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Any place that birthed the legendary Chuck Norris has got to be awesome, right? Not everyone can live the life of Chuck, however, so where can you go in the great state of Oklahoma to at least attempt to live a life as thrilling as his? That’s what the Movoto Real Estate Blog decided to get find out.
We gathered our data, watched “Oklahoma” (and got its tunes stuck in our heads), looked at some really tasty restaurants, and came up with a ranking for all to see. Atop it was the unassumingly named Stillwater, joined by the nine other spots that comprise our 10 most exciting places in Oklahoma:
1. City of Stillwater
2. City of Tahlequah
3. City of Miami
4. City of Ada
5. City of Tulsa
6. City of Oklahoma City
7. City of Norman
8. City of Duncan
9. City of Durant
10. City of Woodward
Some of the top 10 might be pretty little, but they still pack a big punch. How did we determine the magnitude of that punch, exactly? We used math, and even though some would (wrongly) call it the most boring subject in school, you can find out exactly how we wielded its power below.
How We Created This Ranking
First, we assembled a list of all the places in Oklahoma with a population of over 10,000, which came out to a total of 43 places. We then used the U.S. Census and business listings to gather relevant data in seven different criteria:
- Nightlife per capita (bars, clubs, comedy, etc.)
- Live music venues per capita
- Active life options per capita (parks, outdoor activities, etc.)
- Fast Food restaurants per capita (the fewer the better)
- Percentage of restaurants that are not fast food (the higher the better)
- Percentage of young residents ages 18 to 34 (the higher the better)
We then ranked each place from 1 to 43 across these criteria, with one being the best. We averaged the rankings for each individual place into one Big Deal Score, with the lowest score being our No. 1.
Now that you know how we did it, let’s take a closer look at why each of our top 10 places ranked how it did.
1. Stillwater
Our No. 1 city is all about being forever young. How do they do that? By being home to Oklahoma State University Stillwater. The population of this city is 46,560, and over half of those people are between the ages of 18 and 34.
This young population ranked first on our overall list, and the nightlife ranked eighth. Don’t be worried that all those kids have driven refinement out of the city, however. It also ranked seventh for non-fast food restaurants, like the fancy Rancher’s Club.
The culture doesn’t stop there. There are numerous festivals here throughout the year, including those celebrating music, cars, and food. There are also performing arts and community theaters, both on the college campus and off. Basically. there’s always something going on here and always something to do.
2. Tahlequah
Though not quite as youthful as Stillwater, second place Tahlequah ranks third for that criterion, with more than a third of its 16,333 population being between 18 and 34.
Stuff to do here is hardly in short supply for these lively locals, as the active life ranking was seventh on our list and the nightlife rank was 13th.
The unique dining options are great, despite this being a rather small city. The non-fast food restaurant ranking was 11th, which means that Tahlequah ranked higher than much larger places like Oklahoma City and Norman. If the quality of the food here is still in question, take a trip to the cheekily named Sam and Ella’s Chicken Palace (where they mostly serve pizza) and decide for yourself.
3. Miami
Nope, we’re not in Florida. Oklahoma has a Miami all its own and it’s a pretty fun place to be, considering it’s still a spot where you can get your kicks on Route 66.
Miami is home to the Coleman Theatre. Touring plays, concerts, comedy acts, and take the stage there year round, so there’s always something to see. Every May there’s a rodeo, and there are always school sports to go watch, so locals will never be bored.
While this place may not have as many music venues per capita as Tulsa, or as much nightlife as Oklahoma City, it’s very interesting when it comes to food. There’s not much in the way of fast food restaurants here (except for the historic Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger), but there are a lot of non-fast food restaurants and the city ranked No. 2 for that criterion. There’s also the Buffalo Run Casino for those feeling lucky.
4. Ada
Though it might not be a food Mecca, and ranked only 28th for non-fast food restaurants, Ada is a great center for music, considering it has at least three different music venues, including the historic McSwain Theater. The local East Central University also puts on musical performances during the school year, and is partially responsible for the No. 7 young population rank
That’s not the only area in which this little city thrives. It also had the ninth ranked nightlife and ranked fifth in active life, which indicates what whether you like to dance or jog, there’s a way to stay moving in this city. The locals are also very into their college and high school sports, so for an inexpensive and high energy time, you can always take in a game.
5. Tulsa
One of the larger places on our list, Tulsa is home to 393,987 people who have no trouble finding thrills. The food here is wonderful, ranking 15th for non-fast food restaurants, and includes places like the highly rated Villa Ravenna. There are golf courses to visit, lanes to be bowled on… really anything you can think of as far as stuff to do on a Friday night.
The exciting things do seem to happen mostly after dark around here, considering that Tulsa had the second highest nightlife rank on our list. There are also plenty of music venues here, enough for a 15th place rank, and a fairly youthful population to enjoy both those amenities.
The hip vibe here as well as all the party options makes this a pretty exciting place to be in the evening. Plus. once a year there’s the Tulsa State fair, which has rides, games, music, food, and many more attractions for locals to enjoy.
6. Oklahoma City
As the biggest place in our top 10, you might expect this city to be ranked highly all around, and you’d be right. It had the No. 6 nightlife ranking, the No. 11 music venue ranking, and the No. 14 non-fast food restaurant ranking for all the foodies out there.
About a quarter of the people here are between the ages of 18 and 34, placing the city at 13th for its young population score. The only place that drags this place down is a slightly lower active life score, but we’re just going to assume that people are too busy rocking out at concerts or hitting nightclubs to spend much time at the gym.
Thrill seekers need only to step over to Frontier City, a great amusement park. Sports fans will definitely be happy to know that there’s a ton to do on the athletic front. There are college sports at Oklahoma State University, and there’s quite a bit of roller derby, for those who want a sport that’s a little more unusual. Of course, there’s professional hockey, baseball, soccer, and NBA basketball.
7. Norman
Norman is home to some 115,562 people, over a third of whom are between the ages of 18 and 34. That No. 4 young population ranking is only the beginning of the good numbers Norman has to offer.
The nightlife is thriving, ranking 11th on our list for that criterion, and the active life ranking was No. 18. There were fewer music venues here than in places like Tulsa and Oklahoma city, but this place didn’t fare too poorly in that area either. A lot of this probably has to do with the fact that this place is home to Oklahoma University, a source of sports and cultural excitement for all to enjoy.
While the non-fast food ranking here was only 19th, this place still has some great places to eat. Locals might point you towards spots like Pepe Delgados or Greek House for something tasty.
8. Duncan
Duncan’s annual county fair is always a blast, and there are livestock events year round, including a rodeo. There are several cultural festivals, including a film festival, art show, and bluegrass festival in the spring. For shopaholics, this place is even home to the world’s largest garage sale, so get ready to hunt for bargains.
Duncan backed up the fun events with some pretty solid scores. The nightlife ranked 15th, and the active life ranked 10th. However, food is where Duncan did particularly well, ranking fifth for non-fast food restaurants.
9. Durant
The little city of Durant is all about festivals, and that keeps this place exciting. There’s a Shakespeare festival in the summer, different events for the Choctaw Nation throughout the year, and a massive magnolia festival every memorial day. Still not excited? This place is also home to the world’s largest peanut. Hey, we thought it was exciting.
Besides the nutty and the festive, this place boasted some pretty great numbers as well. Durant placed third for music venues per capita, and ninth in the active life category. The populace here is also pretty youthful, with about a third of it being between 18 and 34, as it is home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
10. Woodward
Woodward is yet another small place on our list that thrives when it comes to food. Cafe Eden is just one of the many delicious eateries in this city that ranked fourth for non-fast food restaurants. There are few fast food places here, making meals unique experiences with many options. It also doesn’t hurt that this place ranked 15th for its young population, with more than a quarter of the populace being between 18 and 34.
With a place so small, you may be wondering if there’s much to do. Let us assure you there is. Woodward is home to Woodward Arts Theatre & Jose Adams Cultural Center, which offers plays, performances, and more throughout the year. There’s a skating rink for old-fashioned fun, golf and baseball for sports fans, and every October there’s the Nightmare in the Country haunt, which was voted the No. 1 haunt in Oklahoma. Prepare to be terrified.
You’ll Have Fun Sooner Here
Whether you like festivals, sports, or just some unique and tasty places to eat, Oklahoma definitely has you covered. Want to mention another exciting spot we overlooked? Think some of these places just aren’t that exciting? Let us know in the comments section below.
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