Oklahoma City ranked as the seventh best city to start a career, according to a recent study conducted by WalletHub. 150 of the most populated U.S. cities were compared using two key dimensions, Professional Opportunities and Quality of Life.

OKC Named Most Affordable Metro for Young Adults
May 6, 2016 - CareerTrends
CareerTrends took data from the Economic Policy Institute’s 2015 Family Budget Calculator to find the 32 large metros (more than 1 million population) that were most affordable for young adults. With an estimated budget need 18% below the national average, OKC came out on top of the analysis.

OKC Ranks No. 3 for Best Large Cities to Start a Business
May 3, 2016 - WalletHub
WalletHub recently conducted a study to find the top cities to start a business, ranking OKC as No. 3. The study focused on 150 of the most populated cities and used 16 key metrics such as, office-space affordability and educational attainment of the local labor force, to rank each city.

Two OKC-area Graduate Entrepreneurship Programs in National Top 25
May 1, 2016 - The Princeton Review (link requires free account registration to view)
Oklahoma City is well-represented on The Princeton Review’s rankings of the Top 25 Graduate School programs for Entrepreneurship, with the University of Oklahoma’s Price College of Business clocking in at #12 and Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business at #23.

Myriad Botanical Gardens Ranks Among Nation's Best
April 20, 2016 - USA Today
Oklahoma City's Myriad Botanical Gardens was recently ranked as one of the top 10 best city parks in the U.S. by USA Today. The honor was picked by a panel of experts and online voting.

OKC is the No. 1 Place in America for First-Time Homebuyers
March 15, 2016 - SmartAssest
SmartAssest crunched the numbers and found that Oklahoma City was the top spot in the country for first-time homebuyers. The website pointed to Oklahoma City's real estate value and stability of the market as contributing factors.

New Study: OKC Ranks No. 1 for Women Entrepreneurs
March 10, 2016 - Merchant Cash USA
Using 2015 census data Merchant Cash USA ranked Oklahoma City the No. 1 city in the United States for female entrepreneurs. “Oklahoma City is a mecca for young professionals and entrepreneurs who can excel at various industries in an area which is extremely friendly to the small business owner,” Merchant Cash USA CCO Darrin Landau said.

OKC Ranks No. 8 in Millennial Home Ownership
March 1, 2016 - SmartAsset
According to a new study by SmartAsset Oklahoma City ranks no. 8 for Millennial home ownership. According to the article, "(Oklahoma City) is one of the few U.S. cities in which millennials are doing better financially than prior generations."

You Get More Apartment for Your Buck in OKC
February 29, 2016 - Forbes
A new study found that Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 in the country for most apartment space for your money. According to an article in Forbes, OKC is the only metro in the U.S. where average rent per square foot is under $1.00.

Women-Owned Business are Doing Great in OKC
February 25, 2016 - WalletHub
WalletHub set out to find which major metros were the friendless towards women-owned business and ranked Oklahoma City No. 11 in the U.S. The website used 10 key metrics to compile their rankings. OKC scored its top mark by coming in at No. 5 for "women entrepreneurship".

OKC Earns Highest Bond Rating
February 09, 2016 - Standard & Poor's, Moody's
Standard & Poor's, Moody's recently reaffirmed Oklahoma City's AAA bond rating for the sixth year in a row. OKC is part of an elite group of major U.S. metros with the highest rating.

USA Today: OKC a Must-Visit Destination in 2016
December 31, 2015 - USA Today
USA Today recently released a list of "14 Places in America You Have to Visit in 2016" and Oklahoma City made the list along the likes of San Diego, Hawaii, Las Vegas and more. The article highlighted the Oklahoma Boathouse District among other attractions.

OKC Ranks No. 2 for Least Housing-Poor Areas
December 13, 2015 - Credit.com
Using data from the 2014 American Community Survey, Credit.com found that Oklahoma City ranked No. 2 in the nation for "Least Housing-Poor Areas". What does that mean? In OKC, people spend just 28.4 percent of their annual income on housing. That makes the metro one of the most affordable places to live in America.

New Home Construction Continues to Be Strong in OKC
December 12, 2015 - New Geography
New Geography recently conducted a study on home construction and found that Oklahoma City ranked No. 8 nationally for new home construction. Dating back to 2010, new construction makes up about 5.5 percent of the metro's housing base.

OKC is Great for Renters and Owners
November 30, 2015 - Avalanche Consulting
Looking at recent survey data, Avalanche Consulting found that Oklahoma City ranked as the ninth "Most Affordable Metro for Renters and Owners". On average owners and renters pay around 28 percent of their income towards housing in OKC.

OKC Continues to Be Top Community for Veterans
November 5, 2015 - USAA
Oklahoma City has a strong history of supporting the military and a recent study by USAA confirmed it. The metro was ranked No. 1 for careers for people with military skill sets and No. 9 in entrepreneurship for military veterans.

Americans are "Thronging To" OKC
November 4, 2015 - New Geography
According to a new study by New Geography, Oklahoma City ranks in the top 10 for "annual rate of increase from migration" among large metros. Oklahoma City ranked No. 9 with an annual increase of 0.7 percent since 2010.

Economic Outlook Continues to Look Great for OKC
November 2, 2015 - Thumbtack
Small businesses in Oklahoma City have a higher economic outlook than anywhere else in the country according to a recent survey by Thumbtack. Jacksonville, Riverside, Charleston and Houston rounded out the top 5 respectively.

Entrepreneur: OKC is the No. 1 City Worth Moving If You Want to Launch a Business
September 11, 2015 - Entrepreneur
"Combine a strong small-business-lending environment and a lower cost of living, and you have a surprising startup haven." That is how Entrepreneur described Oklahoma City when the ranked the metro No. 1 on its "25 Cities Worth Moving to If You Want to Launch a Business" list.

Oklahoma Ranked in Top 10 in Construction Value
September 11, 2015 - NAIOP
The construction industry continues to thrive in Oklahoma as NAIOP ranked the Sooner State No. 10 in construction value. Oklahoma also ranked No. 4 in industrial construction value.

OKC is an Ideal Summer Travel Destination
August 14, 2015 - WalletHub
Looking for a fun, family summer getaway? According to WalletHub, OKC is the No. 7 "Best City for Summer Travel" this year. The website ranked the biggest 80 metros in the country over a variety of factors like cost, weather and attractions.

CBRE Ranks OKC No. 1 Best City for Small Tech Market Growth
August 13, 2015 - CBRE
Oklahoma City saw a small tech talent market growth rate of 38.9 percent between 2010 and 2013 according to a new report from CBRE. That represents the highest growth rate in the country over the period. The same report shows OKC ranked No. 4 in millennial growth over the same period.

Oklahoma Tops the Pack in Wind Power
August 13, 2015 - U.S. Department of Energy
Data from a recently released report on wind energy from the U.S. Department of Energy shows that Oklahoma ranked No. 2 in installed wind power capacity last year. Oklahoma also ranked No. 4 for cumulative installed capacity.

Oklahomans Have More Purchasing Power
August 7, 2015 - Tax Foundation
Using Real Personal State Income data, the Tax Foundation found that Oklahoma ranks No. 9 in the U.S. for purchasing power. The state's purchasing power of $111.23 is more $11 more than the national average.

OKC Continues to get High Marks for Housing Market
August 7, 2015 - WalletHub
In a study of the 25 largest metros, WalletHub ranked OKC No. 2 on its "Healthiest Housing Market" list. Oklahoma City ranked especially high in lowest percentage of mortgages that are underwater.

STEM Professionals Should Look Towards OKC
August 7, 2015 - WalletHub
Website WalletHub studied the 100 biggest U.S. metros across key metrics to find the best job markets for STEM professionals. High STEM employment growth in the metro helped OKC ranks as the No. 7 best metro for STEM professionals

Manufacturing Remains Strong in OKC
July 28, 2015 - New Geography
Oklahoma City continues to have one of the strongest manufacturing bases in the U.S. according to a new report from New Geography. Looking at a range of data points, the publication ranked OKC No. 6 on its "Best Large City for Manufacturing Jobs" list. The metro was the highest ranked city west of the Mississippi.

The Oklahoma Economy is Doing A-OK
July 17, 2015 - Mercatus Center
The Oklahoma economy continues to perform above the national average but don't take our word for it. Recently the Mercatus Center ranked Oklahoma No. 9 in its state fiscal health study. The ranking is based on both short and long-term fiscal solvency.

Oklahoma City Ranks High for Recession Recovery
July 17, 2015 - Glassdoor
According to a recent report from Glassdor, Oklahoma City ranks No. 10 nationally for recession recovery. The publication used employment growth numbers, unemployment rate and other data from the 327 U.S. metros for their ranking.

Looking to Start a Career? Check out OKC
July 7, 2015 - Wallet Hub
Are you looking to start a career? According to Wallet Hub, Oklahoma City should be high on your list. The publication ranked OKC No. 17 on its "Best City to Start a Career" list.

Fortune: OKC One of the Best Places to Find a Job
June 15, 2015 - Fortune
According to Fortune magazine Oklahoma City ranks as the No. 8 best city to find a job in this year. The study used census data and unemployment rate for their ranking.

Housing Market Continues to Be Strong in Oklahoma
June 1, 2015 - Federal Housing Finance Agency
The State of Oklahoma continues to see a strong, steady housing market according to new numbers released by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The report ranked Oklahoma No. 15 in terms of home price appreciation nationally.

Oklahoma Produces more Natural Gas Than Most Countries
May 29, 2015 - American Petroleum Institute
According to a recent report from the America Petroleum Institute, Oklahoma is one of the top producers of natural gas in the world. In fact, if Oklahoma was a country it would rank 18th in the world for dry natural gas production.

Short Commutes are the Norm in OKC
May 28, 2015 - University of Michigan
If you don't want to spend your life stuck in traffic than OKC is the perfect large city for you. A recent study of the 30 largest metros in the U.S. by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found OKC has the shortest average commute time. The average commute in OKC is just 20.7 minutes.

Best City for Jobs? Of Course OKC Ranks High
May 26, 2015 - Glassdoor
With continued strong economic growth it would be a surprise if OKC didn't rank high on any Best Cities for Jobs ranking. Recently, Glassdoor ranked the metro No. 3 on its "Best Cities for Jobs" ranking.

OKC Ranks as One of America's Most Friendly Cities
May 26, 2015 - Travel and Leisure
It is all smile in OKC as Travel and Leisure ranked OKC the No. 5 Friendliest City in the U.S. They also ranked the metro the least snobby and rude.

OKC One of the Best Place to Work for a Small Business
May 13, 2015 - WalletHub
According to online pub WalletHub Oklahoma City ranks as one of the top 5 places to work for a small business in America. They looked at a multitude of factors such as median income, population growth and small business environment among the 100 most populated metros in the U.S.

Downtown Employment Growth One of the Top in the Nation
April 20, 2015 - The City Observatory
Business is booming in Downtown Oklahoma City and the numbers back that up according to The City Observatory. Looking at census data, they found OKC's downtown had the 3rd-highest rate of employment growth out of the 41 largest metros in the U.S. That national rate of growth was .5 percent while OKC saw a growth rate of 2.2 percent.

Best Cities for Millennials? Few Rank Higher than OKC
April 10, 2015 - USA Today
Using a study done by OnlineColleges.com, USA Today recently released their "15 Best U.S. Cities for Millennial College Students" list and Oklahoma City fared extremely well. Strong economic factors combined with low in-state tuition propelled the metro to No. 3 on the list.

OKC Continues to Get High Marks for Diversified Economy
April 1, 2015 - Wallet Hub
Wallet Hub recently combed through census data of the 350 largest metros in the country to find the most diversified economy. Oklahoma City came in at No. 11 in their rankings when combining industry, occupational and worker-class diversity.

OKC Housing Market Continues to Rank High for Affordability
March 23, 2015 - Citylab
Citylab looked at how many years' worth of income it would take, on average, to buy a home in metros across the county. Unsurprisingly, OKC fared well in the experiment ranking No. 4 for singles and No. 9 for families. The publication found it would take just 2.6 years of income for a family to buy a home in Oklahoma City.

Greater Oklahoma City Has One of the Lowest Level of Income Inequality in the Nation
March 23, 2015 - Brookings
Looking at census data Brookings found that Oklahoma City has the fourth-lowest level of income inequality among major metros in the U.S. The study looked at data between 2012 and 2013.

Experts rank OKC as One of the Best Cities to Move to in 2015
March 23, 2015 - Simple Moving Labor
Looking to move? Simple Moving Labor has ranked Oklahoma City as the No. 4 "Best City to Move to in 2015". OKC ranked high in part due to home affordability and the energy/aerospace sectors.

OKC Has One of the Strongest Growth Economies in U.S.
March 16, 2015 - Brookings
Brookings recently analyzed 300 of the largest metros in the world and found that Greater OKC ranks No. 7 in the U.S. for economic growth. They looked at factors such as GDP, employment and more to find that OKC's GDP growth is actually 6 times higher than the national average for North American metros. OKC also ranked No. 66 worldwide.

Brookings: Oklahoma One of the States Diversifying the Fastest
March 11, 2015 - Brookings
According to a recent study from Brookings Oklahoma ranks No. 8 nationally for states who are diversifying quickly. Currently 45 percent of Oklahomans under the age of 19 are people of color.

OKC Housing Markets Ranks High Internationally
March 9, 2015 - Demographia
We all know OKC has one of the most affordable housing markets in the U.S. Did you also know it is one of the most affordable major metros in the world? A recent study by Demographia ranked OKC the No. 13 most affordable housing market among nine countries it looked at.

OU Ranked as One of Top Colleges in the Country
Feb. 12, 2015 - The Business Journals
The University of Oklahoma was recently ranked as the 57th best public college in the U.S. by The Business Journals. The publication looked at a total of 484 four-year colleges for its rankings.

OKC's AAA Rating Reaffirmed
Feb. 5, 2015 - Standard & Poor's/Moody
Oklahoma City recently had their AAA rating, the highest rating possible, reaffirmed by both Standard & Poor's and Moody's. This makes the fifth-straight year the city has received the AAA rating. The high rating allows OKC to sell bonds at a lower interest rate.

Forbes: OKC a Great City for Hispanics
Feb. 2, 2015 - Forbes
Forbes recently ranked the major U.S. cities for Hispanic economic opportunities. The Greater Oklahoma City metro placed high on this list due to factors such as home ownership rate, population growth and share of total self-employment.

Fastest Growing Cities? You Bet OKC Made that Forbes List
Jan. 29, 2015 - Forbes
With a population growth rate of 1.2 percent, Oklahoma City made Forbes' "America's Fastest-Growing Cities 2015" list. The publication predicts even greater growth for the region this year.

Stillwater and Norman Named Among Best College Cities
Jan. 13, 2015 - WalletHub
Two college towns in the Oklahoma City metro recently made WalletHub's list of "Best College Cities and Towns in America" for 2014 list. Stillwater, home of Oklahoma State, came in at No. 8 with high rankings in affordability. The University of Oklahoma and Norman came in at No. 36 also scoring high in affordability.

OKC Once Again Scores High for Jobs Market
Jan. 13, 2015 - WalletHub
WalletHub recently looked at the 150 biggest cities in the U.S. to find its "Best Cities for Job Market for 2015" and unsurprisingly Oklahoma City made the top 10. This makes the second "Best Cities for Jobs" list the metro has made this week.

Best Cities for Job Seekers? OKC Makes the List
Jan. 13, 2015 - NerdWallet
If you are looking for a job few places rank higher than Oklahoma City according to NerdWallet. The website highlighted the metro's low unemployment, low rent rates and the growth in our working-age population in its "Best Cities for Job Seekers in 2015" list.

Oklahoma Ranks Ninth Among Top Moving Destinations
Jan. 5, 2015 - United Van Lines
Oklahoma is a popular destination for movers according to the 2014 Annual National Movers Study released by United Van Lines. Oklahoma ranked No. 9 among destinations with more than 57 percent of movers being inbound.

OK has Been A-OK Since Recession
Dec. 23, 2014 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
When it comes to earnings growth, few states has fared as well as Oklahoma. Recently the Bureau of Economic Analysis looked at the data and found that the Sooner State was one of the top three states with the highest percentage earnings growth since 2009.

National Geographic Traveler Names Oklahoma City as a Best Trips 2015 Destination
Nov. 21, 2014 - National Geographic Traveler
National Geographic Traveler named Oklahoma City as a must-see destination for 2015. The list comprises of 30 locations worldwide and highlights Downtown OKC as well as the Asian District.

Oklahoma No. 1 Place for Oil-and-Gas Investing Worldwide
Nov. 20, 2014 - Fraser Institute
Oklahoma ranks No. 1 on the list of best places for ease of investment in oil and gas worldwide according to a recent survey from the Fraser Institute. In addition to the No.1 worldwide ranking among the 156 locations in Fraser's "Global Petroleum Survey 2014," Oklahoma was ranked as the No. 1 most attractive jurisdiction with medium-sized oil and gas reserves; the No. 1 most attractive for investment in petroleum exploration and development; and No. 1 for having the lowest barriers for investment, among others.

Forbes tabs Oklahoma as a Best State for Business
Nov. 13, 2014 - Forbes
Oklahoma made Forbes' annual "Best States for Business" list. Oklahoma comes in 10th, which represents a move up in the rankings compared to the previous year. The publication highlighted Oklahoma's low energy costs and business climate.

Oklahoma Ranks High for Business Climate
Nov. 4, 2014 - Site Selection
Site Selection set out to find the states with the best business climates this year and unsurprisingly Oklahoma ranked high, coming in at No. 11. A bulk of the data used in the ranking was from a survey conducted of site selectors who ranked states based upon their recent experiences of locating facilities there.

Kiplinger: OKC is No. 1 for Starting a Business
Oct. 30, 2014 - Kiplinger
Looking for the perfect place to start your next business? According to Kiplinger, look no further than Oklahoma City. The publication ranked the metro No. 1 on its "Best Cities for Starting a Business" list. OKC's low cost of living and thriving small business community were just a couple of factors that helped it nab the top spot.

OKC Ranks No. 3 in Office Space Market Growth
Oct. 27, 2014 - Newmark Grubb Knight Frank/CoStar
According to Newmark Grubb Knight Frank and CoStar OKC saw the third highest percentage growth in the office space market. The metro saw a 2.7-percent growth year-to-date ranking just behind Detroit and Las Vegas.

Few Big Cities More Affordable than OKC
Oct. 24, 2014 - Kiplinger
Affordability is crucial to business success today and according to Kiplinger you won't find many big cities more affordable than Oklahoma City. The business magazine named the metro No. 9 on its "Most Affordable Big City in the U.S." list due to low living costs and steady home values.

OKC Shows Strong GDP Growth
Oct. 3, 2014 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
According to new numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis the Oklahoma City MSA saw a 3.9 percent increase in GDP growth from 2011-2013. OKC is one of only 3 large metros in the country to post a gain of 3.5 percent or higher.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 1 in Durable Goods Manufacturing Growth
Sept. 30, 2014 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
Oklahoma continues to see impressive manufacturing growth through the first half of the year. In fact the Bureau of Economic Analysis ran the numbers and the Sooner state paced the nation in manufacturing earnings growth of durable goods from the first to second quarter of 2014. Oklahoma saw a 4.1 percent increase, a full half a percent higher than the next closest state on the list.

Five Metro Schools Ranked Among America's Best
Sept. 20, 2014 - Newsweek
Five metro schools made Newsweek's annual "America's Top High Schools" list. The rankings are based on achievement and college readiness scores. The five high schools ranked were: Bethany, Classen School of Advanced Studies, Edmond Memorial, Norman and Norman North.

Thunder Ranked Seventh-Best Sports Franchise in North America
Sept. 19, 2014 - ESPN
The Oklahoma City Thunder were recently ranked No. 7 on ESPN's annual "Best Sport Franchise in North America" list. The list looks at factors like affordability, fan relations, stadium experience and winning. The Thunder were the third ranked NBA team and

Oklahoma Ranks No. 2 for Recent Grads
Sept. 19, 2014 - FindTheBest
Website Find the Best recently set out to find which states have been the best for recent college grads since the recession. Using data such as median income, tuition and unemployment rates, the site ranked Oklahoma No. 2 on its list. If you just graduated college looks like you should be headed to Oklahoma.

OKC among World's Smartest Cities for Travelers
Aug. 26, 2014 - National Geographic Travel
National Geographic Travel knows a thing or two about the world and recently they named Oklahoma City one of the "World's Smartest Cities." The travel pub went on to say, "(Oklahoma City) has transformed 7.5 miles of dry riverbed into an urban park (Oklahoma River Trails) and Olympic-caliber rowing center."

Forbes: OKC ranks as the No. 7 Best Place for Business
July 23, 2014 - Forbes
Forbes recently released their 2014 "Best and Worst Places for Business 2014" list and as you would expect Oklahoma City fared well. The metro ranked No. 7 on the list and the publication highlighted OKC's outstanding job and income growth over the past five years.

OKC Has More CNG Fueling Stations than Any Other City
July 21, 2014 - Bankrate
Oklahoma City has more fueling stations that any other city in the U.S., with 11 total according to Bankrate.

OKC: No. 1 Best City to Launch a Startup
July 9, 2014 - NerdWallet
Access to funding, labor and the cost of living can make or break a new business. Based on a NerdWallet study, OKC is ranked the No. 1 place to start a business in the U.S.

Oklahoma Ranks No. 7 on Thumbtack's Business Friendly List
June 26, 2014 - Thumbtack
Oklahoma was given an A+ and ranked No. 7 in Thumbtack's annual Small Business Friendless Survey. Here in the metro OKC received a grade of A- and was praised for the city's training and networking programs.

OKC Ranked No. 10 "Best City to Drive a Car"
June 17, 2014 - Nerd Wallet
Nerd Wallet set out to find which major cities were best for drivers and OKC came in at No. 10. The publication sited OKC's affordable gas prices as a big positive for the metro.

Oklahoma is Home to One of the Fastest Growing Economies
June 13, 2014 - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
According to new data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Oklahoma has one of the top-five-fastest growing economies in the nation. Oklahoma saw a 4.17 percent increase in its GDP while the nation saw only a 1.9 percent increase over the same time span.

Workers are More Satisfied in OKC
June 13, 2014 - Fast Company
According to a new report from Fast Company, workers in Oklahoma City are some of the most satisfied in the nation. The publication ranked OKC No. 8 on its Employment Satisfaction Report Card due to employment opportunities in the metro.

Forbes: Oklahoma One of the Best States to Make a Living
June 9, 2014 - Forbes
Using economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and C2ER, Forbes ranked the best (and worst) states to make a living. To no one's surprise, Oklahoma fared well coming in at No. 9 on the list. Low unemployment and competitive cost of living helped the Sooner State achieve the ranking.

OKC Ranks as a Great Place to Work for a Small Business
May 13, 2014 - Wallet Hub
OKC routinely makes "Best Places to Start a Small Business" lists but what about working for a small business? The metro also ranks high in that regard according to Wallet Hub The website ranked OKC No. 5 on its "Best Cities to Work for a Small Business" ranking.

Looking to Start a Business? OKC is the Place
April 3, 2014 - The Business Journals
According to The Business Journals, if you want to start a small business you should look no further than Oklahoma City. The publication ranked OKC No. 7 on its "Best Metros for Small Business" list. The metro's population growth helped achieve the status.

CNNMoney: "People are flocking to OKC"
March 31, 2014 - CNNMoney
According to CNNMoney, people are flocking to OKC as the publication ranked the metro No. 9 on its "10 Fastest Growing Cities" list. Oklahoma City's population has grown by more than 5 percent since 2010.

Oklahoma City Ranks High for Business Startups
March 11, 2014 - WalletHub
Oklahoma City again has received recognition for its business-friendly climate. WalletHub, a personal finance social network , has named Oklahoma City one of the best cities in which to start a business. Out of the 150 largest cities in the United States, Oklahoma City ranked 12th overall for its startup business climate.

Oklahoma City: One of Nation’s Most Affordable Cities
March 11, 2014 - Forbes
Oklahoma City ranks ninth among America’s most affordable cities, according to a March 2014 report in Forbes Magazine. Two factors figured prominently in Forbes’ ranking: the Housing Opportunity Index from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo the cost-of-living index developed by Sperling’s Best Places.

Workers in their Prime are Moving to OKC
January 31, 2014 - Forbes
Forbes set out to find what major cities workers in their prime (ages 35-49) where moving to. By analyzing population data from 2007 to 2012, the publication found that many workers are finding OKC more than OK. The metro ranked No. 10 on their "Where Workers in their Prime are Moving" ranking.

Forbes Touts OKC as a Retirement Destination
January 16, 2014 - Forbes
After looking at data for more than 400 cities in every state, Forbes found the "25 Best Places to Retire" and Oklahoma City unsurprisingly made the list. The publication listed a good economy, low cost of living, moderate home prices and high volunteer rate as reasons people should look towards OKC to spend their retirement.

10 Best Cities for Job Seekers
January 13, 2014 - Nerd Wallet
If you are looking for a job NerdWallet.com says to look no further than Oklahoma City. The website ranked OKC No. 9 on its "10 Best U.S. Cities for Job Seekers" list. The ranking is based on the city's low unemployment rate, rapid growth and affordability.

OKC Leads the Nation in Housing Recovery
December 29, 2013 - Wall Street Journal
According to the Wall Street Journal, Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 in home value increases since pre-recession highs of 2007. In fact, OKC home values have increased 13.1 percent, nearly doubling second-place Denver's growth.

Forbes: Invest in OKC Housing
December 26, 2013 - Forbes
Looking to buy a home? According to Forbes, Oklahoma City should be near the top of your list. The magazine ranked OKC No. 7 on its "Best Cities to Invest in Housing 2014" list. A robust economy and affordable homes helped the metro in the ranking.

Metro has the Momentum Going into New Year
December 26, 2013 - New Geography
Based on a variety of metrics, New Geography listed Oklahoma City as one of the metro areas with the "Most Economic Momentum" for 2014. Overall, OKC ranked No. 8 on the list due in no small part to continued low unemployment and high job growth.

OKC is a Must-Visit Destination
November 18, 2013 - Complex
Website Complex.com has ranked OKC as one of 10 "U.S. Cities that Transformed into a Must-Visit Destination." The website highlighted the city's trails, river sports and rock climbing, calling it "a mecca for those looking for outdoor activity."

Millennials are Flocking to OKC
November 14, 2013 - The Atlantic
According to Census data, Oklahoma City is one of the 15 most popular cities for Millennials. In fact, the metro ranks No. 12 in the U.S. for net migration gains during the post-recession years.

Oklahoma City Ranks No. 5 for Middle-Class Job Creation
October 24, 2013 - New Geography
The middle class is thriving in Oklahoma City as a new report by New Geography ranks the metro No. 5 in middle class job creation. OKC has seen a 2.1 percent increase in middle class job creation since 2007. Only eight major U.S. cities posted positive job growth numbers over that time.

OKC Ranks No. 3 in Post-Recession Housing Market Recovery
October 7, 2013 - Apartment Guide
Oklahoma City ranks 3rd out of 350 metros in the U.S,. in post-recession housing market recovery according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders. Looking at permits, prices and employment, the NAHB found that OKC is actually running at 110 percent its pre-recession activity.

Luxury is Affordable in OKC
August 5, 2013 - Apartment Guide
According to Apartment Guide, Oklahoma City is one of the best places to find value in the apartment market. The publication ranked OKC No. 9 on its list of "10 Affordable Cities where Luxury Apartments are Within Your Reach". The ranking was determined by looking at lower rent prices that still provided top amenities to the renters. The ranking is just more proof than in OKC your dollar stretches further.

OKC is a "Magnet of Opportunity"
July 30, 2013 - The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast set out to find the most "Aspirational" cities in the U.S. and unsurprisingly OKC ranked No. 4. The ranking looked at the economy, quality of life and demographics of each city to determine which cities presented the most opportunity to their citizens.

OKC Ranks No. 12 "Brainiest" Metro
July 16, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities
The Atlantic Cities set out to find the "brainiest" metros in the USA using the cognitive performance index. Measured by several dimensions such as regional innovation and economic performance, Oklahoma City ranks No. 12 out of all large metros in the index.

Running City, USA - OKC Ranks as One of the Fittest Cities in America
July 9, 2013 - Facebook
According to fitness-related check-ins, Facebook ranked OKC No. 8 on its "Fittest Cities" list. In fact, the website gave the Metro the name "Runner City".

OKC Cracks Top 10 List for New Grads
June 17, 2013 - Apartments.com
As summer begins, new graduates are entering the workforce and according to Apartments.com Oklahoma City is one of the first places they should look to start their career. The website ranked OKC No. 7 on its "Best Cities for New Grads" list. The metro's low unemployment and rent rates helped obtain the lofty ranking.

Military Families Have a Home in OKC
June 17, 2013 - MilitaryFriendly.com
Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base have always shared a strong bond and MilitaryFriendly.com recognized that support. The website recently named OKC No. 2 on its "Top 50 Military Friendly Cities". The metro has more than 250 veteran owned businesses.

Tastiest tap water? You bet!
June 12, 2013 - American Water Works Association
According to the American Water Works Association, Oklahoma City has the best tap water in the U.S. OKC won the annual "Best of the Best" Tap Water Taste Test at the AWWA's annual conference.

Forbes: OKC is an American Manufacturing Boomtown
May 30, 2013 - Forbes
According to a report from Forbes, Oklahoma City is one of the cities helping an American renaissance in manufacturing. In fact, the publication ranked OKC No. 4 on it "Manufacturing Boomtown" list. The metro has seen a 15.7 percent increase in manufacturing jobs since 2009.

OKC Ranks 4th for Economic Strength
May 23, 2013 - The Business Journals
Greater Oklahoma City ranked No. 4 in May's On the Numbers Economic Index. The monthly reports looks at the economic vitality of the U.S.'s biggest cities, factoring in things such as job growth, unemployment and retail activity.

Oklahoma City is Ideal for Young Entrepreneurs
April 29, 2013 - NerdWallet
Are you young and looking to start the next Facebook or Twitter? Few cities offer you more than OKC, according to NerdWallet. The website ranked the metro No. 5 on its "Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs" list. The site claimed Oklahoma City's low cost of living and available capital as great opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Bloomberg: OKC is a Boomtown
April 29, 2013 - Bloomberg
Business publication Bloomberg ran the census numbers to find the top Boomtowns in America and unsurprisingly Oklahoma City made the list. With a population increase of 7.13 percent between 2007 and 2011, the metro ranked 7th in the U.S. OKC has also had a 1.44 percent GDP compound annual growth over the same period.

Want to Start a Business? OKC is for You
April 22, 2013 - NerdWallet
For Small Business Month, NerdWallet set out to find the "Best Cities to Start a Business" and when the publication crunched the numbers, OKC came in at 5th on their list. NerdWallet cited the metro's aviation and healthcare hubs, low unemployment, low cost of living and available funding as reasons you need to start your next business in Oklahoma City.

Forbes: OKC Among Fastest Growing Cities in the U.S.
April 2, 2013 - Forbes
Forbes recently looked at demographic trends to determine which cities in the U.S. were growing the fastest and unsurprisingly Oklahoma City made the list. In fact, OKC ranked 12th with a growth rate 60 percent above the national average. The metro was one of the biggest risers, as Oklahoma City ranked 20th over the past decade.

Best Places for Young Adults? OKC Ranks in the Top 10
March 26, 2013 - The Business Journals
More than 1.8 million U.S. students will be finishing college this May. Where should they go to start their career? According to The Business Journals, Oklahoma City should be at the top of their list. The business publication ranked OKC No. 7 on its "Best Places for Young Adults" list. The study looked at factors such as population growth, per capita income and private-sector employment growth.

OKC Gets AAA Rating for Third Straight Year
March 13, 2013 - Standard and Poor's
For the third straight year, OKC has received a AAA rating from Standard & Poor's. Strong financial management practices, high reserve levels and a stable and diverse economy are three of the factors that led the rating services to confirm Oklahoma City’s General Obligation debt rating. The rating allows OKC access to lower interest rates. Moody's Investor service also gave OKC a AAA rating.

High-Wage Sectors Growing Fast in OKC
February 27, 2013 - New Geography
In an era where many businesses are shedding high paying jobs, that sector continues to grow in Oklahoma City. New Geography ran the numbers and OKC ranks No. 6 on the "Fastest Growing High-Wage Sector" list. The metro saw a 31 percent growth in this sector over the past decade.

Forbes: OKC is One of the Best Cities for Good Jobs
February 25, 2013 - Kiplinger
Forbes recently ranked Oklahoma City No. 7 on its "10 Best Cities for Good Jobs" list. The publication looked at cities with the best combination of low unemployment, high wages and expected job growth to formulate their ranking.

Greater OKC Sports Three Universities on Best Values List
February 22, 2013 - Kiplinger
Access to an educated workforce is critical to all companies. With several high-quality, affordable universities in the metro area, companies in OKC are at a competitive advantage in the quest to find a talented workforce. Greater OKC placed three colleges on Kiplinger's "Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges" list: the University of Oklahoma, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

OKC Ranks No. 2 for Small Business
February 7, 2013 - The Business Journal
Looking for the perfect place to launch your next business? Few places are better than Oklahoma City as The Business Journal ranked the metro the second-best city in America for small business. The business publication looked at several factors for its formula. OKC had a 4.02 percent job growth the past year and has 26.9 small businesses per 1,000 people.

Oklahoma Ranks Sixth in Wind Power
January 31, 2013 - American Wind Energy Association
According to the American Wind Energy Association, Oklahoma ranks sixth in the nation for wind-generation capacity. More than 1,100 megawatts of wind power capacity was added in 2012, moving the state up from eighth place in 2011.

Oklahoma City Among the Fastest Growing
January 24, 2013 - Forbes
Forbes continues to recognize Oklahoma City, as the publication ranked the metro 17th on its list of "Fastest Growing Cities". Forbes predicts OKC will grow by 1.2 percent in 2013. That follows a 1 percent increase in 2012.

OKC Regains Top Spot in Economic Rankings
January 15, 2013 - On Numbers Economic Index
Oklahoma City once again ranks No. 1 in the monthly On Numbers Economic Index. The index looks at the top 102 markets in the United States and ranks their vitality. Oklahoma City has ranked No. 1 five out of the six months the index has been released.

What Recession?
December 27, 2012 - Brookings Institute
In a recent report from the Brookings Institute, OKC ranked 3rd on the list of “Metro Areas' Recovery From Pre-recession Peak - Best and Worst”. The study looked at factors such as employment growth, unemployment rate and Housing Price Growth. OKC ranked highest in housing growth and low unemployment.

OKC-headquartered Devon Energy Named One of America's Most Community-Minded Companies
November 12, 2012 - Businessweek
Devon Energy, headquartered in Downtown Oklahoma City, was recently named to Businessweek's inaugural Civic 50. Devon ranked No. 41 in the new program designed to recognize the most community-minded companies in America. The Civic 50 recognizes companies that commit their time, talent and resources to empower and improve local communities.

Oklahoma City Tops Economic Strength Ranking for Fourth Straight Month
November 12, 2012 - On Numbers Economic Index
For the fourth consecutive month, Oklahoma City has ranked first in the On Numbers Economic Index. The index measures the economic health of metro areas above 500,000 in population. OKC's low unemployment rate, growth in the retail sector and stability in the housing market garnered the metro the top spot in the ranking.

OKC Ranks in Top 10 for Job Growth
November 2, 2012 - CareerBuilder.com
More and more national publications are starting to notice Oklahoma City's resilience during the recession. This time it's CareerBuilder.com, as the website ranked Oklahoma City 6th in job growth between 2010 and 2012 (among large metros). According to the site, OKC added nearly 29,000 jobs during that period of time, ranking right above Dallas and San Francisco.

Oklahoma Rated as One of the Top States for Doing Business
October 26, 2012 - Area Development
Oklahoma ranked No. 10 in Area Development's annual "Top States for Doing Business" report. The ranking surveys location consultants on a multitude of factors. Oklahoma ranked high in incentives and workforce development programs. These two areas show continued strides the region has made in its economic development platform over the past decade.

ESPN Ranks the Thunder the Top Franchise in Sports
October 18, 2012 - ESPN
The Oklahoma City Thunder have done more than take the NBA by storm as ESPN has named them the top franchise in all of pro sports. The magazine looked at a host of factors to see what franchises offered the most to their fan base. The Thunder scored particularly high in fan relations and the likability of its players.

OKC Continues its Streak as Nation's Economic Leader
October 8, 2012 - The Business Journals
For the third month in a row, Oklahoma City has ranked #1 on the On Numbers Economic Index. The article highlighted OKC's unemployment rate, job growth, wage increases and housing sector as reasons for economic success.

OKC is the Place for Engineers
October 4, 2012 - New Geography
A study by New Geography ranked Oklahoma City No. 3 on its "Best Cities for Engineers" list. Engineering jobs have increased more than 10 percent since 2009. According to the study, "With nearly 14,000 current jobs, OKC is a good spot for engineers to be looking."

OKC Ranks as One of the Best Cities for College Students
October 1, 2012 - American Institute for Economic Research
The American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) recently ranked Oklahoma City as the third-best mid-sized metro for college students. The report looked at 12 factors such as academic environment, quality of life and professional opportunities. OKC scored high marks for cost of living, student concentration and low unemployment.

Housing Revival No Problem in OKC
September 14, 2012 - The Business Journals
While many cities are still trying to regain their housing market, data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency shows Oklahoma City is not having that problem. From 2007 to 2012, Oklahoma City saw a 2.88 percent increase in its housing index. This index represents housing prices. The increase was good for fifth best in the U.S. and boasts the stability of the metro's housing market.

Oklahoma Outpaces the Nation in Household Income Growth
September 13, 2012 - U.S. Census Bureau
Few states has been as resilient as Oklahoma during the recession and proof continues to come in. According to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Oklahoma had the highest rate of median household income growth in the nation last year. From 2010 to 2011, Oklahoma's median household income 12.4 percent. The next closest state saw their income rise by 10.5 percent.

Metro Area Makes Best Communities for Young People
September 13, 2012 - America's Promise Alliance
For the sixth time, Oklahoma City was named one of the "100 Best Communities for Young People" by America's Promise Alliance. According the ranking Oklahoma City "continues to serve as a national model for making youth a citywide priority by offering a variety of programs to help support their academic success and overall well-being."

OKC Ranks No. 1 in Economic Strength
September 10, 2012 - The Business Journals
Oklahoma City continues to attract attention for its low unemployment and high private-sector job growth, ranking No. 1 on the On Numbers Economic Index for the month of September. The index awarded Oklahoma City with an overall score of 91.042, which topped the next-ranking city by more than five points.

Philanthropy Thrives in OKC
September 6, 2012 - New Geography
According to a new report by How America Gives, Oklahoma City ranks as the seventh most charitable major metro area. The reports shows that residents in OKC are donating 5.5 percent of their income to charity. In term of raw dollars actually given, Oklahoma City ranked No. 1 in the state.

Oklahoma City Sees Increase in Population with Bachelor Degrees
August 9, 2012 - New Geography
A new study by New Geography shows that Oklahoma City is battling "brain drain" as the metro ranked in the top 20 for "increases in population with Bachelor Degrees". The study, using census data, showed that OKC actually ranks four points higher than the national average. Oklahoma City is seeing an impressive influx of talented workers to its labor market.

Oklahoma Ranked No. 1 Spot for Oil & Gas Investment
August 3, 2012 - Fraser Institute
Oklahoma is the best place on earth for oil and gas investment, according to the Fraser Institute and their annual Global Petroleum Survey. Oklahoma jumped to the top spot after being ranked No. 4 in 2011.

Two OKC Institutions Named Best Places to Work in Academia
August 1, 2012 - The Scientist
The Scientist magazine ranked the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundations (OMRF) and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHCS) among its 25 "Best Places to Work in Academia" list. OMRF was ranked 21st and received high marks for job satisfaction and pay. OUHSC came in 25th with high scores in teaching and mentoring as well as tenure and promotion.

Oklahoma Bucks the Trend with Retail
July 12, 2012 - The Business Journal
According to The Business Journal, Oklahoma is one of only six states who have recovered their retail jobs lost during the recession. Oklahoma ranked fourth on that list, not only recovering the lost jobs but adding 2,000 additional more in the retail sector.

Oklahoma Ranks First for Cost of Living
July 12, 2012 - CNBC
In their "America's Top States for Business 2012" ranking, CNBC ranked Oklahoma the top state for cost of living. Oklahoma also placed fourth in cost of business, proving that in Oklahoma the value you get for your dollar exceeds almost anywhere else in the country.

Millennials Will Find a Home in OKC
July 9, 2012 - Moving.com
There are not many cities in the U.S. better to live in if you are a Millennial, according to the website Moving.com. The site ranked Oklahoma City No. 6 in its "Best City for Millennials" due to its low unemployment rate, affordable housing and good nightlife.

OKC Ranks as the Most Business-Friendly City
June 11, 2012 - CNN Money
Thumbtack surveyed more than 6,000 small businesses nationwide and found that Oklahoma City is the "Most Business-Friendly City" in the United States. The metro area's low cost of living and rising college graduate retention rates helped take the top spot in the survey.

Men's Fitness Ranks OKC Among the Fittest
June 1, 2012 - Men's Fitness
Men's Fitnessranked Oklahoma City the 23rd "Fittest City" in the United States and called Oklahoma City the biggest success story of the year. The fitness magazine pointed to Mayor Mick Cornett's effort to put Oklahoma City on a diet as evidence of the city's commitment to healthier living.

Recent College Grads are Happy in OKC
May 25, 2012 - Forbes
Forbes recently set out to find what cities are great for college graduates looking for a job and Oklahoma City made the cut at No. 9. The study looked at numerous data points including job growth, compensation and working environment.

OKC Ranks in Top 10 for Best Big Cities for Jobs
May 1, 2012 - Forbes
Forbes once again took notice of Oklahoma City as it ranked the metro the 10th "Best Big Cities for Jobs". OKC has been climbing the ranking of the annual report each year. Last year Oklahoma City ranked 22nd but moved up the ranking with an employment growth of 1.7 percent.

OKC ranked No. 1 for highest annual earnings growth rate
April 30, 2012 - Garner Economics
In a recent report by Garner Economics, Oklahoma City was ranked No. 1 in earnings growth for metros over 1 million in population. OKC's earnings grew by 11 percent over the time studied.

Oklahoma City Named Least-Costly City by KPMG Study
April 17, 2012 - KPMG
Oklahoma City was named the least-costly city to do business among 13 midsized U.S. cities according to a study by KPMG LLP. Oklahoma City had a cost index of 95.5, representing business costs 4.5 percent below the U.S. national baseline of 100.0

OKC Ranked No. 3 for Small Business
April 13, 2012 - The Business Journal
Small business is the backbone to any healthy economy so it is no surprise Oklahoma City ranks at the third "Best U.S. City for Small Business. The Business Journal created a formula to analyze small business climates across the country. The metro area has 26.27 small businesses per 1,00 residents.

Standard & Poors Give OKC AAA Rating
April 4, 2012 - Standard & Poors
Conservative financial management, strong retail sales and a deep and diversified employment base are three of the factors that led Standard & Poor’s rating service to confirm Oklahoma City’s General Obligation debt rating of ‘AAA.’ Moody’s Investor Service also confirmed the City’s ‘Aaa’ bond rating.

OKC Ranks as Top City for Job Creation
March 30, 2012 - Gallup
Gallup’s Job Creation Index ranked Oklahoma City as the number one city for job creation in 2011 out of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. According to the study, Oklahoma City had a job creation index score of 25, outplacing other top-performing cities by at least 3 points and beating the national job creation score by 12 points.

U-Haul Names OKC a Top 50 City for Movers
March 27, 2012 - U-Haul International
U-Haul knows a thing or two about moving and they know OKC is a great destination. Oklahoma City came in at No. 27 in their list of "Top 50 Cities for Movers". The ranking reflects destinations for movers traveling more than 50 miles. The study looked at every city in the country regardless of size.

OKC Tech Company Makes Best Places to Work List
March 17, 2012 - Business Insider
OKC-based a la mode was recently named the fifth-best Tech Company to work for in the U.S. by Business Insider. Companies like a la mode and others who frequent "Best Places to Work" lists are just more examples of OKC being a great place to recruit and retain employees due the metro areas' business climate and growing creative-class.

Survey Finds OKC One of the Best Cities for Jobs in 2012
March 13, 2012 - Manpower Group
Manpower Group, an employment service firm, recently surveyed 18,000 employers across the country and tabbed Oklahoma City fourth in the their "Best City for Jobs in Spring of 2012". The metro area had a net employment outlook of 20 percent for the second quarter. In total, 24 percent of the OKC companies surveyed expected to increase hiring in the Spring.

Arts and Entertainment a Big Boom For Oklahoma City
March 6, 2012 - The Business Journals
Year after year, Oklahoma City sees growth in both tourism and general recreational spending. In fact, Arts and Entertainment are starting to become a significant sector of the OKC economy. According to stats recently released by The Business Journals, Oklahoma City ranks in the top 10 percent of all metros in Arts and Entertainment employment. This sector has more than 8,000 employees and that number continues to grow.

OKC is a Great Place for Manufacturing
February 20, 2012 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics continue to release their 2011 data, OKC continues to get good news. It was revealed today that Oklahoma City ranked in the top 10 in manufacturing growth. The metro saw a 5.20 percent job increase in that sector over the past year.

Retail Continues to Grow in OKC
February 9, 2012 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
As 2012 kicks off, Oklahoma City continues to see the retail sector gain momentum. In fact, according to stats from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OKC ranked third in the nation in percentage increase in retail jobs. Oklahoma City saw a 3.68 percent increase in jobs in 2011.

U.S. Cities Bouncing Back from the Recession
February 7, 2012 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
According to recent statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma City is one of 13 cities in the United States to have bounced back from the recession. The list includes major markets that have recovered all jobs lost during the recession.

Three OKC Companies Make 100 Best Place to Work List
February 6, 2012 - Fortune
Three Oklahoma City headquartered companies recently made Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work for List". American Fidelity Assurance, Chesapeake and Devon are all repeat winners and all not only made the list for 2012 but ranked in the top 50.

OKC is Surging in Private-Sector Gains
February 6, 2012 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
A lot has been made about Oklahoma City's economic strength during the Recession and the numbers continue to back up the praise. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, OKC ranked seventh in the nation for private-job growth between 2010 and 2011. The metro saw a 12,000 job increase which represents a 2.75 percent increase in one year.

Oklahoma City is One of the Happiest Cities to Work In
January 17, 2012 - CareerBliss.com
People are just happier when going to work in Oklahoma City, at least according to CareerBliss.com. The company recently surveyed 43,000 workers nation wide and found that Oklahoma City was the third "Happiest City for Work", proving once again that OKC is the perfect place to work, play and live.

OKC Makes List of Cities with Best Real Estate Appreciation Potential
January 11, 2012 - Forbes
Forbes recently released their list of cities they felt had great real estate potential and Oklahoma City made the top 10. OKC's steady home prices the past three years and four percent population growth helped the metro make the renowned publication's ranking.

Study Finds OKC Ranks High for IT Activity
January 6, 2012 - Zinnov
Leading management consulting company Zinnov recently looked at the best economically emerging mid-sized cities. Among other things, their study showed Oklahoma City ranked second among these top cities in back office outsourcing. The study went on to show that companies can save 20 to 25 percent by headquartering in places like Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Great for Starting a Business
December 28, 2011 - Kiplinger
Renowned business forecaster Kiplinger named Oklahoma City one of its "10 Great Cities for Starting a Business". The write up goes on to say "Oklahoma City entrepreneurs have two big advantages over business owners elsewhere: midwestern start-up costs are low, and government support for business is strong." The article also highlights i2E's contributions to entrepreneurship in Oklahoma City.

Forbes Recognizes Oklahoma City's Manufacturing Economy
December 15, 2011 - Forbes
Oklahoma City is no stranger to Forbes as the metro made another of the publication's rankings. This time Forbes named Oklahoma City one of the "Best Cities for Manufacturing Jobs". The story cited Oklahoma City's 28-percent growth in manufacturing jobs over the past 10 years.

Oklahoma City Named One of the "Most Secure Places to Live"
December 15, 2011 - Farmers Insurance
Oklahoma City is one of the safest large metros according to Farmers Insurance's eighth annual "Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S." report. The study, which ranked OKC No. 18, looks at crime rates, extreme weather, air quality and other factors.

Oklahoma City Ranked No. 1 for Economic Security
December 14, 2011 - MetroTrends
MetroTrends released their annual Report Card on Economic Security and Oklahoma City was at the top of the class. The publication gave OKC an "A" and ranked it as the Best Metro in the U.S. for economic security. In the write up, the metro's area diverse economy was lauded, as well as the stable housing market.

Wall Street Journal Names OKC One of the Best Cities for Business
December 13, 2011 - Wall Street Journal Market Watch
The Wall Street Journal recently released their annual list of "Best Cities for Business" and Oklahoma City cracked the list for the first time. The metro came in sixth due to its personal income and job growth. The article also highlighted Project 180 and the relocation of Boeing and Continental Resources.

OG&E Named Best Electric Utility in North America
December 9, 2011 - Electric Light and Power |
Oklahoma City-based OG&E Electric Services was named the best electric utility in North America by Electric Light and Power Magazine. The publication highlighted OG&E's rollout of their new smart grid technology and the fact that OG&E consistently produces lower rates for Oklahoma when compared with other states.

Oklahoma City Offers Best Value in Office Space
December 9, 2011 - Building Owners and Mangers Association |
Oklahoma City offers one of the most competitive business climates in the country. One major factor in that is the affordability of the office market. Recently, the Building Owners and Managers Association ranked the metro area as the ninth most affordable office market in the U.S.

Oklahoma is One of the Best States for Business
December 8, 2011 - Forbes
Forbes recently released its sixth annual scorecard of "Best States for Business" and Oklahoma came in an impressive 13th. The publication highlighted Oklahoma as a state moving up due to our improved job and economic outlook. Oklahoma scored its highest ranking is business cost and economic climate ranking. Oklahoma City has routinely had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation the last couple of years.

Oklahoma City the Best Place for Military Retirement
November 9, 2011 - USAA
Oklahoma City offers a high number of jobs that require skill-sets learned in the military. That combined with a large number of veteran-owned businesses, numerous federal jobs and a local VA medical center led USAA to name the metro as the "Best Place for Military Retirement" in the U.S.

Eight Healthiest Housing Markets
November 7, 2011 - RealtorMag
The National Association of Realtors recently named Oklahoma City one of the "8 Healthiest Housing Markets" in the United States. Expected income increases and low unemployment continue to attract new businesses and households to the metro area according to the publication.

10 Cities Where Mortgages are Staying Afloat
November 3, 2011 - AOL Real Estate
Oklahoma City continues to receive national praise for its steady housing market. This time AOL Real Estate lauded the metro area at the No. 8 city "Where Mortgages are Staying Afloat". Low unemployment and steady home prices the past 12 months helped Oklahoma City land on the list.

Site Selection Tabs Oklahoma as Having One of the Best Business Climates
November 1, 2011 - Site Selection
Site Selection released their annual rankings of "Best Business Climates" and Oklahoma came in at 13th. Of all the factors used, Oklahoma showed best in the Executive Survey aspect of the rank.

Oklahoma City is the Fourth-Best for a Job Search
October 25, 2011 - BenefitsPro
A lot of factors go into a healthy job market and Oklahoma City offers most of them. Low cost of living, low unemployment and value in the housing market caught BenefitPro's eye as the site named the metro area as the "Fourth Best City for a Job Search."

Oklahoma City Named One of the Nation's 100 Best Communities for Young People
October 12, 2011 - America's Promise Alliance and ING
Oklahoma City achieved national recognition as one of America's Promise Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING for its initiatives to help young people. This is Oklahoma City's fifth time on the 100 Best Communities for Young People list.

Oklahoma City among Top 20 Strongest Metros in the Nation For Tenth Consecutive Quarter
October 6, 2011 - Brookings
For the tenth quarter in a row, Oklahoma City was listed as one of the Top 20 Strongest Metros among America's 100 largest metropolitan areas, according to The Brookings Institute MetroMonitor report. Oklahoma City has been in the Top 20 in this report since the recession began. While the majority of the cities evaluated saw high unemployment rates, rising foreclosures and other negative economic indicators, Oklahoma City saw a positive trend in nearly all areas.

Best Sports Cities: OKC Makes the Cut
October 4, 2011 - Sporting News
Oklahoma City has always been known as a town crazy about sports, from our love for our local minor league franchises to our favorite colleges, the metro has always boasted passionate fans. However, since the Thunder came to town that passion has been taken to another level. The Sporting News has taken notice and named OKC the No. 26 "Best Sports City" in America.

Oklahoma City #5 on "Best Places to Start Over" List
September 31, 2011 - MSN Real Estate
Oklahoma City has done more than just OK in the jobs arena. It has consistently ranked as one of the nation's strongest economies over the past few years. Low unemployment, healthy economy and stable housing market landed OKC on the 10 "Best Places to Start Over" list.

Oklahoma Makes Top 10 in Two Categories of "Top States For Doing Business" Survey
September 22, 2011 - Area Development Magazine
Area Development recently surveyed highly-respected location consultants and Oklahoma City came up big in two critical areas. The state ranked fourth in both incentives and shovel-ready programs. Those surveyed work with a nationwide client base.

Oklahoma City #3 on "10 Metros with Greatest 5-Year Gain in Real Estate Values" List
September 2, 2011 - Inman News / Zillow
Housing bubble not inspiring any Lawrence Welk-esque merriment in your area? Check out Oklahoma City. Zillow "calculated the 10 U.S. metro areas that have experienced the largest gains in home values over the past five years, based on the company's home-value estimates and its Zillow Home Value Index" in order to find the best housing markets in the country. OKC clocked in at a 10.1% rate of appreciation over that period, in stark contrast to the many negative rates that continue to dominate the nation.

Chesapeake Energy Arena Ranked 6th on the NBA
August 24, 2011 - Orlando Sentinel
Chesapeake Energy Arena was ranked as the 6th-best arena in the NBA due to great location, the mascot Rumble and friendly and rowdy fans. The author expects the arena to jump into the top three after current renovations are complete.

Oklahoma City Makes Top 10 of "Best Places to Live" List
August 3, 2011 - RelocateAmerica via WSJ Marketwatch
Citing a "renovation of convention, cultural and educational sites" as well as all types of new downtown development projects, Oklahoma City lands at number 10 on another Top 10 list (this time from relocation specialist RelocateAmerica) for best places to live.

Kotkin: OKC a Top 20 Boom Town in the U.S.
July 6, 2011 - Forbes / New Geography
Past, present and future job growth and demographic factors like growth in educated migration and population increases help explain Oklahoma City's presence on Joel Kotkin's "Next Boom Towns in the U.S." top 20 list, published in Forbes and New Geography. What's behind the next boom? "...well-established patterns of job creation and vital demographics will drive future regional growth, not only in the next year, but over the coming decade. People create economies and they tend to vote with their feet when they choose to locate their families as well as their businesses," says Kotkin.

Oklahoma City Named 2nd-Best Place to Start a Small Business
July 1, 2011 - The Fiscal Times
Along with an affordable cost of living and a high concentration of local investors, The Fiscal Times explains OKC's exciting environment for emerging companies as easy-to-succeed for entrepreneurs with a bevy of groundbreaking incentives alongside a strong economy, an expanding population, great "quality of life, revitalized downtown, and cultural activities, along with a talented workforce."

Forbes Best Places for Business and Careers: OKC #28 of 200
June 29, 2011 - Forbes
Forbes looked at "12 metrics relating to job growth (past and projected), costs (business and living), income growth, educational attainment and projected economic growth," as well as a bevy of quality-of-life factors and proximity to highly-ranked colleges among the top 200 metros in the country. Oklahoma City's economic strength, cost of doing business, income growth and proximity to four universities on Forbes' "Best Colleges" ranking all helped OKC rise to the top 14% of all 200 metro areas studied.

Oklahoma Ranked 6th-Lowest Cost of Business State, 4th-Best Economy
June 28, 2011 - CNBC
In CNBC's "America's Top States for Business 2011" report, Oklahoma ranked 6th-best for cost of business due to low income, property and business taxes, "particularly as they apply to new investments." CNBC also factored in utility costs, cost of wages and rental rates for both office and industrial space to round out their cost-of-business rankings. In addition, Oklahoma also ranked as the 4th-best economy (due to economic diversity and fiscal health) and the 3rd-lowest cost of living in the CNBC study.

Brookings: Oklahoma City Among Top 20 Metros for Overall Performance
June 21, 2011 - The Brookings Institution MetroMonitor
Once again, Oklahoma City is singled out among the Top 20 Performing Metros according to The Brookings Institution. Brookings examines employment numbers, unemployment rates, home prices and gross metropolitan product levels to determine their star performers, once again showing OKC's resilience and economic strength and diversity, even during - as well as after - the recession.

Oklahoma City Boasts 5th-Best Retail Employment Growth Since Recession
June 20, 2011 - The Business Journals
In Bizjournals' analysis of new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Oklahoma City ranks fifth in raw retail employment growth since April 2008, "when the recession slammed the brakes on consumer spending." OKC is also one of only eight of the top 100 markets to add jobs since the recession began, another indication of how Oklahoma City's economic strength makes it one of the country's few prime growth spots for destination retail. With a strong economy, high-paying jobs, multiple Fortune 500 headquarters and a real estate market lauded for its investment potential, OKC is on every national retailer's radar.

Global Insight: Oklahoma City Expected to Show 2nd-Highest GMP Growth
June 20, 2011 - U.S. Conference of Mayors / Global Insight
With an estimated 7.5% increase in Gross Metropolitan Product, Oklahoma City ranked 2nd for GMP growth among the 100 largest U.S. metros in Global Insight's 2011 U.S. Metro Economies Report of GMP and employment forecasts. Highlighting a rosy future as well as a sunny recent past, the report also details OKC's actual 4.8% annual average GMP growth rate from 2007-2009, which ranks #1 among the 100 largest metros, as well as our lowest unemployment rate among metros with more than 1 million in population for Q1 of 2011.

Two OKC HQ'd Cos Among Computerworld's "Best Places To Work in IT"
June 20, 2011 - Computerworld
A healthy, highly-skilled, productive, cutting-edge workforce is the norm in Oklahoma City. For the 2nd year in a row, Chesapeake Energy (#7) and American Fidelity (#11) have been named to Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT" list - both headquartered in OKC.

Oklahoma City Boasts 5th-Best Retail Employment Growth Since Recession
June 20, 2011 - The Business Journals
In Bizjournals' analysis of new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Oklahoma City ranks fifth in raw retail employment growth since April 2008, "when the recession slammed the brakes on consumer spending." OKC is also one of only eight of the top 100 markets to add jobs since the recession began, another indication of how Oklahoma City's economic strength makes it one of the country’s few prime growth spots for destination retail. With a strong economy, high-paying jobs, multiple Fortune 500 headquarters and a real estate market lauded for its investment potential, OKC is on every national retailer’s radar.

OKC a Top 20 Fastest-Growing Area for 5-17 Year-Olds
June 16, 2011 - New Geography
In another sign of present and future growth, New Geography looked at new census data to determine the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. for kids, while noting that most cities at the top had a few things in common, including job growth, strong economies and affordable housing. Want a place that's attractive to families and where it's easy to find a workforce now and in the future? Try Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Thunder Ranked 6th-Best Pro Sports Franchise by ESPN
June 15, 2011 - ESPN The Magazine
Ranked 6th overall and 2nd in the NBA by ESPN, the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder mirrors their hometown by excelling in areas crucial and easily recognizable to business that explain both on- and off-the-court success: Bang for the buck (ROI), overall affordability (low cost structures), fan relations (spirit of community partnership) and players (workforce).

Two OKC HQ'd Cos Named to Top 10 "Best Large Companies to Work for in America"
June 7, 2011 - Careerbuilder.com / AOL Jobs
Want a place where headquarter companies can thrive? Try Oklahoma City, with two companies, Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy, in the Top 10, according to AOL Jobs and Careerbuilder.com.

OKC #3 on "Best Cities for Recent Grads" List
June 1, 2011 - Newsweek / The Daily Beast
After four years at college, which "cities offer the brightest future?" Oklahoma City ranks 3rd in Newsweek's "The Daily Beast" new "Best Cities for Recent Grads" list by virtue of our superior economy along with an outstanding quality of life. First-class housing, employment, affordability and livability rankings? We've got it all - along with more than 120,000 metro college students - in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Boasts 6th-Greatest Increase in Financial Sector Employment
May 25, 2011 - The Business Journals
A product of a strong economy, a business-friendly environment and the lack of a financial sector unduly disturbed by unwelcome subprime lending practices, Oklahoma ranks an amazing 6th in raw change in financial sector job growth since 2010.

Oklahoma Ranks #12 in Raw Private Sector Job Growth
May 24, 2011 - The Business Journals
Adding more than 31,000 jobs from April 2010 to April 2011, Oklahoma's job numbers are a result of not simply avoiding the housing bubble, but of a strong economy and a workforce that is ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Forbes / New Geography: OKC #8 of "Top Big Cities for Manufacturing Jobs"
May 9, 2011 - Forbes
What city boasts an enviable CareerTech system offering free employee training, a solid tradition and experience in the MRO sector, and a business climate that just does it better for manufacturers with comprehensive tort and workers' comp reform just passed? Whether you're involved in traditional industrial activities or high-tech manufacturing, Oklahoma City shines, coming in at #8 on Joel Kotkin's "New Geographer" / Forbes' "Top Big Cities for Manufacturing Jobs" list

Forbes: OKC 4th-Best Place to Buy a Home Right Now
May 9, 2011 - Forbes
Housing bubble or high unemployment got you down? Come to OKC. Forbes looked at Zillow data for 125 metro areas, examining home price-to-income ratios, unemployment, foreclosures and price trends and found OKC to indeed be both a better living and a better life, putting us at #4 on their "Best Places to Buy a Home Right Now" list.

OKC #7 on "Best Cities to Find a (Great) Job" List
May 5, 2011 - CBS News BNET
Based on Indeed.com's latest job posting / unemployment analysis, BNET recognized Oklahoma City's strong economy, quality of jobs available and our nation's-best low unemployment rate, and put OKC at lucky #7 on their list of "Best Cities to Find a (Great) Job," which comes as no surprise to some of our new residents and companies. Read more on our ongoing renaissance at our new digital magazine, Velocity.

Chief Executive: OK is more than OK for Biz
May 3, 2011 - Chief Executive
Coming in at #11, Oklahoma makes the 4th-best one-year jump, and the biggest five-year gain of all, in Chief Executive's annual "Best and Worst States for Business" survey results - and all this before passing comprehensive workers' comp and tort reform this legislative session.

Oklahoma City #2 in The Business Journals' "Small Business Vitality" Ranking
April 11, 2011 - The Business Journals
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and County Business Patterns, The Business Journals' third annual Small Business Vitality index shows Oklahoma City 2nd on their list of most conducive places for the creation and development of small businesses. Bizjournals used a six-part formula to analyze the nation's 100 largest metros to find the best climates for businesses to grow and flourish -- and once again, Oklahoma City shows its low-cost, high-value combination is tough to beat.

OKC's OMRF Ranked #6 in National Survey
March 3, 2011 - The Scientist
In its annual ranking of the “Best Places to Work for Postdoctoral Fellows,” The Scientist magazine ranked the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, headquartered in downtown Oklahoma City's burgeoning biotech corridor, 6th among U.S. institutions. The rankings, which appear in the March issue of The Scientist, were based on surveys that gathered thousands of responses from postdoctoral fellows—postdocs—at nearly 100 institutions.

Oklahoma City Earns Highest Possible Ratings from S&P, Moody's
February 28, 2011 - Standard & Poor's and Moody's / City of OKC
Standard & Poor’s rating service has announced that they confirm Oklahoma City’s General Obligation debt rating of AAA, while Moody’s Investor Service has also confirmed the City’s Aaa bond rating. Both ratings are the highest ratings offered by their respective services, putting Oklahoma City in an elite group of the best municipal credits in the marketplace. A few of the factors that contributed to Oklahoma City’s continued high rating include: Oklahoma City’s expanding regional economic base that serves as the State’s economic engine; ongoing downtown redevelopment; consistently strong financial performance and position that includes strategic business planning; conservative financial management practices; low debt and an affordable capital improvement program; and political and management stability -- all factors that contribute to making OKC a great place for business.

BEA: Oklahoma City 1st in Real GDP Gains Among Top 50 Markets
February 23, 2011 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
With 80 of the top 100 U.S. markets suffering economic decline, Oklahoma City ranked #3 overall and #1 among large markets in percentage change in real GDP, registering a whopping 14.5% increase in metro output during the 2008-2009 study period. High value and a stable local economy mean companies in Oklahoma City find it easier to grow and prosper in any economic climate.

OKC Shows Strong Private-Sector Job Growth Over Past Year, Decade
February 3, 2011 - Bureau of Labor Statistics / Bizjournals
A new analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Oklahoma City's recent success is not simply a passing fortuity, with OKC ranking in the top ten (#7) in percentage job growth over the past year, and in the top 25 (#21) in raw job growth over the past decade.

U.S. News: OKC is 4th Best City to Get a Job
February 1, 2011 - U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News analyzed stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and job aggregator site Juju.com to find the best places for the unemployed to seek "greener pastures." OKC's economy and quality of life continue to outperform the competition, and these results are just another indicator of Oklahoma City's ongoing success.

Citizens of Oklahoma City Named Southern Business & Development's "Person of the Year
February 1, 2011 - Southern Business & Development
Citizens of "The City that Keeps Investing in Itself" were recognized by respected economic development publication Southern Business & Development for their willingness to be a part of the larger vision that has put OKC on positive media lists all over the world, jump-started the city's renaissance made it such a great place for both citizens and business. As the article says, "In an age of marked skepticism... Oklahoma City stands out like no place in the country. It is a city that has continued to invest in itself over and over again and the results are nothing less than extraordinary."

ABC News: Oklahoma City Ranked 2nd on "Best Cities to Buy a Home" List
January 26, 2011 - ABC News / Zillow
With "a strong job market that's only getting better," improving home prices and almost unheard-of value, OKC is ranked 2nd on ABC News' "Good Morning America" / Zillow report on the Best Cities to Buy a Home in 2011.

Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts Achieves Elite National Ranking
January 21, 2011 - Art Fair Sourcebook
According to the latest edition of Greg Lawler's "Art Fair SourceBook," Oklahoma City's annual Festival of the Arts is ranked in the elite top 20 (#16) in the Fine Arts category. Lawler's publication is an industry standard for artists as well as art festival patrons from all over the country, and the ranking is further proof that OKC's cultural amenities continue to paint a pretty picture for prospective and current residents alike.

Oklahoma City Boasts Top Ten (#6) Private-Sector Job Growth Rate
January 6, 2011 - Business First / Bureau of Labor Statistics
Oklahoma City's value continues to drive business success. Analyzing new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business First found Oklahoma City to have the sixth-highest percentage growth in private-sector jobs from November 2009 to the same month a year later. The Oklahoma City MSA added 7,200 positions - enough to even rank OKC in the top 20 (#19) in raw job growth.

Oklahoma City Ranked Fifth on Forbes' "America's Best Job Markets" List
January 6, 2011 - Forbes
Boasting one of the lowest employment rates in the nation, Forbes reports that "retail and leisure jobs have been on the upswing, as well as professional services" - further proof that OKC is the place to be for business to grow.

Forbes: OKC Among Top Ten Best Bargain Cities
January 6, 2011 - Forbes
For this analysis, Forbes examined median home prices, salary data, cost-of-living factors and unemployment rates to "reflect the strength of local economies." Oklahoma City lands at number nine on their list due to our low unemployment, rising incomes and outstanding overall value for employees and businesses alike.

MPF Research: OKC Ranks 4th Among Apartment Markets to Watch
December 29, 2010 - MPF Research Archived Video
MPF Research noted Oklahoma City's leading job growth in the tech sector, as well as job growth overall, in naming OKC its #4 "Secondary Market to Watch in 2011."

OKC Among 10 Real Estate Markets to Thrive in 2011
December 20, 2010 - Business Insider
Citing strong job growth and corresponding net migration as well as continued stability and development of OKC's energy and aerospace sectors, Business Insider picked Oklahoma City as one of its "10 Real Estate Markets That Will Thrive in 2011." OKC's well-known value also plays a factor, with an astounding 80.1% (tops on the list) of families able to afford their own home.

Brookings: Once Again, OKC A Top 20 Performer
December 15, 2010 - The Brookings Institution MetroMonitor
The seventh installment of Brookings' MetroMonitor series again highlights Oklahoma City as being among the Top 20 Strongest Performing Metro Areas in the nation. Oklahoma City was also singled out for being one of only 15 large metro areas to have at least 3 consecutive quarters of job growth the last year, one of only five large metros who had job growth in every quarter of 2010, and one of only ten metro areas that regained more than a quarter of the jobs they lost between their pre-recession high and post-recession low.

Oklahoma City Ranked #2 Post-Military Best Places
December 8, 2010 - Military.com / USAA
Noting Oklahoma City's low housing costs, wealth of nearby educational opportunities, recreational and cultural resources (not to mention a thriving Tinker Air Force Base), Oklahoma City was ranked second on Military.com / USAA's Best Places for Military Retirement list. Often coveted by corporate recruiters, Oklahoma City makes a wealth of sense for post-military folks as well as businesses that value low costs and a productive, stable, well-skilled workforce.

OKC #1 in Tech Job Growth
December 7, 2010 - TechAmerica Foundation / Cybercities 2010
Ready for yet another example of the power of Oklahoma City's low cost / high value combination and what it can mean to business growth and expansion? Clocking in at #1 in both percentage (5.4%) and raw (more than 900) job growth last year, Oklahoma City tops TechAmerica Foundation's Cybercities 2010 jobs report.

Mayor Mick Cornett Garners 2nd Place in World Mayor Project
December 7, 2010 - World Mayor
Highlighting economic, fiscal and social initiatives and the partnership between leadership and the business community in Oklahoma City, the City Mayors Foundation awarded Mayor Mick Cornett with 1st runner up in the 2010 World Mayor Project competition. Tann vom Hove, senior editor at City Mayors, said Mayor Cornett helped turn a city with an unsure future into an American showcase of urban renewal. "A number of economic, fiscal and social initiatives have turned Oklahoma City, which doubted itself after the bombing of 1995, into one of America's boomtowns."

Oklahoma Leads Nation in GSP Growth Rate
November 18, 2010 - Bizjournals
In a year where 38 states showed declines, Oklahoma lead the nation in Gross State Product gains in 2009, at 6.6% - and was the only state in the southwest region to record an increase.

Urban Land Magazine / ULI Lists Top 10 Areas of New Non-farm Jobs: OKC #7 in Raw Gains
November 11, 2010 - Urban Land (subscription)
Examining BLS data for new non-farm raw job growth over the past year, the Urban Land Institute's Urban Land magazine noted Oklahoma City's place at #7 on that list - out of the nation's largest 49 metros.

Newsweek's "Top Ten Places Poised for Recovery" Highlights Oklahoma City
November 8, 2010 - Newsweek
Is your city "stronger and shinier" than it was before the "economic twister?" In addition to appearing on Newsweek's "Top Ten Places Poised for Recovery" list, man-behind-the-curtain Joel Kotkin puts the spotlight on Oklahoma City's low unemployment, growing energy and aerospace sectors, home value stability and net in-migration from California, all helping to make OKC one of the best job markets for young people. With all these factors in place, as Kotkin puts it, "who's to say Oklahoma City can't be Oz?"

Oklahoma City #2 in Job Growth Rate, Top 10 in Raw Private Sector Job Gains
November 3, 2010 - Bizjournals / BusinessFirst
According to new figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, among the nation's largest 100 metros, Oklahoma City ranked #2 in terms of percentage gain of private sector job growth, and an astounding #9 in terms of raw numbers of private sector job gains from September 2009 to September 2010.

Forbes: Oklahoma City #1 "America's Most Affordable City"
October 28, 2010 - Forbes Magazine
Forbes looked at a variety of factors, including unemployment and job growth as well as cost of living, in order to come up with their list. "We searched for cities that had a balance of cheap living and economic prosperity--places with solid job markets, but where costs aren't prohibitive." Their conclusion to the question of who offers the best overall value in the nation? Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett Named Public Official of the Year
October 27, 2010 - Governing Magazine
Cited for his leadership on MAPS 3 (the latest iteration of Oklahoma City's landmark capital projects program) and community health initiatives, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has been named Public Official of the Year by Governing magazine, the nation's preeminent publication for state and local governments. Among the qualities recognized are leadership, courage, innovation, creativity and good management. Good leadership and partnership opportunities are essential ingredients for a positive business environment - and OKC has working together to get big things accomplished down to an art.

OKC's Devon Energy Named BCA TEN Award Recipient by Americans for the Arts
October 20, 2010 - Americans for the Arts
A strong supporter of the arts in Oklahoma City, Devon Energy has been named one of the prestigious BCA TEN award winners for the 10 Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America. Through a variety of means and programs, Devon has reached out to school children, art students and local patrons all across OKC, and is truly one of the best examples of a "good corporate citizen" in the global marketplace today.

Milken: OKC Among Top 25 Best Performing Cities
October 19, 2010 - Milken Institute
What are the strongest indicators of a great city for business? After examining job, wage, salary and technology growth, Milken Institute found Oklahoma City to be in their Top 25 Best Performing Cities (#21). Milken attempts to understand the forces behind creating / sustaining jobs and economic growth, and once again OKC proves a great place to be for business.

Oklahoma City Ranked 7th for Income Growth
October 13, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Portfolio analyzed the nation's largest 100 metro areas and their federal income data over the last 25 years, leading to another Top Ten ranking for Oklahoma City. OKC's income growth index was 28.29, with a 25-year income growth rate of 169.9 percent, 7th best in the U.S., due to OKC's stable marketplace, self-investment, and smart, targeted economic development policy that produces returns for companies and citizens alike.

Oklahoma Adding Leisure & Hospitality Jobs at Top 10 Rate
October 12, 2010 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics / Bizjournals
Oklahoma is more than OK when it comes to being more than just a great place to live, work and play - it's also a great place to visit. In another sign of a strong, diversified economy, Oklahoma is ranked 4th in percentage gain of Leisure & Hospitality jobs, and ninth in terms of raw job change from 2005 - 2010, in a new analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Haven't been to OKC lately? Perhaps it's time you made a visit to see why Oklahoma City makes such a great place for business, workers, families - and tourists.

Oklahoma City Arts District Neighborhood Named one of America's "10 Great Neighborhoods for 2010"
October 12, 2010 - American Planning Association
A virtual mirror of Oklahoma City's economic turnaround as a whole, Oklahoma City's historic Paseo district was named to the American Planning Association's "10 Great Neighborhoods for 2010" list. The Spanish-influenced Paseo Arts district, in the midst of a remarkable renaissance, joins high-profile neighborhoods such as Denver's LoDo and Cincinnati's Hyde Park on the list, and is really just beginning to hit its stride. A popular local haven and hangout, the Paseo Arts District is another example of Oklahoma City's burgeoning arts, cultural and neighborhood scene.

Forbes: OKC a Top 5 Fastest-Growing City
October 11, 2010 - Forbes
What makes a city a "prime dynamic region?" A successful mix of a growing economy and affordability - the same qualities that make Oklahoma City a great place for business. "Our future cities also are often easier for workers and entrepreneurs alike," says Forbes. We happen to agree.

Oklahoma a Top 10 State for Doing Business, OKC a Top Ten Metro
October 11, 2010 - Area Development Magazine
Area Development Magazine, a respected site-selection trade publication, recently polled a "select group of highly respected consultants who work with a nationwide client base." In this flash survey, they asked consultants to rank states and cities according to eight site selection criteria critical to business success, including business costs, tax environment, labor climate, and rail / highway accessibility, among others. The result? Oklahoma is once again recognized as a great state for business location, and Oklahoma City also makes a Top Ten List appearance for best metros for business.

Oklahoma City in Top Five Low Rents
September 28, 2010 - U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
Another reason OKC makes a great place for business and employees? Low housing costs. In new data released by the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, Oklahoma City is in the Top Five Low Rents among the nation's 50 largest metro areas.

Oklahoma City One of Best Communities for Young People
September 21, 2010 - America's Promise Alliance
One of only a handful of cities to achieve this designation four times, America's Promise Alliance again recognized Oklahoma City as being one of the winners of the Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People. OKC received the honor due to a renewed focus on mentoring programs for youth and wide range of related volunteerism and philanthropy.

Brookings MetroMonitor - OKC Among 20 Strongest Performers Once Again
September 15, 2010 - The Atlantic / Brookings Institution
If housing prices, unemployment, and economic production are some of the factors Brookings examines, no wonder we're so high on their lists.

No Test Anxiety Here: OKC Named One of Top 75 Places to Live While Going to College
September 8, 2010 - American Institute for Economic Research
Scoring high in various Academic Environment, Quality of Life and Professional Opportunity factors, Oklahoma City gets an "A" for being a great place for students and recent grads. We think it's not too bad for older peeps, either.

Need Less Stress? Try Oklahoma City
September 7, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Why worry? Living is easy in Oklahoma City, as evidenced by Portfolio.com's analysis of the nation's 50 largest metros which placed OKC as the 6th least stressful city in the U.S. Portfolio looked at unemployment, finances, health, weather, population, crime, traffic and more and found that in Oklahoma City, it is indeed a better living, and a better life.

Oklahoma City Among 10 Best Real Estate Investment Markets
August 21, 2010 - Local Market Monitor / Wall Street Journal
Income growth, stable employment, diversity of economy and stable home prices all contribute to another OKC Top Ten (#8) ranking, this time for real estate investment.

Forbes: Oklahoma City among Top Ten "Best Cities to Find a Job"
August 20, 2010 - Forbes
With our low unemployment rate and a rate of only 2.3 candidates per open position, Forbes put Oklahoma City in the lucky seventh position in their "Best Cities to Find a Job" list.

OKC Named Top 10 Metro for Economic Growth Potential
July 2010 - Business Facilities
Looking heavily at growth potential of each city's economic development strategy, OKC landed in the top 10 (#9) of Business Facilities' Top 10 Metro list.

Oklahoma City in Top 20, Shows Gains in Raw Private-Sector Job Numbers
June 30, 2010 - BusinessFirst / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
While a staggering 53 of the nation's largest 100 metros lost jobs since May 2000, Oklahoma City was #20 in terms of raw private-sector job growth over the past decade (May 2000 to May 2010) with a net gain of 14,500 jobs.

OKC's "Paw Park" Repeatedly Recognized Among Nation's Best
June 28, 2010 - The Oklahoman (via Dog Fancy and Southern Living)
Who knew a park built for our four-legged friends would turn out to be a great place to meet fellow bipeds? Recently, Oklahoma City's premier dog park was named to the top 13 of Dog Fancy magazine's "America's Best Dog Parks" contest, as well as Southern Living's "The South's Five Best Dog Parks" list. Featuring a pond, water stations, trees, benches, and lots of room to run, Paw Park proves to be a great place for dogs - and their owners - to hang. Indeed, as park planner Don Bobzien indicates, the park might be a young professional's alternative to singles bars. "The dog park is the easiest place in Oklahoma City for total strangers to talk to total strangers," he said. "I mean, they have in common their dogs. ... Pretty soon some great relationships start out there. We've had some that developed into great romances."

Parenting: OKC a Top 10 City for Recreation, Economy
June 22, 2010 - Parenting Magazine (economy) (recreation)
Looking for a great place to "parent up" some great kids? Look no further than Oklahoma City. Parenting magazine took a look at unemployment rates, property values, commute time, park space and more and found OKC to be a Top 10 city in both the "Strongest Economies" list (#6) and "Best Cities for Recreation (#10) lists.

Three OKC-Area Companies on Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT" List
June 21, 2010 - Computerworld
In another sign of a healthy, highly skilled and productive workforce, two OKC-HQ'd companies, American Fidelity Assurance (#14) and Chesapeake Energy (#17) were named to the top 20 of Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT 2010" rankings, while the University of Oklahoma (#85) was also cited among the nation's best, including a top 10 ranking (#7) in the career development category.

Factors Driving Volunteer Rates Also Good for Business - OKC in Top 5
June 16, 2010 - Volunteering in America / U.S. Government
Oklahoma City has the fifth highest overall volunteer rate among the 51 largest cities in the U.S., as well as the second-highest number of volunteer hours per resident, among other high volunteer rankings. The latest Volunteering in America Report explains the factors that drive OKC's high volunteerism rates, like home ownership levels, short commutes, high education levels, low foreclosure rates and low unemployment -- factors that are also good for business.

OKC Makes Brookings' List of "Strongest-Performing Metro Areas" - Again
June 15, 2010 - The Brookings Institution
Listed in Brookings' MetroMonitor Q1 2010 report as "one of the 21 strongest-performing metro areas" and by The Huffington Post at #4 on its "11 Cities That Are Beating The Recession" list (archived) utilizing the same data, Oklahoma City continues to beat the odds, as well as the recession, due to our business-friendly, low-cost environment. Brookings looked at employment, wages, output, and housing conditions among the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S.

Strong Job Growth Continues in Oklahoma City
June 7, 2010 - New Geography
Oklahoma City landed at #11 on New Geography's "2010 Best Cities for Job Growth" list. With both recent and long-term upward trends in job growth, Oklahoma City continues to batter the recession - rather than the other way around.

OKC Boasting Bewildering Broadband Advantages
May 25, 2010 - Speedtest.net / Ookla
Oklahoma City boasts the fourth-fastest broadband speeds in the country, besting the likes of New York City, Denver and Sacramento, according to Ookla, the company behind speedtest.net. With free WiFi recently employed throughout our downtown entertainment district, Oklahoma City means business when it comes to broadband.

Oklahoma Leading the Way in Entrepreneurial Activity
May 20, 2010 - Kauffman Foundation
The latest Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity shows Oklahoma and Montana "outdoing the usual suspects" when it comes to launching new businesses. Due to our low-cost, high-value business environment and the pervasive "pioneer spirit" of our citizens, Oklahoma City is indeed proving to be a great place to start and run a business, and the new Kauffman data only backs this proposition.

Census Bureau: OKC Boasts Third-Best Commute
April 23, 2010 - U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
Among the top 52 cities in the country, Oklahoma City residents deal with the third-shortest commutes to and from work, according to the Census Bureau's most recent American Community Survey. OKC's drivers spend an average of 21.35 minutes behind the wheel while on their way to work, with only Rochester (20.37 minutes) and Buffalo -Niagara Falls (20.78 minutes) coming in ahead. Of cities of similar size, OKC easily beat out its peers, including Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Milwaukee. Shorter drive times indeed mean it's easier to get down to business in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City #6 on Major Metro Affordable Housing Index
April 20, 2010 - Business First
Cost competitiveness continues to be a core competency for OKC, as we once again boast a top 10 ranking in a national cost study. Lower costs mean high profitability potential in Oklahoma City's highly sought-after corporate / cost environment, where it's easier to do business - successfully.

Bringing Low Business Costs to the Big Leagues: Oklahoma City #1 on KPMG Business Cost Survey
March 30, 2010 - KPMG
Among U.S. metros of 1 million population or greater, Oklahoma City has the lowest business costs, according to KPMG's 2010 "Competitive Alternatives" analysis of 26 separate cost drivers for business in 112 cities in 10 countries. Contributing to Oklahoma City's league-leading index were our low costs for labor, industrial / office leasing and electricity. Combine that with powerful incentives and free training programs, and one can see how locating in OKC can really benefit the bottom line.

Dude! OKC #4 on "Cities That Are Having An Awesome Recovery" List
March 18, 2010 - Business Insider
With our U.S. leading low unemployment rate and an improving GMP (gross metro product), OKC outpaces Dallas, D.C. and KC on Business Insider's "20 Cities That Are Having An Awesome Recovery." Which just goes to further prove our theory that OKC is indeed awesome.

OKC Ranked #6 on "Best Places for Young Adults" List
March 15, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Move over Dallas and Seattle. According to a new Portfolio.com / Bizjournals study, OKC ranks in the top 10 "Best Places for Young Adults" due to strong growth rates, low cost of living and high numbers of employed, college-educated under-34s. (We think Bricktown, Downtown, the Thunder, Western Avenue, the Plaza District, Midtown, Paseo and so forth don't hurt either . . . But that's just our opinion.)

January 29, 2010 - The Journal Record
Oklahoma City's expanding regional economic base, ongoing downtown redevelopment, and consistently strong financial performance mean that OKC's municipal bonds continue to be rated at the elite "AAA" level by Standard and Poor's.

January 21, 2010 -Fortune
Oklahoma City makes it easy to find success, along with a great workforce. No wonder that for the third year in a row, three Oklahoma City-headquartered companies are named to Fortune's "Top 100 Companies to Work For" list.

January 20, 2010 -Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services / Retail Traffic Magazine
With one of the country's strongest housing markets and both per-capita income and population increasing faster than national averages, Oklahoma City lands at lucky number 13 on Marcus & Millichap's "Top 15 Retail Markets" list.

December 31, 2009 -Juju.com
Oklahoma City's economy continues to make gains as OKC moves up two spots to number 11 on Juju.com's "Job Search Difficulty Index," which compares BLS unemployment statistics to posted job opportunities online.

December 16, 2009 -MarketWatch
What does a combination of good employment numbers, a growing population, and more companies moving in & starting up by the day mean? That Oklahoma City is in the top 25 of MarketWatch.com's "Best Cities for Business" list.

November 30, 2009 -Forbes
A solid housing market, stable employment, enviable cost of living, and quick commutes landed Oklahoma City on the Forbes list of “America’s Best Bang-For-The-Buck Cities.” Oklahoma City ranked #26 out of the top 100 largest metros and #5 among large cities with over 1 million population.

October 23, 2009 -BusinessWeek
Recognizing our strong housing market and gross metropolitan product along with low unemployment rates, Oklahoma City landed at #3 on BusinessWeek's "Forty Strongest U.S. Metro Economies" list.

October 13, 2009 -Money / Fortune Magazines
Stable, affordable, a diverse local economy and business-friendly partnerships galore - all reasons why Oklahoma City is the #1 large metro in the nation in which to launch a business.

September 24, 2009 -Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Bureau of Economic Analysis confirms it: Oklahoma City is in the top 20% of all metro areas in terms of real GDP growth.

August 14, 2009 -Inc.
Greater Oklahoma City lands 28 companies on the Inc. 5000 "America's Fastest Growing Companies" list.

August 11, 2009 -USA Today
Article: "Oklahoma City defies recession"

August 11, 2009 - Business Week
Continuing our strong momentum in the residential real estate market, Oklahoma City is included in the Top 10 of Business Week's "Strongest Housing Markets in the U.S." list.

August 6, 2009 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
Oklahoma City is the fastest-growing large MSA in the US in terms of per-capita income.

July 28, 2009 - Volunteering in America
Volunteering In America ranks Oklahoma City 7th among large cities for its overall volunteerism rate -- and 2nd in the amount of volunteer hours per resident.

July 16, 2009 - U.S. News and World Report
Oklahoma City was ranked fourth in U.S. News and World Report's Best Undervalued Places to Live, due to our strong housing market and "pro-business philosophy."

June 23, 2009 - Local Market Monitor
Local Market Monitor's Home Price Forecast, which predicts local market behavior, has identified Oklahoma City as being among the top 10 MSAs for best expected performance in home prices over the next 12 months.

June 1, 2009 - Directorship Magazine
According to Directorship Magazine, the state of Oklahoma ranks high among states "for business" due to our low litigation rank, favorable tax climate, low costs of living and labor and high quality of life. Among others, Oklahoma ranked better than neighbors Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.

June 2009 -indeed
With a top 10 unemployed-to-job posting ratio, Indeed ranks Oklahoma City the 8th best city to look for a job.

June, 2009 - The Brookings Institution
Oklahoma City was ranked second by Brookings' MetroMonitor for Economic Performance during the recession. Brookings looked at employment, wages, output, and housing conditions among the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S.

May 20, 2009 - Relocation.com
Oklahoma City ranked in Relocation.com's Top Cities for a Fresh Start list. Relocation.com used popularity, economic prospects, housing affordability, and how active the community is to rate the cities.

May 19, 2009 - Forbes
Oklahoma City was recently ranked #16 of the 20 Top College Towns for Jobs by Forbes.

May 11, 2009 - Biz Journal
Oklahoma City ranked 70th in Biz Journal's Top 100 Tech Centers.

May 11, 2009 - Art Bistro
Oklahoma City ranked 4th in Art Bistro's Top 25 Cities for Designers and Artists list. Art Bistro used the cost of living, among other factors, to rate the cities.

May 8, 2009 - Yahoo.com
Oklahoma City was recently ranked #4 of the 25 Top Cities for your Career by WomenCo. Cities were judged on growth rates, average salaries and costs of living.

April 21, 2009 - fDi Magazine
fDi (Foreign Direct Investment) magazine ranked Oklahoma City #1 on its list of most cost-effective large cities in the U.S. (pop. between 500,000 and 1 million), due to factors ranging from economic potential to quality of life and business friendliness.

April 9, 2009 - BusinessWeek / MSN
In order to find the most affordable large metro area in the country, BusinessWeek analyzed average rent and local income. Need affordable, quality housing? Look no further: Oklahoma City is #1.

April 3, 2009 - TravelOK
Oklahoma City's Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park is named one of "Ten Best" in National Geographic Travel Guide

March 25, 2009 - Forbes
Oklahoma City rated one of "America's Most Livable Cities" by Forbes

March 25, 2009 - Forbes
Forbes reports Oklahoma City among the best "Places for Business and Careers"

February 2, 2009 - Bizjournals.com
Oklahoma City in top ten 'Best Places to Start a Small Business.'

January 22, 2009 - Fortune
Three Oklahoma City-headquartered companies named to Fortune's "Top 100 Companies to Work For"

January 21, 2009 - The Oklahoman Archived Forbes Article
Oklahoma City listed among Forbes' "America's 25 Strongest Housing Markets."

November 24, 2008 - CNN
Oklahoma City is listed as one of CNN's "30 Best Cities to Find a Job." OKC is the largest city on the list.

October 8, 2008 - The Oklahoman
On the verge of its first year as a permanent major league city, Oklahoma City is ranked No. 79 in The Sporting News list of 400 best sports cities.

September 24, 2008 - Milken Institute
Best-Performing Cities 2008: Where America's Jobs Are Created and Sustained.

September 10, 2008 - Volunteering in America
Oklahoma City has an average annual volunteer rate of 32.1%, with 324,000 volunteers serving 41.1 million hours per year.

August 27, 2008 - The Oklahoman
Oklahoma is No. 1 in home value gains - at a time when homeowners in most of the rest of the country are wondering what hit them in their equity.

May 20, 2008 - Today Show
Oklahoma City was recently ranked # 28 of the 100 Best Places to Raise a Family by the Today Show. Cities were judged on crime rates, school quality, heathcare, the arts, housing costs, average commute times and divorce rates.

April 29, 2008 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City was recently ranked as America's Most Recession-Proof City due to falling unemployment, one of the strongest housing markets in the country and strong growth in agriculture, energy and manufacturing.

April 24, 2008 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City placed 4^th on the Forbes.com list for Best Cities for Commuters. Forbes.com looked at the 75 largest metro areas in the U.S. and evaluated them based on traffic delays, travel times and how efficiently commuters use existing infrastructure.

March 18, 2008 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City ranked 7th in Forbes.com's America's 10 Cleanest Cities list. Forbes used air and water quality, among other factors, to rate the cities.

March 10, 2008 - Bizjournals.com
Oklahoma City is the Number 1 most affordable housing market of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in America.

February 11, 2008 - Bizjournals.com
Oklahoma City ranked 4th in a review of the least stressful cities in America. The study examined air quality, sunshine, crime, unemployment, commute time, among other factors, to rate the cities.

January 10, 2008 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City ranked 19th in Forbes.com's Best Cities for Jobs list. Forbes used five equally weighted data points to rank cities: the state's unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income and cost of living.

October 12, 2007 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City ranked 10th in Forbes.com's Best of the Cities for Jobs list, up from 67th in 2005. Forbes used five equally weighted data points to rank cities: median household income, unemployment, income growth, cost of living and job growth.

August 22, 2007 - Co-Star Advisor
Several major metropolitan areas appear to be enjoying a flourishing retail development market and show little effect by the residential downtown. Co-Star Advisor spotlighted the country's best performing markets in terms of retail vacancy, rental rates, development activity and pricing. Oklahoma City ranked 6th best. The common thread between the markets includes strong population growth, low unemployment and high job growth.

August 8, 2007 - The Oklahoman
The Bureau of Economic Analysis said personal income grew by an average of 6.6 percent across all 363 of the nation's metropolitan areas from 2005 to 2006, while income in Oklahoma City grew 8.7 percent.

June 28, 2007 - The Oklahoman
Water experts say Oklahoma City has the tastiest tap water on the continent. The city won this year's "Best of the Best" water taste test - an annual competition judged by water drinkers with trained tongues chosen by the American Water Works Association, a leading water research and advocacy group.

June 25, 2007 - US Fed News
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has been awarded Outstanding Achievement in the 2007 City Livability Awards Program. Judges were former mayors that selected the cities from a pool of over 200 applicants based on mayoral leadership, creativity and innovation, and broad impact on the quality of life for residents.

June 21, 2007 - The Biz Journal
Oklahoma City's income grew 24.10% from 2000-2005, making it the 6th strongest metropolitan area for income growth in the nation.

June 19, 2007 - The Journal Record
Oklahoma's growing rate of entrepreneurship in 2006 boosted the state to fourth in the country, an annual survey of startup businesses recently revealed. According to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, Oklahoma had about 430 entrepreneur startups per 100,000 residents in 2006.

June 11, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal
According to the Commerce Department Bureau of Economic Affairs, Oklahoma has the lowest tax burden of any state, including the District of Columbia. Oklahoma's tax burden was 27.8% versus Connecticut at the top with 38.3%.

May 17, 2007 - The Journal Record
Oklahoma City was listed as the fifth-best place in the nation in midsized metro areas to relocate a family. Washington, D.C.-based Worldwide ERC, the association for workforce mobility, and Primary Relocation, with headquarters in Memphis, partnered for the third year to compile the list. Ranking factors included cost of living, crime rates, education, climate and each city's arts and cultural attractions when a family is looking to relocate. The study defined midsized areas as those with a population between 575,000 and 1.25 million.

May 4, 2007 - The Oklahoman
Double-digit growth in several suburbs spells continued long-term strength for housing construction in the Oklahoma City metro area. "Oklahoma is bucking the national trend", said Deidre Myers, director of research and economic analysis for the agency. Myers pointed to another positive in Oklahoma's housing numbers: the proportion of housing units permitted last year that were single-family. She said that's a sign of stability since families usually occupy single-family dwellings. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation.

May 2007 - Forbes Magazine
Oklahoma City gained a 12.1 appreciation in the sales price for homes when compared to last year. Oklahoma City's home appreciation metro ranks second in the nation, following Seattle's 12.3.

April 5, 2007 - The Oklahoman
The Oklahoma City area, nearing 1.2 million people, moved up another spot in the national population rankings to No. 45. The data is a population estimate through July 1, 2006. Oklahoma City's growth from 2000 to 2006 was healthy and steady. "We're building all the right magnets for economic growth in central Oklahoma," said Zach Taylor, executive director of the Association of Central Governments.

March 28, 2007 - The Oklahoman
Income growth from the Oil Patch propelled the state to the third-best growth rate in personal income in 2006, according to preliminary figures from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis. Oklahoma per capita personal income grew by 7.6 percent. Nationally, personal income grew by 6.3 percent last year.

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