Population Growth for OKC

[mugofbeer]

San Francisco lost 65,672 residents form 2000-2023, they currently have 808,988, a drop from 873,965 (2000). Seattle is a safe bet to remain ahead of OKC..

Denver slightly moved the needle with a +0.15% growth rate to 716,577; 13,810 more residents than OKC.

OKC will be the 18th largest city come 2030.

Denver is almost 100% built up. It can pretty much only grow vertically now. Aurora will see significant growth vertically and to the east.

[Laramie]

This is probably a time where we will see our city take advantage of downtown land, especially since a site has been picked for the new arena. The City and the ownership wants to see the arena completion moved up one year.

With all the talk about a supertall where the odds are that it will never get built, maybe we'll see more investments in housing. Can't ignore IMO the conservative numbers that suggest Oklahoma City continues to be the nucleus of our state's growth.

[Laramie]

[Laramie]

The US Cities that have Lost the Most Population Ranked

[Rover]

"And with our commitments to initiatives like MAPS 4 and our new arena, we know that this journey will only continue."--Mayor David Holt

15. Charlotte, NC - 911,311 (+4.20%)
16. Indianapolis, IN - 879,293 (−0.94%)
17. San Francisco, CA - 808,988 (−7.43%)
18. Seattle, WA - 755,078 (+2.45%)
19. Denver, CO - 716,577 (+0.15%)
20. Oklahoma City - 702,767 (+3.19%)
21. Nashville, TN - 687,788 (−0.24%)
22. Washington DC - 678,972 ( −1.53%)
23. El Paso, TX - 678,958 (+0.02%)
24. Las Vegas, NV - 660,929 (+2.96%)
25. Boston, MA - 653,833 (−3.23%)

Predicted that Oklahoma City would take Nashville in 2020; OKC will surge ahead of Denver in 20230.

48. Tulsa, OK - 411,894 (−0.28%)
222. Norman, OK - 130,046 (+1.58%)
247. Broken Arrow, OK - 119,194 (+4.98%)
UR. Edmond, OK - 98,103 (+3.25
UR. Lawton, OK - 90,381 (- 0.7%)

Can you make this same chart for the metro area population. That would show the real energy and growth. As some on here point out, some cities are already pretty built out and the growth comes more in the burbs. We SHOULD be growing strongly in the city itself as it is so big and there is so much relatively inexpensive open land to develop.

Context is important.

[ChrisHayes]

Oklahomas population has grown by 42,000 in the past year, and by over 130,000 since the 2020 census.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/OK

[Laramie]

Oklahomas population has grown by 42,000 in the past year, and by over 130,000 since the 2020 census.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/OK

Are we able to pull Oklahoma City estimates from this data. Oklahoma City has a 2024 population of 709,330 an increase 26,225, which is a 4.2% increase from the 2020 census .

[NavySeabee]

I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I can lo longer afford to live in Oklahoma City. I’m going to have to likely move elsewhere. All this time I figured I would raise a family, grow old and retire here. Now that’s no longer the case the cost are too great. Groceries are too high and we can’t even afford to do most things anymore. Not even a meal out at a casual restaurant. I want to live a life where I can do more than just work all the time to make ends meet. I think it’s time to go rural.

[JOHNOKC25]

I wish they would go back to including Pottawatamie County in the OKC MSA. Lincoln County has around 35,000 and Pott County has about 75,000. Although, they include Pott County in the CSA. I believe the CSA is nearing 1.6 million.

[scottk]

I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I can lo longer afford to live in Oklahoma City. I’m going to have to likely move elsewhere. All this time I figured I would raise a family, grow old and retire here. Now that’s no longer the case the cost are too great. Groceries are too high and we can’t even afford to do most things anymore. Not even a meal out at a casual restaurant. I want to live a life where I can do more than just work all the time to make ends meet. I think it’s time to go rural.

Where would you go?

OKC still has one of the lowest costs of living nationwide, right? You could move to one of the smaller outlier towns, but those are mostly bedroom communities with one or even both parents driving back into OKC for their job.

As for truly rural, you could move, but recent history shows that for any need beyond a Dollar General store, you are pretty much forced to drive back into a major metro area for in-depth healthcare, entertainment, variety of dining that isn't just fast food, even employment opportunities.

I have friends and family from the small town I grew up in that come to OKC or Tulsa at least two to three times a month just for cheaper groceries at a place like Crest compared to their local grocery store that can't compete with volume pricing, they will do doctor visits because their town doesn't have the specialist for their needs, catch a movie at a place like Showbiz or AMC because their local movie theatre in town closed during covid, shop at a place like Costco or Sam's because their town doesn't have one, and dine at one of the many restaurants along Memorial Road before heading back home.

Not unique to Oklahoma, but small towns everywhere are slowly drying up as there are less and less opportunities in those communities for jobs or meaningful prospects for younger generations to remain.

It's certainly sad to see rural America slow decline in the past 20 or so years, but the current economic landscape favors heavily populated areas that are growing.

[Urbanized]

Man, I’m a city boy for sure but I also have a strong streak of rural DNA. Heck, most everyone living in Tulsa or OKC is one generation or two at best from living on a farm. I had many, MANY friends and family who lived and worked in truly rural places. I grew up in the city, but I spent LOTS of time on and around farms and truly small towns.

But that was then, this is now. When I was a kid small towns still had grocery stores, hardware stores, lumberyards, department stores, men’s stores, ladies stores, shoe stores, furniture stores, full-service garages, drug stores and pharmacies. Now most of those places are lucky to have a dollar store. I can’t imagine living a truly rural small town these days.

[Bellaboo]

I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I can lo longer afford to live in Oklahoma City. I’m going to have to likely move elsewhere. All this time I figured I would raise a family, grow old and retire here. Now that’s no longer the case the cost are too great. Groceries are too high and we can’t even afford to do most things anymore. Not even a meal out at a casual restaurant. I want to live a life where I can do more than just work all the time to make ends meet. I think it’s time to go rural.

Unfortunately, costs are going up everywhere. Pros and cons rural vs urban. Might find cheaper housing in the country, but fuel cost might be considerable higher.

[scottk]

Man, I’m a city boy for sure but I also have a strong streak of rural DNA. Heck, most everyone living in Tulsa or OKC is one generation or two at best from living on a farm. I had many, MANY friends and family who lived and worked in truly rural places. I grew up in the city, but I spent LOTS of time on and around farms and truly small towns.

But that was then, this is now. When I was a kid small towns still had grocery stores, hardware stores, lumberyards, department stores, men’s stores, ladies stores, shoe stores, furniture stores, full-service garages, drug stores and pharmacies. Now most of those places are lucky to have a dollar store. I can’t imagine living a truly rural small town these days.

You summed it up well. I grew up small town Oklahoma with those amenities and now all that is left is a shadow of what was from 20-30 years ago. The Walmart is going strong, but the other grocery stores that remain struggle and are frozen in time in regards to appearance from 1989. The lone hardware store that remains is more for those that stayed behind to reminisce and drink coffee to share the politics of the day, and all the department stores (Anthonys, JCPenney, Bealls/Stage, and local clothing stores) have all closed to be replaced by stores like Big Lots or Ollie's and Family Dollar/Dollar General stores.

In regards to population growth for OKC, people are moving and staying here because there is "life" here, opportunities for meaningful employment, quality healthcare compared to the rural areas of the state, new housing, and should things go south with a job, you have an easier time to find something in your field in OKC, versus a specialty business that may shut its doors as the lone major employer in the small town.

[Bunty]

I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I can lo longer afford to live in Oklahoma City. I’m going to have to likely move elsewhere. All this time I figured I would raise a family, grow old and retire here. Now that’s no longer the case the cost are too great. Groceries are too high and we can’t even afford to do most things anymore. Not even a meal out at a casual restaurant. I want to live a life where I can do more than just work all the time to make ends meet. I think it’s time to go rural.

Then check out Enid. It's not growing much so there should be less inflationary pressure there while big enough to offer possibly enough amenities along with jobs. Otherwise, find a higher paying job.

As for me, I'm just a devoted homebody, and never really wanted to move anywhere else once I became an adult eventually getting a good paying job and career.

[OkiePoke]

Enid will have stuff for a small town due to Vance. It's not bad. If you are interested, my family has some rental properties up there that will probably fit your budget.