Oklahoma City is one of the best run cities in America
Photo by Steve Johnson
Oklahoma City is listed in the top 10 of WalletHub’s “2022’s Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America” list.
The site compared 150 of the United States’ largest cities to determine the list. Cities were judged on their quality of services in contrast to their per-capita budget. Oklahoma City received the eighth spot on the list; the highest of any city in the region.
WalletHub compared cities based on six areas of interest:
- Financial stability
- Education
- Health
- Safety
- Economy
- Infrastructure and pollution
The “Quality of City Services” was based on the average of the metrics above, providing each city with a numbered score between zero and 100. That score was then divided by the respective city’s total budget per capita to present an overall ranking.
WalletHub invited a panel of experts to discuss what they think are the biggest issues cities are currently facing.
“The two daunting problems for cities from my perspective are homelessness and revenue streams,” Kenneth Kickham, Ph.D. with the University of Central Oklahoma told WalletHub.
“As we drift into a time of inflation combined with a possible recession on the horizon, the problems facing cities are likely to be exacerbated from both ends; more needs and fewer dollars.”
8th-ranked Oklahoma City has already started the process of addressing these issues. MAPS 4, the latest installment of the city’s urban development projects, includes a budget of $50 million to address homelessness.
The $50 million accompanies services already in place, like those of the Oklahoma Housing Authority, City Rescue Mission, and others working with people who are experiencing homelessness.
City Rescue Mission is helping with job placement, as well, with the addition of Rise Café, a social enterprise project of the non-profit. Rise Café is coffee shop that puts an emphasis on training those who are experiencing homelessness, and have been without work, on how to reestablish themselves in the workforce.
Oklahoma City is the perfect place for those looking for work. The city currently holds the tenth spot for lowest unemployment in the United States, among metropolitan areas with more than 1 million people.
The Oklahoma City Convention Center, recently recognized by Urban Land Institute Oklahoma as their 2022 Outstanding Public Initiative, will bring more people to the city. The center will serve as a reliable source of income, hosting conventions and conferences. RIVERSPORT OKC will bring additional attention to Oklahoma City in August, as the 2022 Canoe Sprint Super Cup and the 2022 International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Cup arrive in the city. Relocated from Moscow, Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, these international championships will help provide the city with revenue streams through tourism.
Now one of the largest cities in the United States, Oklahoma City is becoming undeniable in the conversation of best run cities in the country.
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