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OKC is more similar to Indy than KC or Dallas when it comes to built environment and topography. Culturally OKC is nothing like Indy or KC or really even Dallas. OKC sort of has its own thing going on for a larger city.
I'll say it again. The only city that is remotely similar to OKC is Fort Worth and Fort Worth has a more urban mentality than OKC does even though they embrace their cow-town heritage.
San Antonio is much larger and offers quite a bit more than OKC does. I would place it on the level of Indianapolis, Charlotte, and Kansas City in terms of amenities...well above OKC.
However, I think there is some validity to the comparison, especially when you consider its relationship to Austin vs OKC's relationship with Tulsa. Tulsa isn't very well known nationally but if there was an "Austin of Oklahoma", it would be Tulsa and not OKC. Tulsa is hillier, more "hip", more progressive, white collar, more urban, and more arts oriented while OKC is more sports oriented, sprawled out, and blue collar. Tulsa gets most of the concerts and live shows that come to Oklahoma and not OKC. Despite being smaller, when you are in Tulsa you feel like you are in a much larger city than you do in OKC. I really think Tulsa has to be one of the most underrated places in the country and if they ever got their act together that city could be one of America's next up-and-coming cities.
It reminds me a lot of the San Antonio vs Austin rivalry on a smaller scale, with Austin being the smaller but "sexy" white collar city and San Antonio being the larger but more blue collar and sports oriented city.
When you start actually comparing the cities though and what they offer, San Antonio makes OKC look like a small town.
I love Tulsa, but once again you are spewing fiction. Tulsa is not more urban, it sprawls more than OKC.
Urban area population density:
OKC - 2,100 ppsm
Tulsa - 1,951 ppsm
OKC is more similar to Indy than KC or Dallas when it comes to built environment and topography. Culturally OKC is nothing like Indy or KC or really even Dallas. OKC sort of has its own thing going on for a larger city.
I'll say it again. The only city that is remotely similar to OKC is Fort Worth and Fort Worth has a more urban mentality than OKC does even though they embrace their cow-town heritage.
Completely agree with this. Fort Worth seems like a modern urban city with a cow-town past its not ashamed of. OKC on the other hand is unique among cities its size in terms of how deeply rural culture is still ingrained and embraced here. Even Tulsa has more of an urban mentality than OKC. Most people in OKC like it the way it is though and wouldn't live in any other city. It's an acquired taste though, especially if you are a person who prefers cities. A lot of people who move to OKC from other cities have a rough time at first due to the difference in culture and lack of certain amenities most would expect any sizable city to have. Some learn to love it after a while and others move on to cities more to their liking. People who prefer rural areas but need to live in a larger area for economic opportunity are generally pretty comfortable in OKC while other cities like Dallas, Kansas City, Austin, etc would be intimidating to them.
Also, using data from the BLS and categorizing the sectors by collar, OKC is more white collar.
OKC - 40.2% white collar, 28.5% pink collar, 31.3% blue collar
Tulsa - 34.1% white collar, 28.2% pink collar, 37.7% blue collar
I've assumed Tulsa was more white collar because it really feels that way when you are there. Tulsa is more fashion conscious and isn't as "country" as OKC is. 9 out of 10 times, when a new retailer enters the Oklahoma market, they enter Tulsa first and then OKC, or in some cases remain exclusive to Tulsa. There is also a significant financial sector in Tulsa while OKC is mostly oil & gas and government.
In terms of OKC vs Tulsa, the numbers on paper almost always work out in OKC's favor, but in terms of quality of life and amenities, Tulsa wins every time with the exception of pro sports. Tulsa has simply done more with less. Why this is, I don't know.
The financial sector virtually makes up the same percentage of employment in both cities, 5.18% in OKC and 5.17% in Tulsa. Government in OKC is 20.5% of the workforce and 13.6% in Tulsa (BLS). Natural resources and mining made up 14.9% of OKC's 2014 GDP, and made up 11.3% of Tulsa's 2014 GDP (BEA).
Indianapolis and Omaha have nothing in common with OKC at all. Oklahoma City is a Southern city first and foremost. In terms of culture, linguistics, demographics, etc it's the most like Little Rock and Amarillo on these lists. And Oklahoma is a Southern state.
Indianapolis and Omaha have nothing in common with OKC at all. Oklahoma City is a Southern city first and foremost. In terms of culture, linguistics, demographics, etc it's the most like Little Rock and Amarillo on these lists. And Oklahoma is a Southern state.
I would say Amarillo moreso than Little Rock. Fort Smith, Arkansas on the other hand is more similar to OKC. Little Rock has more in common with Memphis and I would dare to say it has more of an "urban" mentality than Oklahoma City does. It feels like a city, albeit a small one vs Oklahoma City which feels like a larger Amarillo or Fort Smith. Most true Southern cities are more urban, African-American, and progressive than Oklahoma City is.
I would say Amarillo moreso than Little Rock. Fort Smith, Arkansas on the other hand is more similar to OKC. Little Rock has more in common with Memphis and I would dare to say it has more of an "urban" mentality than Oklahoma City does. It feels like a city, albeit a small one vs Oklahoma City which feels like a larger Amarillo or Fort Smith. Most true Southern cities are more urban, African-American, and progressive than Oklahoma City is.
Yes, but it has little in common with other Southern cities. It has more in common with the rural South and west Texas towns. Jackson, Tennessee is more like Oklahoma City than Memphis or Birmingham are.
My vote was for Amarillo. I think Oklahoma City and Amarillo have the most comparable cultural influences and histories out of all of the cities listed.
Interesting opinions so far!
Yeh, I think what it is pretty obvious is that many have no idea what they're talking about on this particular topic.
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