Oklahoma City literally began with a bang. In April 1889, canons kicked off the first of Oklahoma’s seven Land Runs, allowing about 5,000 settlers to venture in and claim prairie plots alongside the already recognized tribal properties. Although indigenous tribes, including among others the Choctaw and Cherokee, had occupied the area for decades, the land run brought an overwhelming population boom to the burgeoning city. OKC locals today still carry that adventurous spirit — so much so that there’s even a section of the city called the Adventure District, home to several of the city’s 260 parks and a museum honoring the area’s rich native history, inside the Lincoln Park neighborhood. But the state capital is designed for more than outdoorsy thrill-seekers and history buffs, with districts showcasing everything from a vibrant art scene to an increasingly tantalizing and award-winning food scene.
wheeler park
Brickopolis offers Bricktown mini golf on the canal.
Olympic Trials competition is a super cool events for locals.
Scissortail Park’s Skydance Bridge is a stunning piece of architecture in Oklahoma.
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Rapid growth and a competitive market
Oklahoma City is the 20th largest city in the US. It’s also the most populous in the state, and still growing. According to US Census Bureau statistics, OKC’s population grew by nearly 2% between 2020 and 2022, making it the No. 6 fastest-growing city in the country. The wider metro grew a whopping 17% from 2010 to 2023.
According to the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors, the median sale price for single-family homes in OKC proper was $250,000 in 2023, about half of the U.S. average, with the amount of supply also below the national average. The median sale price for the city’s townhouses and condos was closer to $163,000 in 2023. Between 2022 and 2023, the median sale price for single-family homes in the wider metro jumped to $265,000, a more than 3% increase. In general, sellers receive more than 98% of their asking price for homes sold both within the city limits and in surrounding communities.
Cindy Keathly, a Realtor with eXp who has worked with clients in the OKC metro since 2017, says the market here is competitive and that homes tend to sell in less than three months. “What’s interesting about today’s market, though, is that just 20 years ago, the suburbs were the nicer places to live,” she says, adding that while neighborhoods in northwest OKC, such as Lakeaire and Summerfield , are still very highly sought-after for their classic late 20th century suburban vibes, there’s been a shift in focus. “It’s almost a complete reversal. People used to want to move away from the center of the city, but now they’re moving back to the center. There’s a ton of revitalization going on in the middle of the urban core and in the neighborhoods right on the edge of the urban core, like Las Vegas and Milam Place ,” she says.
OKC's largest employer is the state government, followed by Tinker Air Force Base. It is also home to two Fortune 500 energy companies, as well as nationally known brands like Sonic and Hobby Lobby. The city is also a center for the aviation/aerospace, bioscience and logistics industries. The University of Oklahoma Medical Center, which includes the state's top-ranked facility for cancer treatment, has a large campus downtown.
Rotary Park has colorful row homes in the Wheeler District.
The Oklahoma History Center displays historical oil rigs in Capitol View.
Hobby Lobby near Gooch Acres is a chain offering various arts and crafts materials.
Explore various fighter jets at Major Charles B. Hall Airpark near Del City.
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Outdoor adventures in OKC
Currently, 42% of Oklahoma City locals live within a 10-minute walk of a park, and there are plans in the works to increase that percentage. As part of the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) program, the city is working to renovate and expand existing city parks as well as add new ones. MAPS is in the early stages of its fourth iteration, which will include the development of a signature downtown park system and new multi-generational recreation centers. Scissortail Park is part of the unfurling downtown recreation scene, offering everything from outdoor concerts and nightly food trucks to sports courts and gardens. “The park’s trails connect to Scissortail Bridge, which goes over the highway, and if you look toward the park from across the bridge, you can see a huge, neon outline of a scissortail bird. It changes color and is really pretty at night,” says Realtor Jenna Laird, with Verity Real Estate. She says Scissortail Park is one of the best recent additions to the OKC park scene. Part of the plans for future MAPS iterations include building a pedestrian-friendly plaza in Capitol Hill called Calle Dos Cinco, designed to host local events celebrating the area's Hispanic heritage and culture.
There are plenty of options for a more relaxed outdoor recreation experience, too, with five public golf courses and more than 80 miles of motor-free multiuse trails webbed throughout the city. And for a landlocked state, there are quite a few ways for locals to enjoy waterfront activities as well, even beyond the Oklahoma River rapids. OKC’s two man-made lakes, Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser, both offer everything from playgrounds and sports fields to fishing and boating.
In the Boathouse District , on the Oklahoma River just south of downtown, there’s OKC RIVERSPORT. Aside from being the official US Olympic and Paralympic Training Site for rowing, canoeing and kayaking, there’s whitewater rafting, surfing and indoor snow skiing. At 80 feet high, the Sky Trail course is the tallest adventure course of its kind in the world, offering slides, a free-fall drop and a 700-foot zip line across the river. Just a 15-minute drive north, OKC’s Adventure District features the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which celebrated its 100th birthday in 2004. The Adventure District is also home to several of the city’s museums, including the First Americans Museum, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Science Museum Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Railway Museum. There’s also Remington Park, which draws crowds from around the state for horse racing and its 24/7 casino.
A museum and memorial commemorating the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building is downtown, including a field of empty chairs that represent the lives lost.
Enjoy sailing in Lake Hefner, a convenient outdoor activity near Coronado Heights.
Enjoy nature and the greenery of the Myriad Botanical Gardens.
Riverside residents are at the crossroads of urban innovation and outdoor fun.
The Arts District is known for the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
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From everyday errands to arts, entertainment and nightlife
For shopping, there is OKC’s north side. Classen Curve is a popular stretch of retail and dining off Northwest Grand Boulevard between OKC and Nichols Hills. It’s close to one of the city’s two malls, Penn Square. The other, Quail Springs, is farther north, on the border of Edmond. But for boutiques and eats with a more local flair, there are several popular districts. Some, like Stockyards City and Bricktown , have been around almost as long as the city itself. Stockyards sprang up in the early 1900s when the Oklahoma National Stockyards Company opened its public livestock market and Armour opened a large meatpacking plant. The livestock market is still operational today as the largest feeder and stocker cattle market in the world — there are live, public auctions every Monday and Tuesday. But aside from the auctions, Stockyards offers Western-themed retail and dining. The city’s oldest restaurant, Cattleman’s Steakhouse, which has been visited by presidents and movie stars, is in the heart of the district. Bricktown, which overlooks the Oklahoma River east of Stockyards, was originally a warehouse district at the crossroads of four major railroad companies. Today, the industrial-chic urban core neighborhood is home to more than 45 bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Uptown 23rd is a budding dining and entertainment district just north of Bricktown. It’s also home to the Tower Theatre, one of the city’s last remaining original movie houses. The iconic theater still hosts movies, along with live music shows and local events, all of which are advertised on the shining neon marquee above the front doors. The Paseo Arts District, still farther north of Bricktown, also offers a vibrant food scene in the Paseo neighborhood. The tiny two-block district’s Spanish-style stucco and tile-clad buildings house casual cafes and eateries and more than 20 art galleries. OKC’s food scene is garnering national attention; in 2023, the city came in at No. 87 on TasteAtlas’s list of the 100 Best Cities to Try Local Food. And it joined the ranks of WalletHub’s Best Foodie Cities in America at No. 73 that same year.
The Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team plays downtown in the Paycom Center. There are plans to build the tallest building in the US in Oklahoma City — at 1,907 feet, it would be more than twice as high as the Devon Energy Center, the city's current tallest structure.
Stop by Cattleman’s for a steak or their house specialty lamb fries.
Nichols Hills residents can enjoy beautiful sunsets while walking their dogs by Lake Hefner.
Come see the amazing sunset against the OKC skyline in Bricktown.
Bricktown Bike Bar is a unique way of going out on the town in Bricktown.
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Growing like a wagon wheel
The sprawling metropolis sprang up radially, starting with what locals call the “urban core,” or downtown neighborhoods, which are just north of the river. Southside OKC begins south of the river, extending all the way to Moore. Uptown begins a few blocks south of Northeast 23rd Street and goes nearly to Interstate 44, beyond which is Northside. There are several small but independent cities within the larger OKC limits. Just east of Lake Hefner, there’s The Village and Nichols Hills. Bethany lies between Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser on OKC’s west side. Forest Park sits south of the Adventure District, in Eastside.
A ring of satellite cities made up of suburban neighborhoods surrounds OKC proper. From east to west, Midwest City, Del City, Moore, Mustang and Yukon overlook the southern half of Oklahoma City. To the north, there’s Piedmont, Deer Creek and Edmond. These bedroom communities are within easy reach of “the city,” as they refer to OKC, and are known for their highly rated school systems.
According to Pew Research Center, two-thirds of Oklahomans consider themselves highly religious, with a majority identifying as Baptist. Christian denominations are the most common, but OKC maintains a diverse religious community with almost every major faith represented.
Locals enjoy biking near the lighthouse at Lake Hefner, close to Drakestone-Somerset.
Many of Rotary Park’s newer homes are clustered at the east end of the neighborhood.
Paseo is home to the historic Tower Theatre which draws visitors from all over OKC.
On the South end of Paseo is the Uptown District which is teeming with life every weekend.
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Commuting in and around the city
Interstates 35, 40, 44, 235 and 240 crisscross Oklahoma City. Will Rogers World Airport is 12 miles southwest of downtown, a drive that can take just 15 minutes depending on traffic. The civil-military airport offers direct, non-stop flights to nearly 30 major US cities. OKC is home to the state’s largest transit agency, EMBARK, which provides bus and trolley services throughout the city and wider Oklahoma County. EMBARK also offers streetcar service downtown. Active residents can take advantage of the city’s bikeshare service, Spokies, which offers nearly 100 electric and pedal-only bikes for rent. Currently, there are plans for a commuter rail and bus service expansion in the works.
Creston Hills commuters can use public transportation or drive to nearby Downtown.
Will Rogers World Airport is close to Mayfield, making travel easy for residents.
Take the Embark bus from Cleveland UCD to the greater Oklahoma City metro.
Humans are welcome at Uptown 23rd near Cleveland UCD.
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Public school options galore
The Oklahoma City Public Schools District (OKCPS) earns an overall C grade from Niche. OKCPS offers several application-based, public charter schools, which consistently receive higher ratings than other schools in the district. But OKCPS is not the only option for public schools in the city. “There are a lot of different districts serving different parts of OKC,” says Keller Williams Realty Elite’s Jim Miller, a local Realtor who grew up in central Oklahoma City. “Oklahoma City Public Schools itself doesn’t even cover half the city,” he says, referring to Putnam City Public Schools, which serves students on OKC’s northwest side. “There is no ‘Putnam City,’ it’s just the name of the district for this part of Oklahoma City,” Miller says. The district earns a B-minus overall Niche grade.
Between Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser, surrounded by northwest OKC, the city of Bethany also operates an independent public school system. Bethany Public Schools are among the highest-rated in the metro; as a whole, the district earns an A-plus Niche grade. Students living on the southern edge of the city may attend Moore Public Schools, which earns an A-minus from Niche. “Moore schools are very highly sought-after,” says Christy Hawkins, a local Realtor with Keller Williams Green Meadow. “What’s nice is that if you live far enough south, you can go to Moore schools and still have an OKC address,” she says. OKC grade schoolers can also take advantage of the city’s private school options. Three of the best private grade schools in the state, according to Niche, are all located in the city limits: Casady School, Heritage Hall and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School.
The University of Oklahoma, a public research university ranked as the No. 64 best public university by U.S. News & World Report, is in Norman less than 30 minutes south of downtown OKC. The university is represented in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the Big 12 Conference by the Sooners, who play home games at the “Palace on the Prairie” stadium in Norman. The team is one of the most successful in history; they’ve won more than 940 games since 1895. The University of Central Oklahoma, which came in at No. 35 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the West’s top public universities in 2024, is located in Edmond just 30 minutes north of downtown. Students can also pursue an associate degree or a Certificate of Mastery in a range of programs at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), the second-largest community college in the state.
Midwest City children have plenty of school options including Midwest City Elementary.
The success of each student is a priority at Angie Debo Elementary.
Cleveland Bailey Elementary in Midwest City is a highly rated public school in the neighborhood.
James Monroe Elementary welcomes students from the surrounding neighborhoods.
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Above-average, but declining, crime rates
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, OKC’s overall crime rate is higher than both state and national averages, although violent crime rates are on par with the state’s figures. Property crimes decreased significantly from 2019 to 2023, despite an elevated number of catalytic converter thefts and vehicle burglaries in 2022. However, both property and violent crimes were trending up by the end of 2023. The city’s southwest side usually sees the highest crime rates, while neighborhoods on the northwest side see the lowest.
OKC falls within Tornado Alley, meaning residents are sometimes asked to seek shelter from the unpredictable storms. Otherwise, there are four seasons, with hot summers and moderate winters.
I officially became a real estate agent in 2022, but my education in buying and selling homes began much earlier, through all the moves I experienced while in the military. I find great joy in channeling my passion for helping others into guiding families through the significant steps of buying and selling homes. My love for numbers and budgeting, which I honed from my personal experiences, helps my clients make informed financial decisions. As a devoted husband to Anitra for 21 years and a proud father to three daughters, I deeply value family. This personal commitment extends into my professional life, where I ensure each client feels supported in their journey to find the perfect home. Beyond work, my life is enriched by family activities. I enjoy fishing, golfing, and being a supportive presence at my daughters' soccer games and band performances. These moments not only offer relaxation but also reinforce my family-first philosophy. My ability to handle high-pressure situations stems from my 21-year career in the United States Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller. This experience, coupled with being relocated eight times, gives me unique insight into the challenges of moving and settling into new environments. This background empowers me to empathize with clients experiencing similar stresses, making me a relatable and skilled realtor. In every aspect of my life, I combine my military discipline with a heartfelt commitment to my family and clients, making me a uniquely skilled and empathetic real estate agent.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
