Oklahoma City, In the Press

[HangryHippo]

Some parts of far eastern AZ resemble the rolling green hills of Ireland.

Are you serious? Do you have photos of these rolling green hills?

[bradh]

Are you serious? Do you have photos of these rolling green hills?

Maybe the Ireland comparison was a stretch (I think I caught it in early spring at it's greenest), but driving down US 191 through St. John's and over to Show Low, it's is absolutely not the Arizona that most picture.

[adaniel]

Best U.S. Cities To Become An Entrepreneur

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Affordability lures new businesses to Oklahoma City. Entrepreneurs are learning that starting a business in the area is facilitated by low living costs and relatively low tax rates. The city’s expeditious filing process gets businesses up and running quickly.

Oklahoma City has a business-friendly economy, with a high rate of small business loans and home to 18,600 small businesses— double the national average. The city also supports new businesses via startup accelerators such as i2e, which provides capital to stimulate early-stage business growth.

[Stickman]

Made top ten affordable housing again

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/americ...134900449.html

[adaniel]

Probably just clickbait but good press nonetheless.

The 10 Best Cities to Move to in 2015 | SML

[zookeeper]

Probably just clickbait but good press nonetheless.

The 10 Best Cities to Move to in 2015 | SML

Well, at least they use a methodology that makes sense. Looks (amazingly!) like a legit list to me. Something really jumped out at me: Four of the top ten cities are on I-35 from OKC to San Antonio, and then Houston makes 5 out of top ten in OK and TX. Interesting.

[Rover]

2015 list of most diversified economies, OKC is number 11.

2015?s Cities with the Most & Least Diversified Economies | WalletHub®

[Dubya61]

2015 list of most diversified economies, OKC is number 11.

2015?s Cities with the Most & Least Diversified Economies | WalletHub®

I know the truth (and I know the paranoia), but all I can think of is the gem: both kinds of music: Country AND Western
Hell, yes, our economy is diversified: Oil AND Gas.

[LocoAko]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0

10th smallest LGBT population of large metro areas (though near the national average overall). Just FWIW.

[bchris02]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0

10th smallest LGBT population of large metro areas (though near the national average overall). Just FWIW.

Interesting list. I am not sure this really means much though. Raleigh, Houston, Minneapolis, and especially San Jose are somewhat known for gay friendliness yet according to this list they are in the lower end in terms of actual percentage. I am sure that Birmingham is as low as it is because of how close the city is to Atlanta. I personally wonder if OKC will see a significant number of LGBT individuals leave because of the actions of the state legislature.

[LocoAko]

Interesting list. I am not sure this really means much though. Raleigh, Houston, Minneapolis, and especially San Jose are somewhat known for gay friendliness yet according to this list they are in the lower end in terms of actual percentage. I am sure that Birmingham is as low as it is because of how close the city is to Atlanta. I personally wonder if OKC will see a significant number of LGBT individuals leave because of the actions of the state legislature.

Yeah, the article itself talked about the effect that having everything be concentrated in a neighborhood could have on the numbers. And it brings up an important point about LGBT population vs. attitudes towards the community. They're obviously not exactly the same. The fact that OKC is right around the national average means to me that people aren't leaving (probably not the case in more rural parts of the state) -- we're just not attracting the LGBT community, either. Obviously, if an LGBT person is mobile and able to choose where they want to live, they may choose Denver, Seattle, SLC... all places with a ton of natural beauty and city amenities in addition to a more progressive population. I think it's more complicated than it looks at first glance and lower LGBT populations shouldn't necessarily mean more hostility, like you said. It'd be the wrong conclusion to draw between the two. But OKC was shown in the list, and this is the "in the press" thread, so here we are.

As for LGBT people leaving OKC ... I highly doubt it'd be due to the state legislature. If a person is able to easily leave OKC, they may do so for a variety of reasons like I said (hey, why not seek out a progressive population WITH the Rocky Mountains in your backyard? :P). I think day-to-day lived experiences matter a lot more to most people rather than some nutjobs at 23rd and Lincoln. Plus, most of these bills haven't passed, meaning it causes little more than an eyeroll and exasperated sigh for most in the LGBT community here. If these laws were to start passing, then who knows. But SSM is legal here now, which was a big hurdle for the community. I guess what I'm saying is that I think you might be overestimating the amount of LGBT people who'd leave due to the legislature alone... I think it'd be more the sum of their lived experiences overall that'd force someone to do that.

[fromdust]

Underrated Cocktail Cities in America - New Cocktail Scenes
we can make a mean cocktail!

[HOT ROD]

very nice, and consider that OKC had the most bars mentioned/recommended in the article at 4 while everyone else only had 3.

I also very much love the pride that OKCians have for the city; look at that wonderful comment! Can't wait to see that same pic in 2-3 years with several more highrises to the left of Devon!

Keep up the Renaissance!!!

[adaniel]

2nd lowest unemployment rate in the nation among large metros (Austin is first). This is pretty surprising.

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

Here is a more detailed breakdown. There is a definite trend downward with mining jobs, which would include oil and gas, but everything else is going surprisingly strong.

Oklahoma City : Southwest Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

There is also a pretty big jump in the size of workforce and number of people employed YoY, so the UE fell because jobs were added, not because the workforce shrank.

[bchris02]

OKC's unemployment rate has usually faired fairly well even during periods of low oil prices. The city's growth usually takes a bigger hit as was seen during the 1980s.

[okatty]

I am not sure this link will work but nice article about OKC in the new edition of Southwest Magazine (page 98). If link won't work just Google Southwest Magazine and pull it up that way if interested.

iMirus Online Digital Reader

[tpg4635]

Not sure if this has been shared... but, OKC #3 on best cities for Millennial college students!

Best U.S. cities for Millennial college students | USA TODAY College

[traxx]

Not sure if this has been shared... but, OKC #3 on best cities for Millennial college students!

Best U.S. cities for Millennial college students | USA TODAY College

OKC > Seattle

[LocoAko]

OKC had two restaurants named by Open Table as the best brunch spots in the US: Kitchen 324 and La Baguette. (Can move to the restaurant threads if necessary).

http://www.opentable.com/m/best-brun...ts-in-america/

[ljbab728]

Oklahoma City ranks third in the nation as best city for small businesses | NewsOK.com

2015?s Best & Worst Cities to Work for a Small Business | WalletHub®

[ShadowStrings]

Doesn't talk about OKC specifically very much, but we're #3 on this list.

The Top 25 U.S. Cities For Jobs This Year | Fast Company | Business + Innovation

[mkjeeves]

On the list of Best Paddling Towns - Canoe and Kayak

North America's Best Paddling Towns | Canoe & Kayak Magazine

[Rover]

Doesn't talk about OKC specifically very much, but we're #3 on this list.

The Top 25 U.S. Cities For Jobs This Year | Fast Company | Business + Innovation

What is interesting is that OKC ranks 9th on the Satisfaction part. Ahead of it San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Washington, Boston, Seattle and Austin (in that order). That's pretty heady company.

[Jake]

Tulsa and OKC on the list of best cities to start a career.

2015?s Best & Worst Cities to Start a Career | WalletHub®

[AP]

On that list they also have Quality of Life rankings. Although Tulsa out paced us in the job ranking, we were 20 spots above them in QOL.