Appreciate this piece. I recently relocated to Oklahoma City, and it feels like the embodiment of the inland promise you’re pointing to — affordable, forward-looking, and proud of its identity.
What drew me here was the job opportunity and low cost of living but got a whole lot more. Last year, under the stewardship of a terrific mayor (who was recently installed as the President of the United States Conference of Mayors), OKC locked in a 30-year commitment with the Thunder and is building a new downtown arena. It’s a city that knows staying competitive isn’t automatic — it takes vision and investment. That spirit is visible across downtown: cranes in the air, new projects everywhere, and a tone of optimism that feels earned.
The economic base here runs deep — oil, gas, livestock, aerospace — but what’s exciting is how OKC has layered in modern industries without losing its character. From federal jobs in aviation and defense to healthcare, fintech, and a strong startup ecosystem, the city has created a diversified economy that’s still accessible to regular families, which leads to the housing market. Today, Newsweek noted OKC tops the list of fastest selling homes. It’s active, but not overheated. Homes move fast because they’re realistically priced. You can still find well-built homes under $300K, and neighborhoods where young families are putting down roots. That’s a stark contrast to coastal markets where affordability is more myth than math.
What people often miss about cities like OKC is how much infrastructure is already in place — schools, highways, utilities — with room to grow. Through initiatives like MAPS, the city is reinvesting in itself with a focus on inclusive development: parks, mental health services, transit, affordable housing, and civic spaces. It’s a form of “civic recycling,” and it’s working.
So yes — I think you’re right to say the future for young families, creatives, and builders lies inland. OKC is proving that you don’t have to compromise on culture (we host several of the country’s top restaurants and top chefs and top the list for public art. We don’t have to compromise on opportunity, or lifestyle to own a home and build equity. I enjoyed Virginia. I miss the drive on GW Parkway or down 81 toward Tennessee. Oklahoma is where I landed and I got a whole lot more than I dreamed of.
Sometimes the smartest move isn’t up or out — it’s over. Inland, where there’s space to grow, and a city waiting to grow with you.
Thanks Nader. I have traveled extensively in the US and have a grasp of a lot of places but never spent time in OKC. It sounds great, and I’m glad you’ve found home.
I heartily concur. Specifically for having spent a large part of my childhood in the greater Pittsburgh are and found it to be a wonderful place to be a child, but generally as one who grew up in D.C. metro area and lived in San Diego, and found my spot In Birmingham, AL over 30 years ago. Visiting D.C. and San Diego more recently caused me to give thanks that I had the choice to not try to raise my family there. Say what you will about these inland urban centers and the American South, but there is something to be said for the hometown feel these places provide.
Hey Brad —
Appreciate this piece. I recently relocated to Oklahoma City, and it feels like the embodiment of the inland promise you’re pointing to — affordable, forward-looking, and proud of its identity.
What drew me here was the job opportunity and low cost of living but got a whole lot more. Last year, under the stewardship of a terrific mayor (who was recently installed as the President of the United States Conference of Mayors), OKC locked in a 30-year commitment with the Thunder and is building a new downtown arena. It’s a city that knows staying competitive isn’t automatic — it takes vision and investment. That spirit is visible across downtown: cranes in the air, new projects everywhere, and a tone of optimism that feels earned.
The economic base here runs deep — oil, gas, livestock, aerospace — but what’s exciting is how OKC has layered in modern industries without losing its character. From federal jobs in aviation and defense to healthcare, fintech, and a strong startup ecosystem, the city has created a diversified economy that’s still accessible to regular families, which leads to the housing market. Today, Newsweek noted OKC tops the list of fastest selling homes. It’s active, but not overheated. Homes move fast because they’re realistically priced. You can still find well-built homes under $300K, and neighborhoods where young families are putting down roots. That’s a stark contrast to coastal markets where affordability is more myth than math.
What people often miss about cities like OKC is how much infrastructure is already in place — schools, highways, utilities — with room to grow. Through initiatives like MAPS, the city is reinvesting in itself with a focus on inclusive development: parks, mental health services, transit, affordable housing, and civic spaces. It’s a form of “civic recycling,” and it’s working.
So yes — I think you’re right to say the future for young families, creatives, and builders lies inland. OKC is proving that you don’t have to compromise on culture (we host several of the country’s top restaurants and top chefs and top the list for public art. We don’t have to compromise on opportunity, or lifestyle to own a home and build equity. I enjoyed Virginia. I miss the drive on GW Parkway or down 81 toward Tennessee. Oklahoma is where I landed and I got a whole lot more than I dreamed of.
Sometimes the smartest move isn’t up or out — it’s over. Inland, where there’s space to grow, and a city waiting to grow with you.
Thanks for the great read.
Thanks Nader. I have traveled extensively in the US and have a grasp of a lot of places but never spent time in OKC. It sounds great, and I’m glad you’ve found home.
I heartily concur. Specifically for having spent a large part of my childhood in the greater Pittsburgh are and found it to be a wonderful place to be a child, but generally as one who grew up in D.C. metro area and lived in San Diego, and found my spot In Birmingham, AL over 30 years ago. Visiting D.C. and San Diego more recently caused me to give thanks that I had the choice to not try to raise my family there. Say what you will about these inland urban centers and the American South, but there is something to be said for the hometown feel these places provide.
For sure. I have raised kids in DC but worry it is too rootless.
I do like how my kids graduated from HS with the same kids they went to preschool with! Miss the excitement and the energy of DC, but BHM will do!