[gonefishing]

Here are a few I have found:

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HOUSING COSTS
In the top 25 most-affordable housing markets

The National Association of Home Builders ranks 162 metropolitan areas by estimating the percentage of homes sold that would be affordable to a family earning the area's median household income. #14 in the most-affordable markets in the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Opportunity Index is Tulsa, Ok. Oklahoma City is #24!!!
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Cost of Doing Business for 2004
Forbes Magazine ranked Tulsa third and Oklahoma City fourth among metropolitan cities for lowest Cost of Doing Business for 2004.

Forbes Magazine ranks Tulsa as the city with the lowest cost of doing business and Oklahoma City with the 3rd lowest cost of doing business among 150 metro areas nationwide.

Oklahoma has received national media attention over the last few months for its attractiveness to businesses looking to relocate.

Oklahoma City and Tulsa were recently ranked among the "Hottest Cities for Business Relocation and Expansion in 2003" by site selection consultants across the country in the January issue of Expansion Management magazine.

Oklahoma ranked third in the nation among America's "Top Ten Pro-Business States 2004" in a recent study by one of the country's top corporate site location experts.

The University of Oklahoma ranked #70 among the Top 100 Law Schools in the US News & World Report list of America's Best Graduate Schools

Inc. Magazine names Oklahoma City and Enid among the top cities in America for doing business. Oklahoma City ranked 24th among the large metro areas, and Enid ranked 25th among the smaller areas.

Inc. Magazine names TPi Billing Solutions of Tulsa the 20th fastest growing company in America and Long Wave of Oklahoma City as the 437th fastest growing private company in the U.S.

Fortune Magazine names American Fidelity of Oklahoma City and QuikTrip Corporation of Tulsa to its list of Top 100 Companies to Work for in America.

National Rankings Oklahoma City boasts the headquarters of 3 of the 5 largest U.S. independent oil and gas producers: Devon, Kerr McGee and Chesapeake.

Devon Energy, Kerr-McGee, Williams, and CITGO named among Fortune magazine's 2004 Most Admired Companies in America.

Oklahoma City and Tulsa were recently ranked 9th and 15th, respectively, among the Hottest Cities for Business Relocation and Expansion in 2003 by site selection consultants across the country.

A Harvard University research study ranks Tulsa 8th in the nation for manufacture of aerospace engines.

Relocate-America ranked Edmond third and Bartlesville seventh among the America's Top 10 Places to Live for 2004.

[gonefishing]

Partners for Livable Communities selected Tulsa among its top nine Most Livable Communities for 2004.

The University of Oklahoma ranked #70 among the Top 100 Law Schools in the U.S. News & World Report list of America's Best Graduate Schools 2005.

Tulsa's one-way average commute time of 16.8 minutes is 2nd lowest among the top 10 cities with populations of more than 250,000. Oklahoma City's average commute of 17.8 minutes places that city in the 4th spot according to the 2002 Census Bureau.

MSN.com ranks Oklahoma City 6th and Tulsa 10th as the most drivable of 77 cities surveyed across the country.

Expansion Magazine names Oklahoma's work force training program 4th best in the nation.

The Tax Foundation ranks Oklahoma 2nd among Top Ten States as having the least tax burden.

Economy.com ranks Oklahoma's total business cost as 4th lowest in the United States.

Pollina Corporate Real Estate, one of the country's top corporate site location experts, ranks Oklahoma 3rd in the nation among America's Top Ten Pro-Business States 2004.

Oklahoma City boasts the headquarters of 3 of the 5 largest U.S. independent oil and gas producers: Devon, Kerr McGee and Chesapeake.

A Harvard University research study ranks Tulsa 8th in the nation for manufacture of aerospace engines.

Tulsa is among the USA's best at saving cardiac victims.
Tulsa saves more of these people (26%) than most cities, USA TODAY found in a 2003 investigation of lifesaving measures in the 50 largest cities.

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WIND ENERGY-Oklahoma ranks among the top 10 states in potential wind energy.

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EDUCATION-
Education Week, a national publication, says Oklahoma ranks second among the 50 states and District of Columbia on the 2003 ratio of students per Internet-connected computer located in public school classrooms
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TAXES
Consistently over the past 14 years, Oklahoma has had a state/local tax burden that was below the national average.

Oklahoma’s corporate tax structure consists of simply a flat tax of 6% on all corporate income. This tax ranks the state 10th lowest among states levying corporate income taxes.

Oklahoma Property Taxes Among Nation’s Lowest

Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures: Oklahoma is a Beneficiary
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OIL-Oklahoma is a leading crude oil producing state, ranked 7th in the nation with production totaling 183 thousand barrels per day.

Governors economic development [url]http://www.okhighered.org/edge/[/url]

[StillwaterTownie]

So why is Oklahoma overall growing in population so slowly? We may lose yet another congressman in after the census is taken 2010. Maybe we should be much more concerned about the characteristics that seem to make Oklahoma so highly undesirable for businesses and industry to move to and individuals.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

So why is Oklahoma overall growing in population so slowly? We may lose yet another congressman in after the census is taken 2010. Maybe we should be much more concerned about the characteristics that seem to make Oklahoma so highly undesirable for businesses and industry to move to and individuals.

Yu know that is so interesting. I have been wondering the same thing. It seems everyone talks about how wonderful OK and AR are, but still it isn't growing.

Nita

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Yu know that is so interesting. I have been wondering the same thing. It seems everyone talks about how wonderful OK and AR are, but still it isn't growing.

Nita

There's probably some people who have just never considered even looking into OK. They figure it's still the dustbowl and don't realize how beautiful it is there or the low cost of living or the plentiful jobs. But SHHHHHH.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Jammie

There's probably some people who have just never considered even looking into OK. They figure it's still the dustbowl and don't realize how beautiful it is there or the low cost of living or the plentiful jobs. But SHHHHHH.

Let's keep it a secret until we get there and buy our homes. right?

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Let's keep it a secret until we get there and buy our homes. right?

Defnitely. Most people aren't even considering it for the moment, BUT keep in mind that Tn. or NC were not sought after states in the past either. I still believe that OK and Tx. will have a boom within the next few years. But my crystal ball needs to be polished so we'll see.

[Guthrie Kid]

Originally Posted by Jammie

There's probably some people who have just never considered even looking into OK. They figure it's still the dustbowl and don't realize how beautiful it is there or the low cost of living or the plentiful jobs. But SHHHHHH.

Exactly SHHHHHHHH...uh oh the fact we are on this forum kind of ruins that doesn't it?

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by Jammie

There's probably some people who have just never considered even looking into OK. They figure it's still the dustbowl and don't realize how beautiful it is there or the low cost of living or the plentiful jobs. But SHHHHHH.

Bingo, that's pretty much it. Stereotypes are hard to change. Oh yeah, SHHHH.. At least until I've returned and bought my dream home.