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Old 07-21-2010, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Columbia, MO
40 posts, read 117,323 times
Reputation: 21

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I am trying to figure out what city would be the best for me. I like having parks, zoo's, biking trails, walking trails, lakes, targets, walmarts, malls around. Also a downtown area for concerts, sports(pro or minor) and etc. is a great thing.

I would be renting a apartment, how does the rent compare?

My wife majored in ART. I am going back to college either for Finance or automotive tech. Which city has a bigger art area?

Which city has the better job market?

We are looking at both cities within the next couple months. I have lived in St. Louis, MO and liked the parks, sports and shopping I could do.

If anyone has any info for me and my wife that would be great. Thanks.
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Old 07-21-2010, 05:12 PM
 
Location: Edmond, OK
4,030 posts, read 10,710,740 times
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Both cities are great and have much to offer. I can tell you some about OKC. I'm not from OKC, but have lived here for about 4 years, and really like it. I also really like Tulsa. I would have been happy in either city.

OKC is a bit larger and is the state capitol. Both have lots of parks and such. IMO OKC has a better downtown for activities, and is in the midst of a major revitalization called core to shore, which involves the rerouting of I-40, and enlarging the entire downtown. Currently under construction is the 50 story Devon Energy tower, which will be a large part of the downtwon revilatization. Currently there is a large park/botanical garden there, which is being redone, and as part of the core to shore, will I believe, become part of a much larger park. It where the Ford Center is located, home of the NBA team the OKC Thunder, and location of lots of concerts and events. Adjacent to downtown in Bricktown, an entertainment district with lots of bars and restaurants along a canal as well as the Ballpark at Bricktown, where our minor league baseball team plays. Bricktown - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Dining, Shopping, Events .
Aslo, tons of college sports around the area, including Norman, where the University of Oklahoma is located, and about 1 hour north is Stillwater, home of Oklahoma State University. There's always some kind of sports event in the area.

The Oklahoma River runs just south of downtown. There are rowing centers, and boat houses for rowing and kayak rentals. Also an olympic rowing training facility.

Tulsa does have the new BOK (Bank of Oklahoma) Center downtown, which is supposed to be a premiere concert venue. I've heard it is wonderful but I have never been. I've only been in downtown Tulsa a few times, but there never seemed to be much going on there. I spent a weekend there last summer for a wedding, and we saw no other human life. I'm sure this is not an accurate perception and could probably be said for OKC as well. I think I've just not been there at the right time.

Tulsa has generally been considered to be the more "artsy" of the two cities, but OKC also has an active art scene, especially around The Paseo District. www.thepaseo.com/ . Don't know anything about the Tulsa Zoo, other than they have one. The OKC zoo is very nice, and also has a nice, small amphitheater which hosts some pretty big names during the summer and early fall.

Also lots of lakes around OKC, as well. Lake Hefner, which is located in NW OKC is a popular place for sailing and windsurfing, and has lots of great walking/biking trails. Lake Arcadia, us north of city in Edmond (where I live) is very popular for boating. Lots of other lakes all around the city as well, those are just the two I am most familiar with.

I can't tell you about rent, but in general, Oklahoma has a very low cost of living. The job market, while better than much of the country, is still depressed. I don't know which of the two cities would have the lowest unemployment rate. As for your attending college. OKC has a ton of higher education options. There are several community colleges in the area, including Oklahoma City Community College and Rose State College, as well as several universities, including University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University OKC campus, and Stillwater campus (which would be a similar commute if you were in Tulsa), The University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City University, Langston University and several more which I just can't think of right now.

As for shopping, either city will have anything you want. The OKC area has several nice malls and shopping centers, as does Tulsa. We have all the Walmarts and Super Targets, as well as all of the other big box retailers you could possibly want or need.


I'm sure that some of the other posters here can tell you more about Tulsa, and OKC for that matter. Both are really great places, and I don't think you could go wrong with either choice.
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Old 07-21-2010, 09:28 PM
 
Location: Columbia, MO
40 posts, read 117,323 times
Reputation: 21
Thanks for that info. It has helped me. I am kinda leaning more towards tulsa because of the tech schools in the area. But I also like the bigger city feel of OKC. It is true that tulsa's downtown isn't that much alive compared to OKC.

What area's of tulsa or OKC would you recommend to live? Something safe and not to expensive on the pocket book. I might but, but I don't want to until I move to the area and get used to it. If anyone can provide more information on both cities that would be great. I am having a hard time trying to decide which city.
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Old 07-22-2010, 01:10 AM
 
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
30,976 posts, read 21,472,899 times
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Visit both cities, if you haven't already, so you can get an up close personal feel for them. You might like the bigger river and more hilliness of Tulsa better.
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Old 07-22-2010, 10:00 AM
 
Location: Columbia, MO
40 posts, read 117,323 times
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I personally have seen both cities, well Tulsa more than OKC because I lived in Joplin, MO for awhile and it was closer. I like both, but it is a hard choice between the two.
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Old 07-22-2010, 10:12 AM
 
Location: Franklin Lakes, NJ
174 posts, read 448,365 times
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Debzkidz gave a great post. There are lots of threads on this forum to begin to get an idea. My two cents worth is this:

If it's the job market driving you then OKC is the right choice. OKC justs has more opportunity and jobs. As stated in Debzkidz post, OKC is undergoing a very positive transformation in its downtown area. It has great suburbs too. Both Norman and Edmund are always listed as good places to live. OKC is near great towns like Guthrie as well.

My personal bias is toward Tulsa. I like the geography better than OKC which in the western half of the city is a bit flat. Tulsa has a more midwestern feel to it. The downtown area is not as vibrant as OKC but I'm more of a suburb guy and I think all of Tulsa's adjacent towns are great places to live and raise a family.

As considered against many parts of our country OK in general has reasonable housing costs. I don't think there is much of a difference between OKC and Tulsa in that respect.

OKC, because of its size, has more of an art scene. On the other hand there will be more than enough to keep you busy in Tulsa if that's your interest. There's always different exhibits and showings all the time. There is a contributor here named, I think, Tulsa Artist who is trying to bring an Art Deco museum to Tulsa.

I like both towns. I would probably make my decision based on education and job opportunities.
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Old 07-22-2010, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Columbia, MO
40 posts, read 117,323 times
Reputation: 21
I know what you mean. I like OKC for the downtown, art and possiable more jobs. But tulsa has like you said a more midwest feel, from what i seen more parks and there are many different schools in tulsa for tech schools. I just need feedback from people who already live there and everything. I am stuck between the two cities.
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Old 07-22-2010, 11:58 AM
 
Location: Edmond, OK
4,030 posts, read 10,710,740 times
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There are several technical schools in OKC as well. Some of them include Mid-Del Technology Center, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Moore Norman Technology Center, Brookline College, Platt College as well as the area community colleges, which offer all kinds of technology courses. I'm sure there are more, but this is all I could think of right now.
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Old 07-22-2010, 06:25 PM
 
Location: Columbia, MO
40 posts, read 117,323 times
Reputation: 21
Thanks for the info debzkidz. I like okc for the city feel and the sports lol. So far I'm leaning towars okc now. Does anyone have and pics of the cities? I have seen some downtown pics before but don't know how recent they were. Like pics of brick town or bok or other suff in the two cities.
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Old 07-22-2010, 06:52 PM
 
Location: Bourbonnais, IL
1,355 posts, read 4,171,478 times
Reputation: 740
Quote:
Originally Posted by timcxt View Post
I know what you mean. I like OKC for the downtown, art and possiable more jobs. But tulsa has like you said a more midwest feel, from what i seen more parks and there are many different schools in tulsa for tech schools. I just need feedback from people who already live there and everything. I am stuck between the two cities.
This isn't meant to encourage or discourage you from moving to OKC or Tulsa either way but I live in OKC and my sister lives in Tulsa. I don't know where someone would get the idea it feels more Midwestern in Tulsa, if anything it feels more like Arkansas to me. But regardless, it is Oklahoma and the people are virtually the same. On a side note, I'm moving transferring to northern Illinois for school soon, not the school, just the area.
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