Norman and Oklahoma City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Norman
Oklahoma City
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs70 · Top 17%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs92 · Top 27%
Schools
50 · Bottom 48%
vs30 · Bottom 23%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Norman | Oklahoma City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,672 | 697,125 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,704 | $68,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,809 | $38,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 726/sq mi | 1,149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,100 | $231,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,090 | $1,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.3% | 58.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 455 | 4,666 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 26.0% | 1.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.4" | 36.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 186 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.53 | 17.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.5% | 23.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 23.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.1% | 66.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Norman
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, tornado.
Oklahoma City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Norman
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Oklahoma City
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Norman, OK · Oklahoma City, OK · How this is calculated: methodology