The Surprising Reasons People Love Living In Oklahoma

I think it's fair to assume that there is no perfect place on Earth to live. Everywhere has its ups and downs. Luckily, we all live in America, and even as some continue to put this country down, I don't see them working to change all of that.

Things are the same in Oklahoma.

Some people talk all sorts of trash about Oklahoma, yet here they are with no meaningful plans to leave. Some of that is teenage angst - "I can't wait to move to ____ when I get older." That was me talking about Texas long ago, but after growing up, I opted to move back when my sister had a litter of kids.

I'm a fun uncle, no complaints.

But here’s the thing: no matter where you go, you’re still bringing yourself along. Your experience is what you make of it.

There are no boring places, only boring people.

I'll admit, I used to think Oklahoma was boring before I became a real human who is open to almost any experience.

Nearly twenty years later, I actually moved back to Southwest Oklahoma because it's near everywhere I love being. OKC, Tulsa, Dallas, and the wilds of the high desert out West. Add in that poison ivy is rare in such a dry place, and it's an outdoor heaven for me.

Why do others think Oklahoma is a great place to live?

For starters, the people. Hands down, the Sooner State is full of the friendliest and most neighborly folks you’ll ever meet. It’s something visitors always notice, and something newcomers come to appreciate fast. The cost of living isn’t bad either—much lower than what you’d see in most other states.

If you live life outdoors, Oklahoma is your place. Whether you just like the idea of eating a Christmas picnic on the back patio, or you're into hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, etc... You'll find it here. And it’s not just the activities. The variety of landscapes in this state is wild. Plains, mountains, forests, deserts, swamps... name a terrain, and odds are Oklahoma has a patch of it.

Don't discount the history.

Oklahoma is one of the most culturally and historically rich states in the nation. Right up thee with the OG colonies. Our Native American heritage is so rich, there’s always new things to discover. Museums, cultural centers, historic sites and the like. It takes a lifetime to see it all. And if you’re a sports fan? Between college football, high school rivalries, and OKC Thunder games, you won’t run short on things to cheer for.

It’s not all sunshine and chicken-fried steak.

The weather is a touchy subject. The Sooner State famous for being so unpredictable. It’s not weird to experience all four seasons in a single day, and we talk about it a lot.

You're not truly Oklahoman until you start considering severe weather coverage as entertainment, because you know as much as the meteorologists do anyway.

Summer is brutally hot in most years. We do get the occasional break from the heat, as is the case in 2025 o far, but when August rolls around, walking outside is akin to being cremated.

The winters aren’t usually terrible but they’re not a cakewalk either. Ice storms, snow, and freezing rain is the norm when it's not seasonably warm enough to stay outside all day in a hoodie and shorts.

In those short super-cold periods when folks from up north start to poke fun at us for shutting things down after an inch of snow, they're the same people who tend to go quiet around August. That’s when they’re melting into the pavement wondering how we survive. That’s when true Okies smile and say “This isn’t even hot yet.”

You have to mention the tornadoes. Real ones. Not just weather channel dramatics. They happen year-round in Oklahoma, but April through June is peak season. At first, it’s terrifying. Eventually, you find yourself standing on the porch, watching the sky turn green and saying things like, “Sure sounds like a freight train.”

Tornadoes are serious, no question, but like everything else here, we adapt.

Even though Oklahoma is currently in a downward trend in quality of schools and education, it's still a great place to raise kids. Metrics like this swing as we go through time. Education will improve eventually, it's not like it can get any worse than it is now.

At the end of the day, the pros far outweigh the cons for most. All the same, if you really are miserable being in Oklahoma, leave. That's not the typical "If you're not for us, you're against us" sort of statement, it's just that life is short, so why would anyone stay in a place they hate? I wouldn't want that for anyone.

Oklahoma has its quirks, sure, but Oklahomans have something most places don't. Grit. We're overwhelmingly kind, have a lot of heart, and the state is shockingly beautiful.