Compare

Oklahoma City vs Odessa

Which is the better fit for you?

Oklahoma City, OK
60
Area Score
Top 50% nationally
Odessa, TX
62
Area Score
Top 47% nationally

Oklahoma City and Odessa 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

Oklahoma City
Odessa
Opportunity: Odessa is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs
57 · Top 48%
Growth: Odessa is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs
78 · Top 7%
Climate: Odessa is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs
63 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience: Odessa is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs
52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability: Oklahoma City is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs
92 · Top 28%
Schools: Oklahoma City is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
30 · Bottom 23%
vs
22 · Bottom 13%
Access: Oklahoma City is the more favorable of the two.
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs
97 · Top 29%
Economic stability: Odessa is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs
58 · Bottom 45%

Measured values

MetricOklahoma CityOdessaSource period
Population697,125115,3222024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$68,656$73,4722024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$38,370$38,1712024 ACS 5-Year
Population density1,149/sq mi2,216/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$231,300$223,1002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,130$1,3152024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate58.6%59.8%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.3%4.3%June 2026
Employment change (year over year)-1.6%-1.0%June 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher34.7%19.0%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate15.1%16.2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)4,6661,19112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents6.710.312 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)1.4%32.3%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high93°F95°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low27°F32°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation36.4"12.9"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport7 mi9 miNASR current cycle
Average commute23.7 min23.8 min2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age35.131.12024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools186332024-25 school year
Students per teacher17.1919.382024-25 school year
Math proficiency23.0%27.9%2019-20 school year
Reading proficiency23.2%33.7%2019-20 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility66.0%64.3%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.

Oklahoma and Texas do not give the same test. Each state writes its own assessment and sets its own passing score, so the two proficiency rows above are not directly comparable — the difference between them partly measures which standard is harder. Students per teacher and the school count are unaffected, and each profile ranks its own proficiency within its own state.

Physical risk tradeoff

Oklahoma City

Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.

Odessa

Elevated or high exposure: hail.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

Oklahoma City
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Odessa
65
Your Score
62
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Oklahoma City, OK · Odessa, TX · How this is calculated: methodology