How boring is OKC for a young professional? (renewal, suburbs)
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I like what the poster above said about having problems if you move to OKC with a chip on your shoulder. That is very true. In my opinion, OKC is very much an acquired taste. Some people like KanyeMo adjust very well (and I am happy for him) while others like myself and ATLguy have a more difficult time.
Personally, I think Tulsa is better than OKC in just about every way and is an easier adjustment. Despite being smaller than OKC, it feels much more "big city" and isn't quite as conservative. It's a bit easier to adjust to if moving to Oklahoma from a major city in another state.
Based on my limited time in Tulsa, I would tend to agree. I enjoyed it more than OKC. Still don't know if I could stay in Oklahoma in general, but Tulsa might have been better.
Funny how different experiences are here. I've been here for a relatively short time and have made plenty of friends and have gotten to know a lot more single people than married couples. Great for career and personal life for me.
Tulsa's nice, I love Tulsa actually, but I enjoy OKC much more.
So I ran across this thread before deciding to move to OKC and thought...you know it doesn't sound too bad and I had a job offer from a great company (rhymes with going). I was in my mid 20's and previously lived in some big cities in the east coast, midwest and north. Long story short this was the worst decision of my life. This place is cow town USA with a staggering and surprisingly high number of Trump supporters. Thats actually not even my biggest complaint, I could honestly care less about that. OKC is one of the most boring cities I have lived in to-date. Long story short, I left that place within a year. I wanted to post this as a warning to other mid-20's people who have actually lived in other big, even mid-major cities. The only time you want to see OKC is when it's in your rear-view mirror. I actually lie to people about having lived here because it is slightly embarrassing. I now live on the west coast and thank the lord I made the decision to leave this city. BTW, when other mid-20s people who have also never lived in the city tell you to give it at least a year, GTFO! I have no problems making friends and being social but OKC is just terrible and I even lived downtown. All I have to say is, go out on a Friday/Saturday night in downtown (not talking bricktown) around 9pm to 10pm and I will guarantee you will be maybe one of 2 or 3 other people max walking on the streets. Sometimes it feels like a ghost town when it should be lively. Sorry for rambling but don't make the same mistake I did and stay away from this place, it's full of homers. I'm sure I'll be called a troll and perhaps a cry-baby but that's usually the case when your opinion goes against the grain, and I'm sure it'll also be put into context of world-hunger/poverty to diminish my opinion. PSA-I only blame myself for not having visited first but instead of complaining I took action and got-out but I feel like it's necessary to share my story because I was wearing my rose-colored glasses at the time.
Way to own it. Good for you and good luck with your future endeavors.
So I ran across this thread before deciding to move to OKC and thought...you know it doesn't sound too bad and I had a job offer from a great company (rhymes with going). I was in my mid 20's and previously lived in some big cities in the east coast, midwest and north. Long story short this was the worst decision of my life. This place is cow town USA with a staggering and surprisingly high number of Trump supporters. Thats actually not even my biggest complaint, I could honestly care less about that. OKC is one of the most boring cities I have lived in to-date. Long story short, I left that place within a year. I wanted to post this as a warning to other mid-20's people who have actually lived in other big, even mid-major cities. The only time you want to see OKC is when it's in your rear-view mirror. I actually lie to people about having lived here because it is slightly embarrassing. I now live on the west coast and thank the lord I made the decision to leave this city. BTW, when other mid-20s people who have also never lived in the city tell you to give it at least a year, GTFO! I have no problems making friends and being social but OKC is just terrible and I even lived downtown. All I have to say is, go out on a Friday/Saturday night in downtown (not talking bricktown) around 9pm to 10pm and I will guarantee you will be maybe one of 2 or 3 other people max walking on the streets. Sometimes it feels like a ghost town when it should be lively. Sorry for rambling but don't make the same mistake I did and stay away from this place, it's full of homers. I'm sure I'll be called a troll and perhaps a cry-baby but that's usually the case when your opinion goes against the grain, and I'm sure it'll also be put into context of world-hunger/poverty to diminish my opinion. PSA-I only blame myself for not having visited first but instead of complaining I took action and got-out but I feel like it's necessary to share my story because I was wearing my rose-colored glasses at the time.
I agree with most of these points. You are lucky were able to get out of OKC. This isn't the easiest place to leave once you live here unless you can save up several grand and just move. For a lot of people that isn't feasible. As for the "give it a year" advice, there is a little bit of truth to that. You can learn to tolerate a place, but its hard to learn to love it if it just isn't for you. My first few years here were miserable. Today, I've learned to tolerate it, but still plan on leaving when the opportunity presents itself.
My two cents is that OKC is alright if you come from rural America. If you are used to small town America, OKC will seem active and lively enough. It's known for being boring but that is relative. There are things to do here, it just isn't on the level of places like Austin, Denver, or even Memphis and Omaha. Compared to places like Potaeu and Lawton, OKC is a nice upgrade and will feel like a city. If you've lived in an urban city though, especially on the coast, it can be a steep adjustment and many, especially those in their twenties and unmarried, have trouble assimilating. While culture shock can happen anywhere, OKC is particularly bad about this because its so different culturally from other cities its size.
OKC is a midsized city with most of the problems of cities its size without many of the benefits, plus its own set of problems like tornadoes and extreme hyperconservatism. If you want to live in a small town, there are plenty of small towns that are much prettier, more charming, and have more of a "Mayberry" feel to them. If you want to live in a city, virtually any metro in the country over 600,000 in population is going to offer everything OKC does plus some (except maybe pro sports).
Rule of thumb is if you are from rural Oklahoma (or rural parts of the surrounding states) and/or have a strong job offer and don't really care about living in a vibrant or desirable locale, then OKC will probably work for you. If you are from or have lived in an urban coastal city, prefer city life, and wonder whether or not you could make OKC work for you, you should probably stay away or at least give serious thought into what you are willing to give up vs what you would gain by coming here.
Last edited by bawac34618; 06-24-2016 at 03:49 PM..
I agree with most of these points. You are lucky were able to get out of OKC. This isn't the easiest place to leave once you live here unless you can save up several grand and just move. For a lot of people that isn't feasible. As for the "give it a year" advice, there is a little bit of truth to that. You can learn to tolerate a place, but its hard to learn to love it if it just isn't for you. My first few years here were miserable. Today, I've learned to tolerate it, but still plan on leaving when the opportunity presents itself.
My two cents is that OKC is alright if you come from rural America. If you are used to small town America, OKC will seem active and lively enough. It's known for being boring but that is relative. There are things to do here, it just isn't on the level of places like Austin, Denver, or even Memphis and Omaha. Compared to places like Potaeu and Lawton, OKC is a nice upgrade and will feel like a city. If you've lived in an urban city though, especially on the coast, it can be a steep adjustment and many, especially those in their twenties and unmarried, have trouble assimilating. While culture shock can happen anywhere, OKC is particularly bad about this because its so different culturally from other cities its size.
OKC is a midsized city with most of the problems of cities its size without many of the benefits, plus its own set of problems like tornadoes and extreme hyperconservatism. If you want to live in a small town, there are plenty of small towns that are much prettier, more charming, and have more of a "Mayberry" feel to them. If you want to live in a city, virtually any metro in the country over 600,000 in population is going to offer everything OKC does plus some (except maybe pro sports).
Rule of thumb is if you are from rural Oklahoma (or rural parts of the surrounding states) and/or have a strong job offer and don't really care about living in a vibrant or desirable locale, then OKC will probably work for you. If you are from or have lived in an urban coastal city, prefer city life, and wonder whether or not you could make OKC work for you, you should probably stay away or at least give serious thought into what you are willing to give up vs what you would gain by coming here.
Very well said. You nailed it. Culture shock is just too much to handle. I've given it 4 years. All your points are valid.
Everyone has their own personal preferences. I know young professionals that love cities like OKC and Wichita and some who live in and hate places like Boston and NYC. There are young professionals who love living in the suburbs and those that love living directly downtown. Trying to put together a single thread to ask a single question and get a single answer is just not going to work.
I agree with most of these points. You are lucky were able to get out of OKC. This isn't the easiest place to leave once you live here unless you can save up several grand and just move. For a lot of people that isn't feasible. As for the "give it a year" advice, there is a little bit of truth to that. You can learn to tolerate a place, but its hard to learn to love it if it just isn't for you. My first few years here were miserable. Today, I've learned to tolerate it, but still plan on leaving when the opportunity presents itself.
My two cents is that OKC is alright if you come from rural America. If you are used to small town America, OKC will seem active and lively enough. It's known for being boring but that is relative. There are things to do here, it just isn't on the level of places like Austin, Denver, or even Memphis and Omaha. Compared to places like Potaeu and Lawton, OKC is a nice upgrade and will feel like a city. If you've lived in an urban city though, especially on the coast, it can be a steep adjustment and many, especially those in their twenties and unmarried, have trouble assimilating. While culture shock can happen anywhere, OKC is particularly bad about this because its so different culturally from other cities its size.
OKC is a midsized city with most of the problems of cities its size without many of the benefits, plus its own set of problems like tornadoes and extreme hyperconservatism. If you want to live in a small town, there are plenty of small towns that are much prettier, more charming, and have more of a "Mayberry" feel to them. If you want to live in a city, virtually any metro in the country over 600,000 in population is going to offer everything OKC does plus some (except maybe pro sports).
Rule of thumb is if you are from rural Oklahoma (or rural parts of the surrounding states) and/or have a strong job offer and don't really care about living in a vibrant or desirable locale, then OKC will probably work for you. If you are from or have lived in an urban coastal city, prefer city life, and wonder whether or not you could make OKC work for you, you should probably stay away or at least give serious thought into what you are willing to give up vs what you would gain by coming here.
Ok, ok.
We've gone through this a thousand times. And you have made many pertinent well reasoned points.
You have used the term "hits below it's weight" a gazillion times in describing OKC. So I would ask you specifically what changes would make OKC "hit at it's weight" given two caveats.
1) Some things OKC is not going to get due to it's proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth. And some of that points toward Atlanta's issues. OKC isn't going to get corporate HQs and things to draw a lot of people here from all over.
2) This is a plains community and density is never going to be a huge emphasis here simply because people who come here (and like it) don't value it; There is no real natural barrier in OKC to stop the metro area from continuing to grow outward and traffic is not bad enough to make that an issue for suburbanites; land is cheap and it is simply a better bet financially to continue to go outward than to do projects downtown despite the appeal.
Last edited by eddie gein; 06-25-2016 at 04:25 PM..
We've gone through this a thousand times. And you have made many pertinent well reasoned points.
You have used the term "hits below it's weight" a gazillion times in describing OKC. So I would ask you specifically what changes would make OKC "hit at it's weight" given two caveats.
1) Some things OKC is not going to get due to it's proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth. And some of that ponts toward Atlanta's issues. OKC isn't going to get corporate HQs and things to draw a lot of people here from all over.
2) This is a plains community and density is never going to be a huge emphasis here simply because people who come here (and like it) don't value it; There is no real natural barrier in OKC to stop the metro area from continuing to grow outward and traffic is not bad enough to make that an issue for suburbanites; land is cheap and it is simply a better bet financially to continue to go outward than to do projects downtown despite the appeal.
Ohhh that a low blow , talking about punching below the belt......Ouch!!!!!
We've gone through this a thousand times. And you have made many pertinent well reasoned points.
You have used the term "hits below it's weight" a gazillion times in describing OKC. So I would ask you specifically what changes would make OKC "hit at it's weight" given two caveats.
1) Some things OKC is not going to get due to it's proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth. And some of that points toward Atlanta's issues. OKC isn't going to get corporate HQs and things to draw a lot of people here from all over.
2) This is a plains community and density is never going to be a huge emphasis here simply because people who come here (and like it) don't value it; There is no real natural barrier in OKC to stop the metro area from continuing to grow outward and traffic is not bad enough to make that an issue for suburbanites; land is cheap and it is simply a better bet financially to continue to go outward than to do projects downtown despite the appeal.
Good questions. A good place to start is look at cities around OKC's size and economic stature, places like Memphis, Louisville, Richmond, Jacksonville FL, etc. What do they have that OKC doesn't?
I had a long post typed out hitting on everything that is wrong with OKC but I think I am going to sum it up in this way. Think about what makes places like Memphis, Louisville, Richmond, Jacksonville, etc more attractive and desirable than OKC. Then consider the fact that OKC once had all of these things but opted to demolish it all in a failed urban renewal project in the 1970s and early 1980s. Because of this, I think the ship has sailed on OKC ever becoming what it could have been. It will take 20 years or so of development at its current pace to bring this city to the point that it should already be.
In addition, for such a suburban town as OKC, suburban development here is still pretty much stuck in the 1980s. You don't have the nice, attractive suburbs you have in other cities.
Good questions. A good place to start is look at cities around OKC's size and economic stature, places like Memphis, Louisville, Richmond, Jacksonville FL, etc. What do they have that OKC doesn't?
I had a long post typed out hitting on everything that is wrong with OKC but I think I am going to sum it up in this way. Think about what makes places like Memphis, Louisville, Richmond, Jacksonville, etc more attractive and desirable than OKC. Then consider the fact that OKC once had all of these things but opted to demolish it all in a failed urban renewal project in the 1970s and early 1980s. Because of this, I think the ship has sailed on OKC ever becoming what it could have been. It will take 20 years or so of development at its current pace to bring this city to the point that it should already be.
In addition, for such a suburban town as OKC, suburban development here is still pretty much stuck in the 1980s. You don't have the nice, attractive suburbs you have in other cities.
You are so true on most of what you are saying ,
but here is where I disagree with you.
I do not believe that it will take OKC 20 years to catch up with the likes of Jacksonville Florida.
Louisville Kentucky , Memphis Tennessee or New Orleans Louisiana.
I think that they will probably do it in less than 20 years , if and this is a big( if ) they continue making rapid progress with those Core To Shore Projects..
CTSP have the potential to transform OKC much more than MAPS projects has , just my two cents.
On the drawing board projects putting OKC on a
more even footing with it's peer cities. www.newsok.com/article/3924
Last edited by Howest2008; 07-03-2016 at 12:03 PM..
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Good for you and good luck with your future endeavors.
