Population Growth for OKC

[gopokes88]

Portland and Seattle are championed for their diversity and liberalism. They are also the whitest cities and most people moving to them are white young professionals. Now Portland and Seattle are definitely two of America's jewel cities but one can't help but notice the irony.

This whole video is funny. But the 1 minute mark sums it up perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLeMu7ZrY2I

[G.Walker]

I am surprised that Oklahoma County added almost twice as many as Tulsa County (36,600 vs 19,000). Canadian county was the fastest growth % wise. Cleveland County added 13,500. (These are all 2010 to 2013 numbers).

The OKC metro grew by 9.2% in three years. Pretty healthy numbers.

Out that Oklahoma County population increase of 36,600, I wonder how much of that is Oklahoma City proper, and not Edmond, Midwest City, Del City, etc...

[Pete]

Where are you guys pulling these detailed numbers?

[Pete]

Okay, found the info.

For the OKC MSA

2010 Census: 1,252,987
July 2013 Est: 1,319,677
Percent Change: 5.32% over 3.5 years
Extrapolated change for entire decade: 15.21%


Still not 20% per decade, which is pretty much the threshold for boom-town status.

However, the population growth is increasing each year, so we could still get there if the trend continues.

[bchris02]

Another take away, is that there is now over 1 Million people in just the Oklahoma/Cleveland counties combined.

Oklahoma County (755,245) + Cleveland County (269,340) = 1,024,585

OK County + Cleveland county is larger than the entire Tulsa metro area.

I am surprised that Oklahoma County added almost twice as many as Tulsa County (36,600 vs 19,000). Canadian county was the fastest growth % wise. Cleveland County added 13,500. (These are all 2010 to 2013 numbers).

The OKC metro grew by 9.2% in three years. Pretty healthy numbers.

The momentum is in OKC right now. Tulsa has some positive things going on, but for the most part they are still living off their past superiority.

[adaniel]

Here is a link for more detailed county numbers:

American FactFinder - Results

As far as OKC's growth, by any measure it is impressive, but not so fast that the economy can still produce enough jobs for incoming residents. I am still scratching my head as to how these places in FL that have 8%+ unemployment are adding as many people as they are. The growth in the US in general has slowed down, so 15.2% over the decade would be more than double the predicted nat'l average.

I am surprised that Oklahoma County added almost twice as many as Tulsa County (36,600 vs 19,000). Canadian county was the fastest growth % wise. Cleveland County added 13,500. (These are all 2010 to 2013 numbers).

Well, OKC has been in the driver's seat of this state's economy for at least a decade now.

IMO the untold story is how long dying towns out in Western Oklahoma are surging due to the all the energy production in the Mississippian & Granite Wash plays, while a lot of counties out in Eastern OK have screeched to a halt. The towns out in Western OK are in the OKC trade area people out there are apt to shop and do business here. It would be interesting to see how much money and commerce is flowing out of these areas into OKC.

[bchris02]

Here is a link for more detailed county numbers:

American FactFinder - Results *

As far as OKC's growth, by any measure it is impressive, but not so fast that the economy can still produce enough jobs for incoming residents. I am still scratching my head as to how these places in FL that have 8%+ unemployment are adding as many people as they are. The growth in the US in general has slowed down, so 15.2% over the decade would be more than double the predicted nat'l average.

Once a city becomes a boomtown, many times the momentum will continue long after the economic conditions that originally started that boom have faded or even turned sour. Charlotte is a perfect example of that. If there was another tech crash things could get very nasty in Austin but I doubt we would see their boom slow much at first.

[BG918]

Reading about the western OK towns gaining population was really interesting, since not long ago people wrote them off as eventually depopulating and dying. The same goes for towns on the Plains from Colorado to North Dakota. The energy boom obviously is responsible for this, and for the OKC metro's impressive growth rate. Tulsa's slower growth rate, but still healthy, is likely due to the energy sector not being quite as large as in OKC and Tulsa still trying to make up for several tough economic years in the early 2000's.

Are there numbers available for the cities of OKC and Tulsa and not just the counties/metros?

[NWOKCGuy]

This release was just Metro/Micro and county. Individual city data is going to be released in May.
Population Estimates: Schedule of New Estimates - U.S Census Bureau

[catch22]

Good to officially have 1.3 million in the metro (And actually a pretty healthy mark in (1.32 -- 3-4 more years and we'll easily be in 1.4 million)

[Rover]

Where are you guys pulling these detailed numbers?

In re-reading, it is Canadian County that grew by 9.2%, not Oklahoma County, but it does show Oklahoma County up 36,615.

Canadian County Tops Oklahoma Population Growth | KGOU


Canadian County Tops Oklahoma Population Growth


By KURT GWARTNEY
The fastest growing county in Oklahoma is Canadian County. The U.S. Census Bureau released its latest estimates of population growth in Oklahoma this week, showing the county in the west part of the Oklahoma City metro saw its population increase by 9.2 percent between April 2010 and July 2013.


Credit U.S. Census Bureau
The counties next in line for growth were outside of the state's metro areas, with Texas County in the Oklahoma panhandle showing a 7 percent increase.

That's followed by Beckham County, 6.9 percent, on the border of the Texas Panhandle and Custer County, 6.9 percent.

In raw numbers, Oklahoma County added 36,615 residents over the reporting period, more than any other in the state.

Tulsa County is in second place with 19,016. Cleveland County is next in line, adding 13,582 people. Oklahoma County remains the most populous in the state with more than 755-thousand residents.

----------------------------

[Plutonic Panda]

Two western Oklahoma towns are among fastest-growing in U.S. | News OK

That's nice. Hopefully they will use the rise in taxes to build a sustainable path for them so when it busts they can be self-reliant and still have an economy that isn't completely reliant on oil.

[rlewis]

As far as OKC's growth, by any measure it is impressive, but not so fast that the economy can still produce enough jobs for incoming residents. I am still scratching my head as to how these places in FL that have 8%+ unemployment are adding as many people as they are. The growth in the US in general has slowed down, so 15.2% over the decade would be more than double the predicted nat'l average.

As long as there are people that retire, Florida will continue to grow. With all of the Baby Boomers getting to that retirement age, I feel sorry for the folks that live there now. It's going to get a whole lot more crowded.

[Spartan]

Okay, found the info.

For the OKC MSA

2010 Census: 1,252,987
July 2013 Est: 1,319,677
Percent Change: 5.32% over 3.5 years
Extrapolated change for entire decade: 15.21%


Still not 20% per decade, which is pretty much the threshold for boom-town status.

However, the population growth is increasing each year, so we could still get there if the trend continues.

This is stronger growth than we are used to. We are seeing tangible effects of revitalization, and not just the intangible.

[soonerguru]

Two western Oklahoma towns are among fastest-growing in U.S. | News OK

That's nice. Hopefully they will use the rise in taxes to build a sustainable path for them so when it busts they can be self-reliant and still have an economy that isn't completely reliant on oil.

They won't.

[Spartan]

Lol.

[Plutonic Panda]

They won't.

Well, I know who I won't count on for support lol

[soonerguru]

I do business in these communities. The people are great. But they have no answers for anything beyond oil. They're in a multi-year drought situation that is very negatively impacting agriculture. Oil and gas, oil and gas, and ranching. That's it for the most part.

The spike in population in these areas -- with the exception of Weatherford, which has a university and is within an hour of OKC -- will reverse if and when the oil companies and petroleum-related service companies leave.

[jonathan]

I wonder what these numbers look like when you compare density. I love the city but downtown seems so dead compared to other places with less 'growth'

[Plutonic Panda]

I do business in these communities. The people are great. But they have no answers for anything beyond oil. They're in a multi-year drought situation that is very negatively impacting agriculture. Oil and gas, oil and gas, and ranching. That's it for the most part.

The spike in population in these areas -- with the exception of Weatherford, which has a university and is within an hour of OKC -- will reverse if and when the oil companies and petroleum-related service companies leave.

Yeah, I actually didn't think they would do it either. I was just posting hoping someone would come show some things that were geared towards building sustainable paths for the cities. Unfortunately, it seems the small towns won't be doing that. These are cases where I support new urbanism in smalls towns. I think if these towns dedicated a 2 cent on the dollar tax which would go to hiring a firm to study and develop the town to become a new urbanist community, the town would survive in the long run and become self-reliant. The path2sustainability tax. 2 cents for 2 years will last a lifetime.... or something among those sorts

[bchris02]

I wonder what these numbers look like when you compare density. I love the city but downtown seems so dead compared to other places with less 'growth'

True. You have to know OKC's past though to really appreciate where its at now. Other cities either never saw their downtown in as bad of shape as OKC's was in the 90s, or they have a significant head start in revitalizing. In ten years, downtown OKC will be on par with other, more vibrant peer cities like Louisville. Many of the projects that will get us there have already been announced. We just have to be patient and hope this economic cycle continues long enough to see this through.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Two western Oklahoma towns are among fastest-growing in U.S. | News OK

That's nice. Hopefully they will use the rise in taxes to build a sustainable path for them so when it busts they can be self-reliant and still have an economy that isn't completely reliant on oil.

"like"

[PWitty]

There were a few cool maps on Business Insider based on the recent census data.

Immigration Map

Births Minus Deaths

Domestic Migration

The OKC metro had healthy growth in all three categories.

[heyerdahl]

Maps: 2013 Oklahoma Population Estimates | The Institute for Quality Communities

[Plutonic Panda]

Also an interesting note for anyone who wants to see it



Special Report: 2013 Metropolitan Area Population Estimates | Newgeography.com