New Census data for OKC & Tulsa
A tale of 2 cities - Census: Figures reflect metro growth
By Ryan McNeill
Database Editor
The Tulsa metropolitan area could be showing signs of life after several years of economic slump, while the Oklahoma City area continued its steady growth since 2000, new population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau show.
The Oklahoma City area, nearing 1.2 million people, moved up another spot in the national rankings to No. 45. In Tulsa, the metr area remained at No. 55 in the country as it neared 900,000.
The rankings were affected in part by the hurricane-ravaged New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner metro area in Louisiana, which dropped from 1.3 million people in 2000 to 1.0 million in 2006 and went from 40th-largest city in 2005 to 50th in 2006.
The new data is a population estimate through July 1, 2006.
Oklahoma City metro area
Oklahoma City's growth from 2000 to 2006 was healthy and steady. But not huge. At least, not like the Atlanta area, which had the largest numerical population growth in America since 2000 by gaining 890,000 people.
Growth by county
Canadian County led the area with nearly 16 percent growth since 2000, or nearly 14,000. Cleveland, Grady, Logan and McClain counties also had about 10 percent or more growth.
What's driving the growth?
"We're building all the right magnets for economic growth in central Oklahoma,” said Zach Taylor, executive director of the Association of Central Governments.
Roy Williams, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, said he expects the area's population will continue to grow.
Tulsa metro area
After several years of sluggish growth, Tulsa surged nearly 12,000 people between 2005 and 2006. That's quite a change from a few years ago when Tulsa grew by only 1,200 people between 2003 and 2004. Growth by county
All the counties had 5 percent or less growth between 2000 and 2006, except Wagoner and Rogers counties, which had 15 percent and nearly 17 percent growth, respectively.
What's driving the recovery?
People are starting to realize northeast Oklahoma has good schools, low crime rates and activities for families, Tulsa County Commissioner John Smaligo said.
"It's a place people want to go to raise their children,” he said. "It's a very positive by-product of the effort that our communities have made to make their areas more livable.”
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