If you’re looking for a city that isn’t too big or too small, Oklahoma has many to choose from. They all offer big city amenities but still have small town charm. We found 10 cities in the Sooner State with populations around 50,000 or less that have so much to offer. AreaVibes.com gives a livability score to cities across the country based on a point scale out of 100. The score is based on factors such as: amenities, cost of living, crime, education, employment, housing and weather.
Let’s take a closer look at these cities that are the perfect size, along with their score from AreaVibes.com.
- Owasso
Frank Boston/Flickr Owasso is a growing town that is a short drive from downtown Tulsa. It received a livability score of 83 due to its low crime, choices of amenities, low cost of living and high graduation rates. The city has lots of new building underway and is quickly growing.
- Enid
blueathena7/Flickr Enid has a population right at 50,000 residents and is the “Wheat Capital” of Oklahoma. It has the third largest grain storage capacity in the world. It is within close proximity to the largest city in the state, Oklahoma City. AreaVibes.com gives Enid a livability score of 76 due to its low cost of living, local amenities and high graduation rates.
- Stillwater
Jimmy Emerson DVM/Flickr With a population similar to Enid (46, 500), Stillwater is a popular college town home to Oklahoma State Univeristy. It has a great variety of amenities and was voted “Top 10 Places To Live” in 2010, by CNN Money Magazine. It is located 60 miles from Oklahoma City and received a livability score of 81 from AreaVibes.com.
- Shawnee
Brad Holt/Flickr Shawnee is about a 45-minute drive to Oklahoma City and has a population of 29,857. Downtown Shawnee is a quaint Main Street full of history and charm. The city received a livability score of 75 from AreaVibes.com.
- Bartlesville
Granger Meador/Flickr Bartlesville is another city close to Tulsa (about 45 minutes) that is full of big city amenities. The city is full of arts and history and with a population of 36,000, it is just the right size. It received a livability score of 81 from AreaVibes.com.
- Yukon
velo_city/Flickr As part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area, Yukon is just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the largest city in the state. The city’s population is 22, 709 and received a livability score of 83 - due in part to its surplus of local amenities.
- Muskogee
downtownmuskogee.com Muskogee serves as an economic center for eastern Oklahoma due to its Port of Muskogee and Arkansas River. The city has a population of 39,233 and is only a 45-minute drive from the 2nd largest city in the state, Tulsa. AreaVibes.com gave Muskogee a livability score of 75.
- Del City
cityofdelcity.com As a popular alternative to Oklahoma City living, Del City is a great choice for those working at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City or Midwest City. It is full of big city amenities, yet feels small enough to get to know your neighbor. AreaVibes.com gave Del City a livability score of 74. It ranked well in amenities and cost of living, but low in crime.
- Bixby
www.bixbyok.gov Bixby is just a few minutes from Tulsa, and offers more of a small community feel than its neighboring city. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the state, with a population just at 21,000. Bixby residents still get to enjoy all the amenities of Tulsa, but with a low crime rate and A rating in education - which merits its livability score of 82 from AreaVibes.com.
- Ardmore
Jimmy Emerson DVM/Flickr Centrally located between Oklahoma City and Dallas (90 miles), Ardmore is a hub for south-central Oklahoma. Nicknamed as “Arbuckle Country,” Ardmore’s population is close to 25,000 residents. The city received a livability score of 75 from AreaVibes.com. It ranked high for amenities but received a low score for crime.
What do you think is the perfect size city?
Frank Boston/Flickr
Owasso is a growing town that is a short drive from downtown Tulsa. It received a livability score of 83 due to its low crime, choices of amenities, low cost of living and high graduation rates. The city has lots of new building underway and is quickly growing.
blueathena7/Flickr
Enid has a population right at 50,000 residents and is the “Wheat Capital” of Oklahoma. It has the third largest grain storage capacity in the world. It is within close proximity to the largest city in the state, Oklahoma City. AreaVibes.com gives Enid a livability score of 76 due to its low cost of living, local amenities and high graduation rates.
Jimmy Emerson DVM/Flickr
With a population similar to Enid (46, 500), Stillwater is a popular college town home to Oklahoma State Univeristy. It has a great variety of amenities and was voted “Top 10 Places To Live” in 2010, by CNN Money Magazine. It is located 60 miles from Oklahoma City and received a livability score of 81 from AreaVibes.com.
Brad Holt/Flickr
Shawnee is about a 45-minute drive to Oklahoma City and has a population of 29,857. Downtown Shawnee is a quaint Main Street full of history and charm. The city received a livability score of 75 from AreaVibes.com.
Granger Meador/Flickr
Bartlesville is another city close to Tulsa (about 45 minutes) that is full of big city amenities. The city is full of arts and history and with a population of 36,000, it is just the right size. It received a livability score of 81 from AreaVibes.com.
velo_city/Flickr
As part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area, Yukon is just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the largest city in the state. The city’s population is 22, 709 and received a livability score of 83 - due in part to its surplus of local amenities.
downtownmuskogee.com
Muskogee serves as an economic center for eastern Oklahoma due to its Port of Muskogee and Arkansas River. The city has a population of 39,233 and is only a 45-minute drive from the 2nd largest city in the state, Tulsa. AreaVibes.com gave Muskogee a livability score of 75.
cityofdelcity.com
As a popular alternative to Oklahoma City living, Del City is a great choice for those working at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City or Midwest City. It is full of big city amenities, yet feels small enough to get to know your neighbor. AreaVibes.com gave Del City a livability score of 74. It ranked well in amenities and cost of living, but low in crime.
Bixby is just a few minutes from Tulsa, and offers more of a small community feel than its neighboring city. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the state, with a population just at 21,000. Bixby residents still get to enjoy all the amenities of Tulsa, but with a low crime rate and A rating in education - which merits its livability score of 82 from AreaVibes.com.
Centrally located between Oklahoma City and Dallas (90 miles), Ardmore is a hub for south-central Oklahoma. Nicknamed as “Arbuckle Country,” Ardmore’s population is close to 25,000 residents. The city received a livability score of 75 from AreaVibes.com. It ranked high for amenities but received a low score for crime.
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