A recent study found that six smaller metropolitan areas in the US attract young professionals, including the capital of Oklahoma.
The research from Placer.ai, an analytics firm, found that several metro areas with populations between 500,000 and 2.5 million people experienced positive net migration between July 2020 and July 2024, including Oklahoma City; Austin, TX; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Des Moines, Iowa; and Madison, Wisconsin.
The research shows that most of these areas attract residents who are younger than their existing residents. For example, the average age of existing residents in Oklahoma City is 35.7 years old. The average age of the incoming residents is 34.5 years.
According to Placer.ai, most residents of these migration centers come from areas with younger and less affluent populations who are likely looking to advance their careers and financial prospects.
According to the study, upcoming residents are also attracted by affordable housing. Data from Niche’s Neighborhood Figures illustrates that the six areas analyzed by Placer.ai had better “jobs” and “housing” rates compared to the regions from which people migrated.
Researchers at Placer.ai concluded that young professionals are more open than ever to living in smaller urban areas, such as Oklahoma City, in search of employment opportunities and upward mobility.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City, one of the best places to attract young professionals: Study
