Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is also the county seat of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The city's name is often abbreviated as Okla City or Will Rogers World Airport's IATA code, OKC. Non-Oklahomans often refer to Oklahoma City as 'Oak City', but locals never use this name. The local socialites have affectionately named it "Action City". Residents of the outlying suburbs often call it simply "The City". Oklahoma City was founded during one of the largest land runs in the nation on April 22, 1889.
Oklahoma City is a large, diverse, and growing metropolitan area; it is the civic, business, entertainment, and commercial center of the state. It is one of the largest cities in the Great Plains of the United States, and it is the largest city in population of the 5 "plains states" (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) in addition to four of the six neighbouring states to Oklahoma (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico).
Oklahoma City is the 29th-largest city in the nation, according to a 2004 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The city's population on July 1, 2004 totaled 528,042, with more than 1.3 million residents in the metropolitan area.
Oklahoma City was the site of the Oklahoma City Bombing on the Alfred P. Murrah building in 1995, the largest act of terrorism on American soil prior to the September 11th attacks and the most destructive act of domestic terrorism in American history.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,608.8 km2 (621.2 mi2). 1,572.1 km2 (607.0 mi2) of it is land and 36.7 km2 (14.2 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 2.28% water.
Oklahoma City is the third largest city in the country in terms of geographic area, although its urbanized zone is 244 mi2 - resulting in an urban population density more comparable to that found in other major cities.
Oklahoma City is the second largest city in the nation still in compliance with the Clean Air Act (after Jacksonville, Florida).
As of the census of 2000, there were 506,132 people, 204,434 households, and 129,406 families residing in the city. The population density was 321.9/km2 (833.8/mi2) for the entire city but was more than 2600/mi2 in the urbanized areas. There were 228,149 housing units at an average density of 145.1/km2 (375.9/mi2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.41% White, 18.37% Black or African American, 3.51% Native American, 3.48% Asian American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5.28% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. 16.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 204,434 households, 30.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,947, and the median income for a family was $42,689. These figures are among the lowest in the nation for a city of this size, but the cost of living is considerably below the national average. Males had a median income of $31,589 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,098. 16.0% of the population and 12.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.0% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Oklahoma City has the nation's second lowest cost of living among major U.S. cities, about 25 percent below the national average. Unrestrained by natural boundaries such as mountains or oceans, Oklahoma City annexed huge swaths of land in the 1960s, leading to an abundance of housing and cheap land. While sprawl has stretched the infrastructure of the city government and, some have complained, diluted the character of the city, the average commute from the far flung outskirts of the city is quick and mostly gridlock-free because of the city's interstate system (Mayor Mick Cornett remarked in 2005's "State of the City" address that Oklahoma City was one of the few major cities in the nation where "police look for speeders at rush hour"). One exception being the "I-40 Crosstown Expressway", an elevated bridge which crosses the city just south of downtown heading east to west.
The Crosstown Expressway is slated to be relocated to the south of its present location in the near future. ODOT states that the project should be complete by 2006, but many dismiss this as unrealistic, as the project is still in its planning stages as of August 2005, and actual construction has not begun.
Edmond, an affluent northern suburb, was rated as Relocate America's 3rd best city in America, and is "the best small town in America" according to Universal Publications of New York. It must be noted, however, that the city of 80,000+ residents is by no means a 'small town'.
Main article: History of Oklahoma City
Source:
OklahomaCityOklahoma.com
HOTELS • REAL ESTATE • JOBS