Accolades

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.

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 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.

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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Best places to live? OKC ranks high
May, 2024 - U.S News & World Report's
Oklahoma City ranked No. 16 among 150 cities in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Places to Live in 2024-2025. Oklahoma City nearly made the top 10% of U.S. cities that offer the best combination of jobs, desirability, cost of living, and quality of life, as noted in the report.

Cattlemen's inducted into Steak Hall of Fame
May, 2024 - Steak Hall of Fame
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse was recently inducted into the Steak House Hall of Fame. Cattlemen's is one of seven locations added to the National Steak House Hall of Fame and Oklahoma's only steakhouse to make the list.

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%.

Cafe Kacao is one of the top brunch spots in the U.S.
May, 2024 - Yelp
Each year, Yelp creates a list of the best brunch spots in the United States. Café Kacao in Oklahoma City ranked No. 4 on the list for 2024. Yelp identified businesses in the breakfast & brunch category with a large concentration of reviews mentioning “brunch”, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning the keyword in the past three years.

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 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 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. 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.

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.

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.

OKC restaurant makes USA Today's list for 2024 best restaurants of the year
February, 2024 - USA Today
Ma Der Lao Kitchen, located in the Plaza District in Oklahoma City, made USA Today’s list of best restaurants in the country.

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.

Library of Distilled Spirits named one of the best hotel bars of 2023
November, 2023 -  Wine Enthusiast

Library of Distilled Spirits named one of the best hotel bars of 2023
November, 2023 -  Wine Enthusiast

Oklahoma City ranks No. 2 for women entrepreneurship
November, 2023 -  Gusto

OKC ranks in the top 5 for downtown foot traffic post-pandemic recovery
November, 2023 -  University of Toronto

Oklahoma Ranks No. 10 in the nation for net migration
November, 2023 -  Storage Cafe

OKC brewery wins major award in “Super Bowl” of beer festivals for second consecutive year
October, 2023 -  Great American Beer Festival

2023 resident survey shows OKC is setting the national standard as a place to live, work, and retire
October, 2023 -  City of Oklahoma City

Local restaurant makes Bon Appetit's list for best new restaurants of 2023
September, 2023 -  Bon Appetit

OKC ranks No. 12 for fastest growing metro
September, 2023 -  Lending Tree

Oklahoma City ranks No. 11 for best beer city in the U.S.
September, 2023 -  Real Estate Witch

Anton's Craft Kitchen ranks No. 6 for Best Mom and Pop Restaurant in the U.S.
August, 2023 -  Entrepreneur/Yelp

Hungry? OKC has some of the best burgers in the U.S.
August, 2023 -  Home Bay

Katiebug's Sips & Sweets ranks No. 2 for cookies
July, 2023 -  USA Today

Oklahoma City Ranks No. 2 for young professionals
July, 2023 -  Forbes

Oklahoma City ranks in the top 20 for best places to travel to in the U.S.
June, 2023 -  Forbes

OKC continues to be one of the best run cities in the U.S.
June, 2023 -  WalletHub

Oklahoma City named one of the best food cities in the world
June, 2023 -  Taste Atlas

Andrew Black brings James Beard Award Home to Oklahoma City
June, 2023 -  James Beard Organization

OKC ranks No. 8 for affordable housing markets
June, 2023 -  Homebay

Scissortail Park has the best summer outdoor splash pad in the U.S.
May, 2023 -  USA Today’s 2023 Readers’ Choice List

Looking for a getaway? OKC ranks No. 2 for affordable family vacations
May, 2023 -  Forbes Advisor

OKC ranks No. 4 among fastest growing cities for new hire salaries
May, 2023 -  Gusto

Scissortail Park ranks No. 3 for best summer outdoor concert series
May, 2023 -  Gusto

OKC ranks No. 9 for lowest property tax
April, 2023 -  Lending Tree

OKC receives AAA bond rating from Moody’s and AAA for 15th-straight year
March, 2023 -  Moody's & AAA

Oklahoma ranks No. 4 for living affordability
March, 2023 -  Savoteur

OKC's First American Museum wins national travel award
October, 2022 -  The Society of American Travel Writers

OKC ranks No. 9 for affordability
February, 2023-  Kiplinger

Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 for lowest cost of living among large cities
February, 2023-  C2ER

Oklahoma City makes list of "Best Taco Cities" in U.S.
September, 2022 -  Clever

Oklahoma has some of the best home values in the U.S.
September, 2022 -  The Ascent

OKC's Ma Der Lao Kitchen named one of 50 best new restaurants in the U.S.
September, 2022 -  Bon Appetit Magazine

Oklahoma City is one the best cities to live in
August, 2022 -  Bankrate

OKC ranks No. 1 for street art for the second consecutive year
August, 2022 -  USA Today

OKC has some of the most affordable rent in the country
August, 2022 -  Zumper

Oklahoma ranked as one of the most underrated destinations
September, 2022 -  CNN Travel

Oklahoma earns No. 6 ranking for veteran-owned businesses
June, 2022 - U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

OKC now the 20th-biggest city in the U.S.
June, 2022 - U.S. Census

Oklahoma City named a top-10 city for college grads
June, 2022 - Zumper.com

The Sooner State has some of the lowest gas prices in the U.S.
June, 2022 - GasBuddy.com

Oklahoma ranks No. 5 for least expensive state for household bills
June, 2022 - Doxo

OKC has the lowest home rental rates in the U.S.
May, 2022 - Realtor.com

OKC ranked No. 2 most affordable housing market in the world
April, 2022 - Bloomberg

Oklahoma ranks No. 4 for the lowest median home price
April, 2022 - World Population Review

OKC ranked No. 3 for the most affordable places to buy a new home
March, 2022 - Realtor.com

Young professionals looking for a place to live? Check out OKC
March, 2022 - Policygenius

OKC ranked No. 2 for lowest cost of living among large cities
March, 2022 - C2ER

OKC earns AAA rating for 12th year in a row
March, 2022 - Moody's/S&P

OKC named a top place for creatives
February, 2022 - Thrillist

OKC is one of the best cities for startups
February, 2022 - Real Estate Witch

Oklahoma City named as one of the 100 most-loved destinations around the world
January, 2022 - Tourism Sentiment Index

OKC features a great combo of plenty of jobs and affordable housing
November, 2021 - GOBankingRates

Oklahoma's median housing costs among lowest
October, 2021 - FilterBuy.com

OKC ranks fifth for jobs bounce back
October, 2021 - WalletHub

Young entrepreneurs are flocking to OKC
September, 2021 - LendingTree

OKC listed as the 9th most affordable housing market in U.S.
September, 2021 - USA Today

OKC ranks #1 in nation in terms of likelihood of restaurant industry recovery in 2021
September, 2021 - LendingTree

OKC named top city for young families
August, 2021 - Insurify

Oklahoma City ranks No. 13 for best run cities in America
August, 2021 - WalletHub

SmartAsset: OKC has the most affordable housing market in the U.S.
May, 2021 - SmartAsset

USA Today has named Oklahoma City as the best place in the country for public art
May, 2021 - USA Today

Oklahoma City ranks No. 3 for lowest business costs
April, 2021 - Moody’s North American Business Cost Review

OKC makes recent '10 coolest cities with lowest cost of living’ list
March, 2021 - PureWow

OKC rated No. 1 for lowest cost of living among large cities
March, 2021 - C2ER

Moody's, S&P affirm OKC's AAA bond rating
March, 2021 - U.S. Moody's/S&P

State of Oklahoma ranks top 10 for lowest tax burden
February, 2021 - U.S. Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances

OKC named among 'underappreciated American cities you should totally move to'
February, 2021 - Thrillist

Mayor Holt elected to National League of Cities board of directors
December, 2020 - OKC.gov

OKC ranks among top cities in small business environment
November, 2020 - JustBusiness.com

Oklahoma ranks Top 10 for lowest average monthly mortgage payment
October, 2020 - Lending Tree

Best run cities in the U.S.? OKC ranks high
June, 2020- WalletHub

OKC has the highest PPP Loan acceptance rate in the U.S.
June, 2020- Smart Asset

OKC is now the 25th-largest city in the U.S.
June, 2020- U.S. Census

OKC earns AAA bond rating for tenth year in a row
February, 2020- Moody's/S&P

OKC among Reader's Digest 'best American cities for live music'
February, 2020- Reader's Digest

OKC named to Travel+Leisure's Top 50 Destinations in 2020
December, 2019 - Travel+Leisure

Oklahoma City’s resident satisfaction ratings among the best in U.S.
October 23, 2019 - OKC.gov

OKC is the easiest place in North America to do business
June 21, 2019 - ASU Center for the Study of Economic Liberty

Oklahoma has the lowest retail electricity rates in the U.S.
October 16, 2019 - S&P Global Market

Oklahoma has the second lowest property and corporate income taxes per capita
March 13, 2019 - Tax Foundation

More accolades for OKC's Myriad Botanical Gardens
January 22, 2019 - Star Tribune

OKC ranked No. 3 for places business professionals to work and live
December 12, 2018 - BusinessStudent

Oklahoma City ranked most livable community
November 12, 2018 - Livable

Oklahoma City ranked best city for retired vets
November 1, 2018 - BusinessWire

Oklahoma City among top 5 cities for veteran homebuyers
November, 2018 - Veterans United

Oklahoma City's Myriad Gardens rank among top 10 urban sanctuaries
August 22, 2018 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Oklahoma City among top 5 cities with youngest entrepreneurs
August 14, 2018 - Lending Tree

Oklahoma City ranked in top 20 cities where millennials make the most money
July 16, 2018 - Credit Sesame.

Oklahoma City among the top 10 best places to live for outdoor space
July 6, 2018 - Pots Planters and More

Oklahoma City tops U.S. cities with fastest construction growth rates
June 27, 2018 - Construction Productivity Blog

Oklahoma City is #1 city to watch for meetings and events in 2018
June 2018 - MeetingsToday

Oklahoma City is ranked #1 for most passionate live music fans
May 16, 2018 - Priceconomics

OKC among top 10 cities for building your savings
May 10, 2018 - Bankrate

OKC is the Best Large City to Start a Business
April 30, 2018 - WalletHub

OKC #1 for combination of low cost of living and high wages
February 27, 2018 - CNBC

New Grads Should Take Notice of OKC
January 1, 2018 - OnlineDegrees.com

OKC a top metro for millennials
September 8, 2017 - Apartment List

OKC in Top Ten Among Most Popular U.S. Cities to Live
June 6, 2017 - Business Insider

OKC top city for saving money
May 26, 2017 - MarketWatch

OKC best place to start a business in 2017
May 3, 2017 - WalletHub

OKC Ranks as a Top City to be a Millennial
April 26, 2017 - Trulia

Demographia: OKC Top-ten Major Market for Housing Affordability
January 23, 2017 - Demographia

OKC top-ten large city for recession recovery
January 11, 2017 - WalletHub

New Study: OKC Ranks No. 1 for Women Entrepreneurs
March 10, 2016 - Forbes

You Get More Apartment for Your Buck in OKC
February 29, 2016 - Forbes

Americans are "Thronging To" OKC
November 4, 2015 - New Geography

Economic Outlook Continues to Look Great for OKC
November 2, 2015 - Thumbtack

OKC is the No. 1 City Worth Moving If You Want to Launch a Business
September 11, 2015 - Entrepreneur

CBRE Ranks OKC No. 1 Best City for Small Tech Market Growth
August 13, 2015 - CBRE

Oklahomans Have More Purchasing Power
August 7, 2015 - Tax Foundation

OKC Continues to get High Marks for Housing Market
August 7, 2015 - WalletHub

OKC has the nation's lowest commute times
May 28, 2015 - University of Michigan

Downtown Employment Growth One of the Top in the Nation
April 20, 2015 - The City Observatory

“OKC #3 among Best Cities for Millennial College Students”
April 10, 2015 - USA Today

“OKC sports one of most diversified economies in U.S.”
April 1, 2015 - WalletHub

“Greater OKC ranks No. 7 in the U.S. for economic growth”
March 16, 2015 - The Brookings Institution

“OKC among fastest-growing cities in 2015”
January 29, 2015 - Forbes

“National Geographic Traveler Names Oklahoma City as a Best Trips 2015 Destination”
November 21, 2014 - National Geographic Traveler

“OKC is #1 Place to Start a Business”
October 30, 2014 - Kiplinger

“OKC among Top Ten Most Affordable Big Cities in U.S.”
October 24, 2014 - Kiplinger

“Oklahoma City #7 in Real GDP Growth Per Capita”
October 6, 2014 - Forbes

“OKC one of only 7 metros with decreasing poverty”
October 6, 2014 - Forbes

“OKC shows strong GDP growth”
October 3, 2014 - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

“OKC No. 7 Best Place for Business”
July 23, 2014 - Forbes

“OK one of Fastest Growing Economies”
June 13, 2014 - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

“Oklahoma One of Best States to Make Living”
June 9, 2014 - Forbes

“OKC #7 Best Metros for Small Biz”
April 3, 2014 - The Business Journals

“People are flocking to OKC”
March 31, 2014 - CNNMoney

“OKC Ranks High for Startups”
March 11, 2014 - WalletHub

“OKC one of Most Affordable Cities”
March 11, 2014 - Forbes

“Workers in their Prime Moving to OKC”
January 31, 2014 - Forbes

“10 Best Cities for Job Seekers”
January 13, 2014 - Nerd Wallet

“OKC Leads Nation in Housing Recovery”
December 29, 2013 - Wall Street Journal

“Invest in OKC Housing”
December 26, 2013 - Forbes

“OKC has economic momentum”
December 26, 2013 - New Geography

“OKC a Must-Visit Destination”
November 18, 2013 - Complex

“Millennials are flocking to OKC”
November 14, 2013 - The Atlantic

“OKC ranks high for middle-class job creation”
October 24, 2013 - New Geography

“OKC No. 3 in US in Housing Market Recovery”
October 7, 2013 - Apartment Guide

“Luxury is affordable in OKC”
August 5, 2013 - Apartment Guide

“OKC is a magnet of opportunity"
July 30, 2013 - The Daily Beast

“OKC No. 12 ‘Brainiest’ Metro”
July 16, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

“OKC one of the Fittest Cities in America”
July 9, 2013 - Facebook

“OKC is Top for New Grads”
June 17, 2013 - Apartments.com