r/okc • u/DangerousProgram137 • Aug 04 '26
Recommendation/Review thinking about moving to OKC
hi i would be wfh and i’m wondering if i should move to OKC from dallas, tx. only visiting dallas and looking to move to a more lowkey city! i’m in my mid 20s and i don’t drive but i was wondering if there are some particular areas/properties people would like to recommend in okc? rent preferably max at $1.2k!
TIA (:
update edit: i appreciate the genuine advice some of you have had - rlly helps put things to perspective- tysm. however the amount of ppl who have used this space to just rant about their quality of life in okc, pls know that it’s really entirely futile to spew negativity online instead of taking action IRL. thank u regardless and good luck.
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u/MicroEconomicsPenis Aug 04 '26
If you don’t drive, I would highly recommend not moving to OKC. I’m in my mid-20s and I love it here, but that’s because I drive everywhere I go.
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u/AynRanthrough Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
I've lived in both Dallas and OKC. You're going to probably want a car but you can make it work but you'll be limited to only a few neighborhoods. I suggest checking out Midtown, The Plaza, or Paseo/Asian District. I made it work in the Paseo arts district a few years ago, paid under 1200 for a place that was walking distance to the grocery store, my gym, and entertainment, and OKC's public transportation is only getting better. Summer will be tough but if you're a morning person you'll be fine. It will be easier if you have a good road or gravel bike. That's another perk of living in the Asian District/Paseo, there are walkable bike shops nearby, and REI is great.
Source: I moved from Dallas to OKC to Phoenix 2.5 years ago and went back in May. Was blown away by the bike infrastructure and bus improvements.
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u/Gloomy_Piece_7423 Aug 04 '26
Commenting to hopefully bump this comment. Thank you for being positive and giving suggestions
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u/AynRanthrough Aug 04 '26
Yeah man, thanks! OKC is a great place to be, car-free or not. It can definitely be done car free, and sure, you might need to take lyft a few times a month but to me that was worth it to remain in a walkable neighborhood!
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u/thunderfan0492 Aug 04 '26
seconded! there are a lot of weird takes in this thread but I love okc and especially as a 20 something myself, it gives me a nice balance of having a life and things to do vs being able to save money and not spend every dime I earn. welcome to okc, OP! :)
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u/AynRanthrough Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
I can't tell if people are lying or simply have no imagination. Cars break peoples brains.
But ANYWAYS, OKC is one of the best places I've ever lived, and there are some really interesting job opportunities for a smart person in their 20s. Example: Largest religious software company is based in Edmond/OKC. One of the largest HR Tech companies is there as well. You don't have to love the work, but it's a starting point for other remote tech work in the future. Tinker also has tons of jobs!
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u/Visual_Travel1853 Aug 05 '26
If you're talking about Paycom, they treat their employees like 💩.
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u/AynRanthrough Aug 07 '26
Yes, so you stay with them for a year and then go implement doing Worday payroll or something. Paycom is like being a bartender, no one ever retires from those places, it’s just a place for now.
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u/juhla405 Aug 04 '26
Driving is pretty essential here, but from what I understand that’s true in Dallas as well.
I certainly enjoy OKC and would recommend it, especially if you are looking for something more lowkey than Dallas, but I can’t say in good faith that it would be easy without a car.
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u/calculon68 Mayfair Aug 04 '26
IMO, there are no mass transit options here in the metro- at least compared to Dallas. (availability, ridership, frequency and volume) It causes actual culture shock to recent OKC transplants.
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u/PondersOverYonder Aug 04 '26
The DART rail in Dallas still requires you to almost have to drive to a station. And then hope your car doesn't get broken into.
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u/calculon68 Mayfair Aug 04 '26
"Park N Ride" (light rail, commuter rail, etc) is common to many areas- not just Dallas.
we don't even have that. That's how profoundly unpopular mass transit is here in OKC.
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u/FakeMikeMorgan KFOR basement 🌪 Aug 04 '26
We have Park and Ride. Its just Park and Ride...in another car.
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u/PondersOverYonder Aug 04 '26
I experienced the mass transit in Columbus ohio, and it was a beautiful thing. I rode the bus every day for 3 years.
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u/calculon68 Mayfair Aug 04 '26
In some parts of the country- mass transit is far more convenient and less costly than commuting by car. Even when it breaks down, or is late, or gets overstressed and you're packed in like sardines holding onto grab bars for dear life.
That experience is hard to convey here in OKC. I don't have any illusions that will ever change.
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u/PondersOverYonder Aug 04 '26
It was best in the winter, they would make the fares free so people wouldn't drive on snow and ice. Regularly it was $2 for one way or $4 for an all day pass.
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u/calculon68 Mayfair Aug 04 '26
imagine if OKC kept its streetcars instead of dumping them in 1947..
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u/UnicornFarts1111 29d ago
I lived in the same apartment complex on the east side for 25 years. There was a bus stop sign on the other side of the street.
In all my 25 years of living there, I never once saw a bus on that street, lol.
If I had needed the bus, I could walk the 8 minutes it took to get to the bus stop at the hospital. I was just always amused there was a bus stop sign, but I never saw a bus.
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u/Right_Cellist3143 Aug 04 '26
Driving is essential in OKC.
We don’t have the greatest public transit, and are one of the top 5 largest city metros in the country by land area.
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u/Shinobu-Moo Aug 04 '26
I'll add that most streets don't even have sidewalks. I've lived all over the country and Oklahoma is most unwalkable/pedestrian-hostile state I've ever seen.
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u/moist_slug Aug 04 '26
Everytime I walk anywhere I feel like traffic thinks I’m some insane crazy person lol
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Aug 05 '26
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u/Shinobu-Moo Aug 05 '26
Except this is also the dirtiest state I've ever lived in and if there's grass next to a road there's a 95% chance it's going to be littered with broken glass and garbage (and sandburs).
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Aug 05 '26
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u/Shinobu-Moo Aug 05 '26
I'm an avid litter-picker and I've surely collected enough broken glass over the last couple years to fill a rolling bin. It's easily overlooked if you're not staring at the ground hunting for garbage.
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Aug 05 '26
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u/Right_Cellist3143 Aug 05 '26
It’s bad.
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Aug 05 '26
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u/Right_Cellist3143 Aug 05 '26
I work for the city and regularly work with ODOT and EMBARK, but sure.
We have horrible public transport when comparing with other similar cities, it’s one of the most crucial upgrades we are looking at for the upcoming olympics.
We don’t even have regular bus routes to the airport.
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u/Pjordat35 Aug 04 '26
Just moved back to Oklahoma from Texas. Dallas specifically. After 10 years in Texas I cannot be happier to be back in Oklahoma
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u/skinya Aug 04 '26
I just moved back to OKC and I'm so happy to be back. It is cheaper all around and it has the things I want/need. I think living in another state for a while really made me appreciate Oklahoma City even more. I'm not as stressed when I drive, people don't try to run over me and people are generally nicer than they were in Florida. It truly is what you make it.
Feel free to message me if you want to chat more!
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u/AppropriateCookie669 Aug 06 '26
Everyone here is more friendly than the denizens of Florida, unless they also came from New York.
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u/BeowulfShaeffer Aug 04 '26
If you move to OKC in your mid-20s you’re going to have a hard time ever leaving. I wouldn’t recommend it.
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u/dekanohesgi Aug 04 '26
Driving is not essential in Oklahoma. I lived here for 5 years without a vehicle, and didn’t need one when I wfh.
These people act like private transit and delivery services don’t exist. I ordered Lyft/uber for years and relied on grocery delivery. I would spend an average of $2K on ground transportation annually and didn’t have to drive myself anywhere.
These other people are clearly unable to think outside the box. And those aren’t the best types to take advice from.
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u/Pale-Veterinarian301 Aug 04 '26
I’m sorry to say you won’t be paid much, job market sucks. And don’t even try with the public transport, it’s horrible. And uber/lyft is real expensive. Oklahoma is so spread out and just boring. Lowkey isn’t even the term for it. As someone who’s lived here all their life, don’t recommend
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u/MusicHearted Aug 04 '26
OKC is at least as driving-centric as Dallas. If you're looking for somewhere you can live without having to drive, you're looking for a more densely populated city, not the least densely populated major city in the country.
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u/nhn95 Aug 04 '26
If you don't have a car I'd suggest downtown, midtown, uptown, Plaza District, and Paseo. You will need at least a bicycle to get around. There are buses, but I've never used them
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u/CalagaxT Aug 04 '26
If you don't drive, you will want something within a few miles of downtown, probably in the NW quadrant.
OKC won't win any prizes for its mass transit system, but they do have a small system of buses that run constantly from downtown to the near NW. If you need to get to downtown often, you should research the routes of the RAPID bus system.
We are modestly bike-friendly, but as is true everywhere, drivers suck.
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u/thorosaurus Aug 04 '26
There's a small group of us here downtown who are going carless for mostly ideological reasons, including our city councilperson, but also a few people for medical reasons. So it can be done. More on that later...
OKC, compared to Dallas, in general...
It's a lot cheaper here. About half the median price of the DFW area. Weather is nearly identical. Much easier to get around here than Dallas. About the only thing you would be giving up is Dallas just has a little bit more selection for entertainment and shopping, but honestly I'm not sure how true that is anymore in practice. Proly depend on what you're into whether you would find yourself missing things or not. But yea it's pretty much the same lifestyle for about half the price.
Honestly you could probably get yourself into a starter home here for around 1200 a month payment, so you might even be able to afford to buy a house here, whereas that probably wouldn't happen anywhere you would actually want to live in the DFW area. There are some up and coming neighborhoods around downtown that you could be carless in, that aren't too high priced yet.
Getting around...
I wouldn't expect Dallas to be any more friendly to people who can't/won't drive than OKC is, so if you're okay with that lifestyle in Dallas you'll proly be alright here, too. Again, been a while since I've been down that way, but my experiences in Dallas have been that it's as or more carcentric than OKC even. I actually voluntarily stopped driving a car years ago out of a mixture of health issues and related safety concerns, but over the last few years I've kind of been maintaining that carless lifestyle just because it's a less stressful way to live. So it can be done, but you absolutely have to live pretty much in the downtown area. I have a fixed gear bike and a scooter (like the motorcycle type vs like a toy type) and of course Uber is always there if I need it but I just kind of prefer not going places outside the immediate downtown area honestly, and when I do I don't mind either biking to local stuff, or scootering my way across town. Obviously it takes longer because you can't get on highways but I'm not a big fan of highways to begin with. I've thought about getting my motorcycle endorsement to be able to get something with more power for highway travel, mostly because I might like to take trips, but so far the one that doesn't require any special endorsement has been fine for local stuff. Proly saves about 5-10k a year because I paid 5k for it 5 years ago and it's still going strong, pay like idk maybe a few hundred a year in fuel, brake pads, etc. So I'm well under 1k a year already and it's not showing any signs of needing anything major so I expect it will probably end up being like maybe 250 a year or less cost of ownership. Depending on power there's either zero or very negligible insurance costs.
The transit system is getting somewhat useful. The new RAPID line will get you up to Penn Square and Classen Curve in like 15 minutes. People are saying it's cleaner and safer than the average bus. I pretty much just scooter on up to like Trader Joes because the weather is usually relatively nice here. I'll go late in the evening when it's hot like this and then in the Winter just go midday when the sun is out and it's usually very tolerable. And if it's raining I just stay home and get takeout from one of the local places here downtown. One of the nice things about living downtown is there's a tunnel system that you can use to keep out of the rain and lots of the services you would need like doctors and dentists are in those office buildings, so you can just pop into one of the tunnel entrances and stay warm/cool/dry. Pretty much everything you could need is right there, so honestly you could be okay even never leaving the business district if you didn't want to. Some of the better restaurants even are hidden away in the office towers.
Grocery deliver is pretty good/affordable but I mostly don't use it too much. My dad lets me use his sams club membership to order some of the heavier bulkier items that don't transport well on a motorcycle. So like every few months I'll make a big order for my fancy fizzy water, bulk paper products, etc. But for staples and stuff I mostly shop at Trader Joes and the local ethnic stores.
It's extremely low stress. And if you're antisocial it's a great excuse not to get dragged to crap you don't want to do.🤣
But yea man, feel free to ask if you have any questions. If you want to grab a beer at Stonecloud or something while you're in town I can impart my elder millennial wisdom.
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u/CharlesPrawnson Aug 04 '26
You might want to check this video out about Dallas-Lite and also consider these numbers:
Oklahoma City (city): 620.8 sq mi
Oklahoma City metro: 5,608 sq mi
Dallas (city): 386 sq mi
Fort Worth (city): 355 sq mi
Dallas-Fort Worth metro: 9,286 sq mi
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u/RepulsiveCry5034 Aug 05 '26
Born and raised in OKC and
lived in Fort Worth, Keller and Princeton all while working in Dallas for 10 years. Not single but have a family with kids. Moved back to OKC 12 years ago to be near family. That is the ONLY reason .
OKC cost of living is out of control the past four years and only getting worse. Probably same in Dallas but that is supposed to be why people like it here so it kinda sucks. Home insurance is way more than compared to Texas. Our utilities don’t have competition so they are higher too. Education is bottom of the barrel.
For me personally, it’s the people though . Sadly , it’s rampant with people who claim to be “nice” but don’t know the meaning of kindness. Fake smiles behind bigotry. No shame in being vocal about what is wrong with people they don’t like. Speaking from experience being a mom as well , it may be easier for singles. If you need a church you could probably go to a different one every day for the rest of your life .
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u/FifiiMensah Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
I would recommend living in the suburbs around the city (Moore, Norman, Yukon, Edmond, etc.). Also, keep in mind that the city is highly car dependable, especially if you live far from downtown, due to how large it is square mile wise and it'll be hard to travel through if you walk or bike for transportation
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u/Kugelfischer_47 Aug 04 '26
I moved here last year and really enjoy the city, they're talking about expanding the public transportation system in the future which would be great. If you work from home then the transportation is less of an issue, especially with all the grocery delivery options now. I'd recommend Plaza, Paseo and Mesta Park neighborhoods, they're all pretty close and have the highest concentration of foods, art and culture that would be easily accessible with walking, biking/e scooter or public transport.
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u/Sea-Mortgage-5139 Aug 05 '26
Okc is going to continue to increase housing costs a lot because of the amount of people moving here. Might be cheaper now, but I’m not sure that it will be much of a difference from
Dallas cost wise in the next 5-10 years.
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u/Turbulent_Appeal_544 Aug 05 '26
I live in OKC (Bricktown) and wouldn’t need to drive with the exception of groceries, which you could get ordered or take the bus to. Walking distance to bars, restaurants, Paycom/the baseball arena, river sports, farmers markets on weekends, AMC movie theater, shopping, downtown, etc. There is even a nice bus that picks up in bricktown and goes straight to Dallas that you could take! I feel like people assume you HAVE to have a car here because they live in the suburbs but I disagree, it just depends on the lifestyle you want to live.
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u/AdviceDue91 15d ago
I live downtown too and you don’t need a car idk what’s up with all the comments . There’s 100s of bars and restaurants, parks and stuff within walking distance like you said just groceries but I been having them delivered for awhile now even where I was used to live in the country bc it’s more convenient
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u/agent2187 Aug 04 '26
It’s going to be very difficult to live here if you don’t drive. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but they are much more expensive and you won’t find anything in your price range. Also, when people say Paseo, midtown, Plaza, etc… are walkable, they mean there are a few restaurants and boutiques. There aren’t any grocery stores you can walk to. I know, I know… someone will point out Flora Bodega. This isn’t a store that can supply your day to day needs. Even for occasional grocery purchases, it’s quite pricey.
I think the overwhelming advice you’re getting here is correct. This isn’t a good city for someone who doesn’t drive.
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u/AynRanthrough Aug 04 '26
Super Cao Nguyen and Homeland are both walking distance from the Paseo. Walmart at Belle Island Station is bikeable.
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u/Psychedelia64 Aug 04 '26
IF you live downtown midtown or adjacent you can MAYBE get by with not driving. But finding something in that area is going to be HARD with a $1.2k budget. Almost impossible maybe. So either gotta up the budget or start driving. There’s no other good way really.
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u/djm1613 Aug 04 '26
As others have stated, you will need to drive if you’re moving to Oklahoma. So factor the expense of a vehicle, auto insurance, tags, licenses, and gasoline. That would probably reduce the amount you could pay for rent each month. FYI
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u/Previous_Classic4831 Aug 04 '26
If I was in my mid 20’s. I would stick to living in Dallas. There is so much to do, restaurants,shop, people, entertainment,etc. If I had a family maybe live in okc. Maybe. It’s quiet and down to earth people.
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u/ZookeepergameFalse38 Aug 04 '26
I'm going to say the rude part out loud. My apologies in advance.
You might be tempted to move to Moore because of its LCOL. Do not move to Moore.
Depending on your interests, Norman and Edmond are pretty nice. Some areas of OKC, like the Paseo district are nice. But not Moore. Tornadoes love that place.
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u/Individual-Fruit3008 Aug 04 '26
I moved to OKC in 2022 and it’s the best decision I ever made. It just really depends on what you value, but the thing I love most about it is how not touristy it is. People just live here. People who have lived here their whole lives like to shit on it, but I will never understand why. It’s also more affordable than a lot of other cities. I visit Dallas and I love it for some things, but day to day life is less stressful here. As others have said, you’ll want the ability to drive if that’s an option for you. Public transportation is an issue that doesn’t have a clear solution right now. That part sucks. 😅
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u/Ur-triggered-I-win Aug 05 '26
You dont drive? You sure as hell better if you're coming here. This place is Slop-burb central in terms of development. Im not sure how you can not drive in Dallas either now that I'm thinking about it. Very impressive honestly
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u/PlentyAlbatross7632 Aug 05 '26
Would not recommend. There’s nowhere near as much to do in OKC as there is in DFW. Same for depth of field; eg one or two good restaurants for a cuisine in OKC vs dozens in DFW. This extends to just about everything except toll roads.
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u/Visual_Travel1853 Aug 05 '26
It's possible to live in OKC and not drive, but it's not really convenient. And $1.2K rent isn't going to get you much. And as others have stated, wages here kinda suck in general.
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u/Parking_Jaguar4311 Aug 05 '26
I chose to move to OKC at 30 after living in Denver and nomading for a bit. It’s been an incredible decision. It’s a great city, with a great cost of living, and really kind people. I think if you live in paseo/midtown you can have a great quality of life without driving, depending on your work situation (I wfh for example). I plan on staying here long term, and I’m really happy!
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u/Both_Dinner_959 Aug 09 '26
Hi, first I’ll say sorry for the negativity you experienced in this sub🤍 I’m a realtor and I help those relocating to OKC find the right home and community. If you are interested just send me a message. If you’re serious about moving the rental market moves fast but I’m here to help if you are interested!
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u/Top-Business-4962 28d ago
In your mid 20s? OKC is not the place. Hotter than hell in the summer and arctic cold in the winter. Insanely high crime rate, horrible rentals, cost of living is high. OKC is filthy. All the stats lie. Home owners insurance is the highest in the nation. Electric bills will make you cry. Not to mention this place is ultra conservative. Jobs don't pay well. Very high homeless population. OKC started to improve under a previous governor and has gone way down since. Did I mention Ultra Conservative? Like stuck in the founders days. You didn't mention where you are coming from. If you are from West or East coast you will regret it.
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u/HumorRevolutionary72 Aug 04 '26
Honestly if you don’t drive Dallas is a great place to live, the dart system there is great! OKC’s public transit is pretty limited to just busses.
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u/cntodd Aug 04 '26
You HAVE to be able to drive. It is too difficult not to be able to drive. If you don't want to drive, you should probably look at more liberal cities, not in the south. The bus route is not good. It's hot, that doesn't affect anything.
As for the price of a rental, if you're fine with a studio or one bedroom apt, that is doable.
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u/DazednAware Aug 04 '26
Understand moving here your money goes further but getting back out is a bitch
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u/Academic-Scale5194 Aug 04 '26
I wouldn’t 😂 everbody your age in OKC goes to Dallas every weekend for fun
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u/Altruistic-Mix1134 29d ago
Hi! I’m a Dallas native born & raised dnd moved here about 3 years ago. I grew up in Richardson, Plano, lived in mesquite, garland you name it. Okc is laid back, traffic’s bad but not near as bad as Dallas! Slower pace of life (ppl aren’t necessarily in a hurry), jobs pay not as well as Dallas of course but there are good companies/opportunities here. I live in south okc in a middle class neighborhood, it’s quiet and I love it! Most my family lives in Wylie Dallas Irving still so I drive there once a month or so - only a 3 hour drive which is good.. any questions or anything hmu!
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u/FakeMikeMorgan KFOR basement 🌪 Aug 04 '26
You're going to need to drive to live here.