The Future Of The Oklahoma City Metro

[chssooner]

As long as Oklahoma keeps its state income tax and gasoline is highly priced, I don't see much growth spreading north of the Red River from Texas. Why live in Ardmore or Durant when you can live in Gainesville, be closer to DFW, while not being forced to pay state income tax? It's great, though, that Ardmore and especially Durant are exceptions to the rule and are growing, rather than declining.

I don't see a source of more water being a problem in OKC's or Edmond's future as long as either are welling to extend the Kaw water pipeline from Stillwater. Kaw Lake has remained at or near normal levels even during times of drought.

It's pretty unfortunate for sure when even many Oklahoma towns along the 3 biggest interstates aren't able to grow.

I don't get this argument. It is circular. Property taxes are IGNORANT in Texas, and even if you don't own a house, who do think pays those taxes for landlords? Renters. So you pay it either way. There are other reasons to live in Texas, but this is not one of them, and I wish people would realize that.

But from this thread, it is nice knowing people think OKC will decline or stay the same over the next 50 years. Given how much OKC has changed for the better over 25 years, it is rational to assume it will decline over the next 50. I totally get that logic. /s

[oklip955]

Lets talk apples to apples on growth. I think DFW with continue its huge growth. Now lets look west. The west is drying out. Water will be come more and more of an issue that may limit growth. Looks at the taxes in Calif and tell me if we dont have overall a lower tax rate. Sure Az might be better on tax then Calif but where is the water going to come from for continued growth? Same for Nv. Utah. New Mexico. Keep going east and you get into Oklahoma and Colorado. Not sure of the overall water issues in Colorado. Now with the major interstates i can see Oklahoma ie Okc, Tulsa and I 35 south to the Red River growing. I do think the metro areas of this state have some opportunity to grow water resources without depleting ground water. I am not an expert but seeing the issues in the west and the growing fight over water, I can see more movement to the east including Oklahoma.

[oklip955]

Another thing as the west dries out, range cattle will require more acres per head to graze. As more areas of the world dry out and populations continue to increase and then include political instability then the need to produce more food becomes an issue. Oklahoma is not the best farm land compared to other areas of the country, but can it produce food. Sure. Small farms are dying as the older folks die off and the younger ones more to the cities. Are they even economically viable?? Again not the expert. I dont have the numbers but the trend has been going down at least in Oklahoma for decades. Maybe what we will see is more large corporate ag operations. Still, the land can still graze cattle, dry land crops of grain and maybe some truck farms. Bottom line I do see continued growth for the metro areas and Stillwater along with Lawton. Other cities I see dropping in population. My 3 cents (inflation)

[Dob Hooligan]

Small town America is dying. Oklahoma is no better or worse. The growth of OKC is not at risk because of much more worser small town and family farm shrinkification in Oklahoma, as compared to Texas, or Indiana.

The family farm is a small business that is dying off for most of the same reasons as the corner gas station/garage, drug store, or auto body shop, etc. are in the city. Long hours, hard labor and huge competitors crushing them on price.

International farm, poultry, pork and cattle businesses are growing in Oklahoma. Our access to water is as good as anywhere else in America. State leadership would rather let it run into the Red River (making it too salty to use) than sell it to Texas,

The tax burden and overall cost of living in Oklahoma (and OKC) are as low as anywhere in the country.

OKC is going to be fine and grow quite well in the future.

The first person on earth that turned 40 said "The end of the World is nigh". Everyone else just agrees when they turn 40.

[Just the facts]

I don't get this argument. It is circular. Property taxes are IGNORANT in Texas, and even if you don't own a house, who do think pays those taxes for landlords? Renters. So you pay it either way. There are other reasons to live in Texas, but this is not one of them, and I wish people would realize that. /s

The difference is that people like me want to maximize our income, but not maximize our living expenses. I can control the amount of property taxes I'm willing to pay by adjusting the size of my home/apartment, location, etc...

[Bunty]

Small town America is dying. Oklahoma is no better or worse. The growth of OKC is not at risk because of much more worser small town and family farm shrinkification in Oklahoma, as compared to Texas, or Indiana.

The family farm is a small business that is dying off for most of the same reasons as the corner gas station/garage, drug store, or auto body shop, etc. are in the city. Long hours, hard labor and huge competitors crushing them on price.

International farm, poultry, pork and cattle businesses are growing in Oklahoma. Our access to water is as good as anywhere else in America. State leadership would rather let it run into the Red River (making it too salty to use) than sell it to Texas,

The tax burden and overall cost of living in Oklahoma (and OKC) are as low as anywhere in the country.

OKC is going to be fine and grow quite well in the future.

The first person on earth that turned 40 said "The end of the World is nigh". Everyone else just agrees when they turn 40.

On the bright side, at least the 100 biggest towns and cities in Oklahoma, ending at Muldrow, pop. 3215, have not been doing bad as a whole. Only 35 have had a drop in population since 2020. On the other hand, it's true that most Oklahoma towns under pop. 2,500 have been losing in population. Probably people moving out of those very small towns are doing the top 100 that are growing some good when it's not OKC or Tulsa.

I think the rise of gas-powered mechanized agriculture began the gradual fall of family farms, beginning clear back to the 19 teens. Back then it must have been when cars and trucks became more numerous on Main Streets than horses with buggies. It was when some counties in northwest Oklahoma peaked in population only to go downhill ever since. Of course, later on the coming of the Great Depression didn't help.

Yes, I think OKC is going to be fine and grow quite well in the future. It will help if state legislators finally find a way to eliminate sales tax on food. But my bigger concern is wondering if the rest of the world will cooperate in peace, harmony and prosperity.

[warreng88]

I remember in college driving to Norman to visit friends or go to an OU game and it felt like there was no development from 240 to the north part of Norman, around Robinson, save for a few motels and small restaurants. That was over 20 years ago and it is pretty seamless where you don't exactly know where one city ends and the other begins. With the amount of growth we have north, I would guess in the next 10-20 years, we could see that same time of infill development from north Edmond to Guthrie on I-35. Really, it is only seven miles from Waterloo to the Guthrie exit and a lot of those take up a half mile north/south

[Bunty]

I would hate still small-town Guthrie to become suburban sprawl like Edmond. The only major advantage to it would be that people from Stillwater and Enid would have a shorter drive to take advantage of the new big box chain stores, such as Target and Home Depot for starters. After all, Enid and Stillwater may never be able to grow enough in population to have such stores. In other words, 10 to 20 years from now Guthrie may be more likely to have a Target and Home Depot than Enid or Stillwater.

[Teo9969]

I would hate still small-town Guthrie to become suburban sprawl like Edmond. The only major advantage to it would be that people from Stillwater and Enid would have a shorter drive to take advantage of the new big box chain stores, such as Target and Home Depot for starters. After all, Enid and Stillwater may never be able to grow enough in population to have such stores. In other words, 10 to 20 years from now Guthrie may be more likely to have a Target and Home Depot than Enid or Stillwater.

Guthrie might only be 30 years out from being pretty well integrated into North Edmond

[warreng88]

I would hate still small-town Guthrie to become suburban sprawl like Edmond. The only major advantage to it would be that people from Stillwater and Enid would have a shorter drive to take advantage of the new big box chain stores, such as Target and Home Depot for starters. After all, Enid and Stillwater may never be able to grow enough in population to have such stores. In other words, 10 to 20 years from now Guthrie may be more likely to have a Target and Home Depot than Enid or Stillwater.

To be clear, I am talking more about along I-35 and not really into Guthrie when the highway splits. Again, all seeing into the future, nothing more than that. Although, if I could find 40 acres along 35 frontage for a decent price Charter Oak or further north, it wouldn't be a bad long term hold.

[Bellaboo]

My wife has an interest (owns a fourth of it) in 13 acres that fronts I-35 just south of Guthrie. They've been offered $450,000.00 for it.