Here Are The 10 Cheapest Yet Great Places To Live In Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a very budget-friendly state. From raising a family to retirement, the Sooner State has affordable housing and a low cost of living. And although this applies to most of the cities in Oklahoma, there are a few cities that rank exceptionally well. We used data from the site AreaVibes.com to determine the most affordable, yet most “livable” cities in Oklahoma.
AreaVibes reveals the best places to live in Oklahoma by using a Livability Score out of 100. The Livability Score for each city in Oklahoma is calculated from a unique algorithm based on various metrics, including: amenities, cost of living, crime, education, employment, housing and weather. Our list is based off the highest livability score for cities with populations over 5,000, and then from that list we took only those with an A+ score for “best cost of living.”
(NOTE: The city’s overall “Livability” ranking out of Oklahoma’s Top 100 is included next to the name.)
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Located 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City, the city of Norman comes out on top when it comes to affordable living. With all the amenities of Oklahoma City nearby, great schools and affordable living, Norman is a great place to consider living. It is also home to the University of Oklahoma, the state's largest public university.
With a population just over 100,000, Broken Arrow is the largest suburb of Tulsa. Broken Arrow is growing at a rapid pace with new businesses and homes being built every day. The city boasts an impressive score when it comes to cost of living and matched with good education, Broken Arrow is one of the best places for affordable city living.
Blanchard is part of a rapidly growing area of northern McClain and Grady Counties known as the "Tri-City Area" with Newcastle and Tuttle. With a score of 83 in the overall livability rankings, Blanchard joins the list with an A+ ranking for cost of living. Blanchard scored well in all areas and is one of the few cities that received an A for crime, education, and cost of living.
As the 7th largest city in the state of Oklahoma, Moore has a population of 55,265. Although most famous for several devastating tornadoes, Moore is also well-known for affordable living and due to its close proximity to OKC, it also receives an A+ for great amenities.
As the smallest town on this list at just over 5,000 residents, Collinsville is part of the Tulsa, Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is only one of two cities on this list that scored an A+ for crime, along with an A+ for cost of living.
Yet another town in the Tulsa Metropolitan Area to make the list, Owasso has a population of 29,487. In addition to receiving Area Vibe's A+ grade for cost of living, Owasso also scores high for good schools and amenities.
As of 2012, the city population was estimated to be 46,560, making it the tenth largest city in Oklahoma. It is also home to Oklahoma State University, the city's largest employer. Although it ranked low for overall employment and housing, it ranked very well for cost of living and amenities.
Mustang is a growing suburban city in the southeast corner of Canadian County, Oklahoma. It is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population is 17,534 and the city is now primarily known as a bedroom community for Oklahoma City. Coming in 8th on our list, Mustang offers many amenities and cultural opportunities, while also providing good scores for education and crime.
The City of Yukon is a robust, family oriented community of 24,000 residents. They have small town charm with many shopping and dining amenities common to metro areas, giving them a good overall score for amenities, along with their A+ rating for cost of living.
Bartlesville is a diverse city with a rich history in business and the arts, and is located in Northeast Oklahoma, about 50 miles north of Tulsa. Home to about 35,000 people, Bartlesville is a small city with a big heart and big-city amenities as well. Bartlesville's highest scores include amenities, overall cost of living and good schools.
Do you live in any of these cities on this list? If so, what else makes your city great?
Ashley has lived in Oklahoma for 25 years and is the Oklahoma staff writer for onlyinyourstate.com. When she isn't exploring Oklahoma, she enjoys visiting the beaches of California.
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