Oklahoma City’s continued growth is not the result of a single industry surge — it is the product of intentional economic diversification that is strengthening the region’s long-term stability and competitiveness.
In recent weeks, many in our community have been reflecting on Oklahoma City’s role in the energy economy and what the next chapter of growth will look like for our region. Moments like this naturally spark conversation, but they also give us a chance to step back and look at the broader foundation that has shaped our progress.
For years, selling Oklahoma City as a destination for large meetings and conventions meant focusing on logistics: square footage, hotel room counts, and how everything fit together on paper. Today, that conversation looks very different.
Oklahoma City ranked as the most affordable metro area among large U.S. cities in the 2025 annual Cost of Living Index[CR1.1] published by C2ER, the Council for Community and Economic Research.
Oklahoma is continuing to build momentum in autonomous aviation with a state-backed research project focused on one of the industry’s most critical safety challenges: how uncrewed aircraft safely share airspace with other aircraft.
A newly completed power generation facility near Tinker Air Force Base helps support long-term job growth by strengthening the installation’s ability to carry out mission-critical operations and future aerospace sustainment work.
Nearly 100 megawatts of new, fast-responding power generation capacity have been added near Tinker Air Force Base, strengthening grid reliability for the Oklahoma City region while supporting mission readiness at one of the metro’s largest economic drivers.
Oklahoma City closed 2025 on solid economic footing, marked by steady job growth, historically low unemployment, and continued business investment across the metro. While growth is expected to moderate in 2026, the region enters the year from a position of strength, supported by a diverse economy and long-term development efforts.
