Most Livable Bargain Markets: #3

MSN recently named Oklahoma City the No. 3 most livable bargain markets.

For the full story: http://tinyurl.com/yz3lunc

"This Great Plains city has everything someone just starting out in his or her career needs: a large number of oil, gas and agricultural jobs, a low cost of living and short commute times. Its economy is so robust that Forbes called it America’s most recession-proof city last year. Because graduates can find a job here, a higher share of the population is under 35 — great news for singles.

There’s not a lot of breathtaking landscape in this table-flat land, nor is it a cultural mecca, but there are a number of large colleges and universities in this state capital, including the University of Oklahoma, to provide sports action and live entertainment.

And, according to commenter “Once a Soldier,” posting on Sperling’s Best Places Web site, there are some good local places to eat, and an easy-to-navigate highway system that makes getting from one part of town to another fairly easy.

Population
1,192,502

Affordability index
2.89

Unemployment
5.9

Job growth
-0.44%

Median home price
$128,300

Home price appreciation
-0.34%

Cost of living index
80.6

Median household income
$44,449

Commute time (mins.)
24.1

% commutes greater than an hour
3.89%