2010 Accolades

Accolades are sorted by most recent.

MPF Research: OKC Ranks 4th Among Apartment Markets to Watch
December 29, 2010 - MPF Research Archived Video
MPF Research noted Oklahoma City's leading job growth in the tech sector, as well as job growth overall, in naming OKC its #4 "Secondary Market to Watch in 2011."

OKC Among 10 Real Estate Markets to Thrive in 2011
December 20, 2010 - Business Insider
Citing strong job growth and corresponding net migration as well as continued stability and development of OKC's energy and aerospace sectors, Business Insider picked Oklahoma City as one of its "10 Real Estate Markets That Will Thrive in 2011." OKC's well-known value also plays a factor, with an astounding 80.1% (tops on the list) of families able to afford their own home.

Brookings: Once Again, OKC A Top 20 Performer
December 15, 2010 - The Brookings Institution MetroMonitor
The seventh installment of Brookings' MetroMonitor series again highlights Oklahoma City as being among the Top 20 Strongest Performing Metro Areas in the nation. Oklahoma City was also singled out for being one of only 15 large metro areas to have at least 3 consecutive quarters of job growth the last year, one of only five large metros who had job growth in every quarter of 2010, and one of only ten metro areas that regained more than a quarter of the jobs they lost between their pre-recession high and post-recession low.

Oklahoma City Ranked #2 Post-Military Best Places
December 8, 2010 - Military.com / USAA
Noting Oklahoma City's low housing costs, wealth of nearby educational opportunities, recreational and cultural resources (not to mention a thriving Tinker Air Force Base), Oklahoma City was ranked second on Military.com / USAA's Best Places for Military Retirement list. Often coveted by corporate recruiters, Oklahoma City makes a wealth of sense for post-military folks as well as businesses that value low costs and a productive, stable, well-skilled workforce.

OKC #1 in Tech Job Growth
December 7, 2010 - TechAmerica Foundation / Cybercities 2010
Ready for yet another example of the power of Oklahoma City's low cost / high value combination and what it can mean to business growth and expansion? Clocking in at #1 in both percentage (5.4%) and raw (more than 900) job growth last year, Oklahoma City tops TechAmerica Foundation's Cybercities 2010 jobs report.

Mayor Mick Cornett Garners 2nd Place in World Mayor Project
December 7, 2010 - World Mayor
Highlighting economic, fiscal and social initiatives and the partnership between leadership and the business community in Oklahoma City, the City Mayors Foundation awarded Mayor Mick Cornett with 1st runner up in the 2010 World Mayor Project competition. Tann vom Hove, senior editor at City Mayors, said Mayor Cornett helped turn a city with an unsure future into an American showcase of urban renewal. "A number of economic, fiscal and social initiatives have turned Oklahoma City, which doubted itself after the bombing of 1995, into one of America's boomtowns."

Oklahoma Leads Nation in GSP Growth Rate
November 18, 2010 - Bizjournals
In a year where 38 states showed declines, Oklahoma lead the nation in Gross State Product gains in 2009, at 6.6% - and was the only state in the southwest region to record an increase.

Urban Land Magazine / ULI Lists Top 10 Areas of New Non-farm Jobs: OKC #7 in Raw Gains
November 11, 2010 - Urban Land (subscription)
Examining BLS data for new non-farm raw job growth over the past year, the Urban Land Institute's Urban Land magazine noted Oklahoma City's place at #7 on that list - out of the nation's largest 49 metros.

Newsweek's "Top Ten Places Poised for Recovery" Highlights Oklahoma City
November 8, 2010 - Newsweek
Is your city "stronger and shinier" than it was before the "economic twister?" In addition to appearing on Newsweek's "Top Ten Places Poised for Recovery" list, man-behind-the-curtain Joel Kotkin puts the spotlight on Oklahoma City's low unemployment, growing energy and aerospace sectors, home value stability and net in-migration from California, all helping to make OKC one of the best job markets for young people. With all these factors in place, as Kotkin puts it, "who's to say Oklahoma City can't be Oz?"

Oklahoma City #2 in Job Growth Rate, Top 10 in Raw Private Sector Job Gains
November 3, 2010 - Bizjournals / BusinessFirst
According to new figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, among the nation's largest 100 metros, Oklahoma City ranked #2 in terms of percentage gain of private sector job growth, and an astounding #9 in terms of raw numbers of private sector job gains from September 2009 to September 2010.

Forbes: Oklahoma City #1 "America's Most Affordable City"
October 28, 2010 - Forbes Magazine
Forbes looked at a variety of factors, including unemployment and job growth as well as cost of living, in order to come up with their list. "We searched for cities that had a balance of cheap living and economic prosperity--places with solid job markets, but where costs aren't prohibitive." Their conclusion to the question of who offers the best overall value in the nation? Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett Named Public Official of the Year
October 27, 2010 - Governing Magazine
Cited for his leadership on MAPS 3 (the latest iteration of Oklahoma City's landmark capital projects program) and community health initiatives, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has been named Public Official of the Year by Governing magazine, the nation's preeminent publication for state and local governments. Among the qualities recognized are leadership, courage, innovation, creativity and good management. Good leadership and partnership opportunities are essential ingredients for a positive business environment - and OKC has working together to get big things accomplished down to an art.

OKC's Devon Energy Named BCA TEN Award Recipient by Americans for the Arts October 20, 2010 - Americans for the Arts
A strong supporter of the arts in Oklahoma City, Devon Energy has been named one of the prestigious BCA TEN award winners for the 10 Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America. Through a variety of means and programs, Devon has reached out to school children, art students and local patrons all across OKC, and is truly one of the best examples of a "good corporate citizen" in the global marketplace today.

Milken: OKC Among Top 25 Best Performing Cities
October 19, 2010 - Milken Institute
What are the strongest indicators of a great city for business? After examining job, wage, salary and technology growth, Milken Institute found Oklahoma City to be in their Top 25 Best Performing Cities (#21). Milken attempts to understand the forces behind creating / sustaining jobs and economic growth, and once again OKC proves a great place to be for business.

Oklahoma City Ranked 7th for Income Growth
October 13, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Portfolio analyzed the nation's largest 100 metro areas and their federal income data over the last 25 years, leading to another Top Ten ranking for Oklahoma City. OKC's income growth index was 28.29, with a 25-year income growth rate of 169.9 percent, 7th best in the U.S., due to OKC's stable marketplace, self-investment, and smart, targeted economic development policy that produces returns for companies and citizens alike.

Oklahoma Adding Leisure & Hospitality Jobs at Top 10 Rate
October 12, 2010 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics / Bizjournals
Oklahoma is more than OK when it comes to being more than just a great place to live, work and play - it's also a great place to visit. In another sign of a strong, diversified economy, Oklahoma is ranked 4th in percentage gain of Leisure & Hospitality jobs, and ninth in terms of raw job change from 2005 - 2010, in a new analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Haven't been to OKC lately? Perhaps it's time you made a visit to see why Oklahoma City makes such a great place for business, workers, families - and tourists.

Oklahoma City Arts District Neighborhood Named one of America's "10 Great Neighborhoods for 2010"
October 12, 2010 - American Planning Association
A virtual mirror of Oklahoma City's economic turnaround as a whole, Oklahoma City's historic Paseo district was named to the American Planning Association's "10 Great Neighborhoods for 2010" list. The Spanish-influenced Paseo Arts district, in the midst of a remarkable renaissance, joins high-profile neighborhoods such as Denver's LoDo and Cincinnati's Hyde Park on the list, and is really just beginning to hit its stride. A popular local haven and hangout, the Paseo Arts District is another example of Oklahoma City's burgeoning arts, cultural and neighborhood scene.

Forbes: OKC a Top 5 Fastest-Growing City
October 11, 2010 - Forbes
What makes a city a "prime dynamic region?" A successful mix of a growing economy and affordability - the same qualities that make Oklahoma City a great place for business. "Our future cities also are often easier for workers and entrepreneurs alike," says Forbes. We happen to agree.

Oklahoma a Top 10 State for Doing Business, OKC a Top Ten Metro
October 11, 2010 - Area Development Magazine
Area Development Magazine, a respected site-selection trade publication, recently polled a "select group of highly respected consultants who work with a nationwide client base." In this flash survey, they asked consultants to rank states and cities according to eight site selection criteria critical to business success, including business costs, tax environment, labor climate, and rail / highway accessibility, among others. The result? Oklahoma is once again recognized as a great state for business location, and Oklahoma City also makes a Top Ten List appearance for best metros for business.

Oklahoma City in Top Five Low Rents
September 28, 2010 - U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
Another reason OKC makes a great place for business and employees? Low housing costs. In new data released by the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, Oklahoma City is in the Top Five Low Rents among the nation's 50 largest metro areas.

Oklahoma City One of Best Communities for Young People
September 21, 2010 - America's Promise Alliance
One of only a handful of cities to achieve this designation four times, America's Promise Alliance again recognized Oklahoma City as being one of the winners of the Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People. OKC received the honor due to a renewed focus on mentoring programs for youth and wide range of related volunteerism and philanthropy.

Brookings MetroMonitor - OKC Among 20 Strongest Performers Once Again
September 15, 2010 - The Atlantic / Brookings Institution
If housing prices, unemployment, and economic production are some of the factors Brookings examines, no wonder we're so high on their lists.

No Test Anxiety Here: OKC Named One of Top 75 Places to Live While Going to College
September 8, 2010 - American Institute for Economic Research
Scoring high in various Academic Environment, Quality of Life and Professional Opportunity factors, Oklahoma City gets an "A" for being a great place for students and recent grads. We think it's not too bad for older peeps, either.

Need Less Stress? Try Oklahoma City
September 7, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Why worry? Living is easy in Oklahoma City, as evidenced by Portfolio.com's analysis of the nation's 50 largest metros which placed OKC as the 6th least stressful city in the U.S. Portfolio looked at unemployment, finances, health, weather, population, crime, traffic and more and found that in Oklahoma City, it is indeed a better living, and a better life.

Oklahoma City Among 10 Best Real Estate Investment Markets
August 21, 2010 - Local Market Monitor / Wall Street Journal
Income growth, stable employment, diversity of economy and stable home prices all contribute to another OKC Top Ten (#8) ranking, this time for real estate investment.

Forbes: Oklahoma City among Top Ten "Best Cities to Find a Job"
August 20, 2010 - Forbes
With our low unemployment rate and a rate of only 2.3 candidates per open position, Forbes put Oklahoma City in the lucky seventh position in their "Best Cities to Find a Job" list.

OKC Named Top 10 Metro for Economic Growth Potential
July 2010 - Business Facilities
Looking heavily at growth potential of each city's economic development strategy, OKC landed in the top 10 (#9) of Business Facilities' Top 10 Metro list.

Oklahoma City in Top 20, Shows Gains in Raw Private-Sector Job Numbers
June 30, 2010 - BusinessFirst / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
While a staggering 53 of the nation's largest 100 metros lost jobs since May 2000, Oklahoma City was #20 in terms of raw private-sector job growth over the past decade (May 2000 to May 2010) with a net gain of 14,500 jobs.

OKC's "Paw Park" Repeatedly Recognized Among Nation's Best
June 28, 2010 - The Oklahoman (via Dog Fancy and Southern Living)
Who knew a park built for our four-legged friends would turn out to be a great place to meet fellow bipeds? Recently, Oklahoma City's premier dog park was named to the top 13 of Dog Fancy magazine's "America's Best Dog Parks" contest, as well as Southern Living's "The South's Five Best Dog Parks" list. Featuring a pond, water stations, trees, benches, and lots of room to run, Paw Park proves to be a great place for dogs - and their owners - to hang. Indeed, as park planner Don Bobzien indicates, the park might be a young professional's alternative to singles bars. "The dog park is the easiest place in Oklahoma City for total strangers to talk to total strangers," he said. "I mean, they have in common their dogs. ... Pretty soon some great relationships start out there. We've had some that developed into great romances."

Parenting: OKC a Top 10 City for Recreation, Economy
June 22, 2010 - Parenting Magazine (economy) (recreation)
Looking for a great place to "parent up" some great kids? Look no further than Oklahoma City. Parenting magazine took a look at unemployment rates, property values, commute time, park space and more and found OKC to be a Top 10 city in both the "Strongest Economies" list (#6) and "Best Cities for Recreation (#10) lists.

Three OKC-Area Companies on Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT" List
June 21, 2010 - Computerworld
In another sign of a healthy, highly skilled and productive workforce, two OKC-HQ'd companies, American Fidelity Assurance (#14) and Chesapeake Energy (#17) were named to the top 20 of Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT 2010" rankings, while the University of Oklahoma (#85) was also cited among the nation's best, including a top 10 ranking (#7) in the career development category.

Factors Driving Volunteer Rates Also Good for Business - OKC in Top 5
June 16, 2010 - Volunteering in America / U.S. Government
Oklahoma City has the fifth highest overall volunteer rate among the 51 largest cities in the U.S., as well as the second-highest number of volunteer hours per resident, among other high volunteer rankings. The latest Volunteering in America Report explains the factors that drive OKC's high volunteerism rates, like home ownership levels, short commutes, high education levels, low foreclosure rates and low unemployment -- factors that are also good for business.

OKC Makes Brookings' List of "Strongest-Performing Metro Areas" - Again
June 15, 2010 - The Brookings Institution
Listed in Brookings' MetroMonitor Q1 2010 report as "one of the 21 strongest-performing metro areas" and by The Huffington Post at #4 on its "11 Cities That Are Beating The Recession" list (archived) utilizing the same data, Oklahoma City continues to beat the odds, as well as the recession, due to our business-friendly, low-cost environment. Brookings looked at employment, wages, output, and housing conditions among the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S.

Strong Job Growth Continues in Oklahoma City
June 7, 2010 - New Geography
Oklahoma City landed at #11 on New Geography's "2010 Best Cities for Job Growth" list. With both recent and long-term upward trends in job growth, Oklahoma City continues to batter the recession - rather than the other way around.

OKC Boasting Bewildering Broadband Advantages
May 25, 2010 - Speedtest.net / Ookla
Oklahoma City boasts the fourth-fastest broadband speeds in the country, besting the likes of New York City, Denver and Sacramento, according to Ookla, the company behind speedtest.net. With free WiFi recently employed throughout our downtown entertainment district, Oklahoma City means business when it comes to broadband.

Oklahoma Leading the Way in Entrepreneurial Activity
May 20, 2010 - Kauffman Foundation
The latest Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity shows Oklahoma and Montana "outdoing the usual suspects" when it comes to launching new businesses. Due to our low-cost, high-value business environment and the pervasive "pioneer spirit" of our citizens, Oklahoma City is indeed proving to be a great place to start and run a business, and the new Kauffman data only backs this proposition.

Census Bureau: OKC Boasts Third-Best Commute
April 23, 2010 - U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
Among the top 52 cities in the country, Oklahoma City residents deal with the third-shortest commutes to and from work, according to the Census Bureau's most recent American Community Survey. OKC's drivers spend an average of 21.35 minutes behind the wheel while on their way to work, with only Rochester (20.37 minutes) and Buffalo -Niagara Falls (20.78 minutes) coming in ahead. Of cities of similar size, OKC easily beat out its peers, including Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Milwaukee. Shorter drive times indeed mean it's easier to get down to business in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City #6 on Major Metro Affordable Housing Index
April 20, 2010 - Business First
Cost competitiveness continues to be a core competency for OKC, as we once again boast a top 10 ranking in a national cost study. Lower costs mean high profitability potential in Oklahoma City's highly sought-after corporate / cost environment, where it's easier to do business - successfully.

Bringing Low Business Costs to the Big Leagues: Oklahoma City #1 on KPMG Business Cost Survey
March 30, 2010 - KPMG
Among U.S. metros of 1 million population or greater, Oklahoma City has the lowest business costs, according to KPMG's 2010 "Competitive Alternatives" analysis of 26 separate cost drivers for business in 112 cities in 10 countries. Contributing to Oklahoma City's league-leading index were our low costs for labor, industrial / office leasing and electricity. Combine that with powerful incentives and free training programs, and one can see how locating in OKC can really benefit the bottom line.

Dude! OKC #4 on "Cities That Are Having An Awesome Recovery" List
March 18, 2010 - Business Insider
With our U.S. leading low unemployment rate and an improving GMP (gross metro product), OKC outpaces Dallas, D.C. and KC on Business Insider's "20 Cities That Are Having An Awesome Recovery." Which just goes to further prove our theory that OKC is indeed awesome.

OKC Ranked #6 on "Best Places for Young Adults" List
March 15, 2010 - Portfolio.com
Move over Dallas and Seattle. According to a new Portfolio.com / Bizjournals study, OKC ranks in the top 10 "Best Places for Young Adults" due to strong growth rates, low cost of living and high numbers of employed, college-educated under-34s. (We think Bricktown, Downtown, the Thunder, Western Avenue, the Plaza District, Midtown, Paseo and so forth don't hurt either . . . But that's just our opinion.)

January 29, 2010 - The Journal Record
Oklahoma City's expanding regional economic base, ongoing downtown redevelopment, and consistently strong financial performance mean that OKC's municipal bonds continue to be rated at the elite "AAA" level by Standard and Poor's.

January 21, 2010 -Fortune
Oklahoma City makes it easy to find success, along with a great workforce. No wonder that for the third year in a row, three Oklahoma City-headquartered companies are named to Fortune's "Top 100 Companies to Work For" list.

January 20, 2010 -Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services / Retail Traffic Magazine
With one of the country's strongest housing markets and both per-capita income and population increasing faster than national averages, Oklahoma City lands at lucky number 13 on Marcus & Millichap's "Top 15 Retail Markets" list.