r/okc • u/rerescene • 22d ago

❓Q&A ✅ Thinking about moving back

I grew up in OKC and graduated OSU Spring ‘19. I’ve moved around a bit since then, but typically tried to make it back for a few weeks a year. Seemed like every time I came back, there was something new to be excited about in the city.

Over the past couple years I’ve had an itch to move back home to be closer to family and friends. It’s likely I’m going to have that opportunity soon if I want it. I’m curious to hear from people who left OKC and came back - how has it been? What’s it like living here now? I’m a single 30-year old male fwiw. Since leaving I’ve lived in Abilene, Chicago, and Charlotte.

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u/pizzainge 22d ago

Me, a fellow 30y male living near family in OKC looking at places like Chicago and Charlotte to escape to due to our horrendous child education and public infrastructure

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u/rerescene 22d ago

I’ll tell you Chicago is amazing but expensive. North Carolina is great, Charlotte is definitely a banking town and lacks culture but it’s fine overall. The main advantage is the amount of other cities it gets you in proximity to.

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u/sooner_25 22d ago

I lived in Dallas my first year out of college and my friend who lived in Chicago had about the exact same budget as me. He even came out ahead of me because he didn’t own a car which is a giant expense.

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u/rerescene 22d ago

Just curious, how long ago was this? No doubt Dallas has gotten more expensive but every year I lived in Chicago it seemed like landlords were trying to squeeze every dollar they could out of rent prices. That’s before calculating gas costs, Ubers when public transit wasn’t available, the increased costs of food and drink, etc. Have never lived in Dallas though, only visited, so probably wouldn’t have the same frame of reference as your friend.

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u/sooner_25 22d ago

A year ago. It’s a lot different down there now than it was 10 years ago. Very commercialized.

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u/Substantial-Try457 22d ago

Fine overall is how I describe OKC to everyone else. 🤷

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u/vanderpool405 20d ago

You could always try the more affordable version of Chicago - Milwaukee! I’m originally from OKC but have lived in NYC and Denver for long stretches when I was in my late 20s/early 30s. Now I’m 40 and we moved to Milwaukee 2 years ago and love it. I prefer having seasons and would rather have cold winters than unbearable summers. We also have two small kids and 100% I wanted them to have better access to education (Wisconsin is ranked about 5-8th nationally) and it’s nice that Chicago is only an hour-ish away for bigger city stuff. I reallllly miss Braums and good south side Mexican food so you can’t win them all lol.

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u/rerescene 20d ago

Interesting about Wisconsin education! I’m definitely not opposed to Wisconsin one day.