Oklahoma City is among the chosen cities for a perfect military retirement place. Before you finally decide to relocate there, consider the main factors that can affect your retirement life.
If you decide to live in OKC, as the locals call their city, you will share a city that has over a million people and is home to Tinker Air Force Base and a centrally located VA hospital. Considering that it is a city, Oklahoma City has rich sorts of amenities and notable places to see. The unemployment rate is only 6.7%, so small for a city with a million folks. That’s the good news.
The not so good news is that your Federal Pension, however, is taxed. The state sales tax is 4.5% while city sales tax rate is 3.875%. Median household income is $40,752 and an average household value of $112,500. If you plan to buy a house in the city, take note of the Median home price which is $87,672. This is quite affordable compared to many other parts of the country where you may be considering retirement.
Oklahoma City has over a hundred parks, five golf courses, three lakes, two tennis centers, a river and even a dog park. With these lot of recreational areas, you and your family will surely won’t have to be troubled deciding where you can spend family day together.
Gas and electric services are offered by private corporations the Oklahoma Corporation Commission regulates, and not by the City. As to water utilities, you may be charged with “drainage fee” in your monthly water bill that will cover costs for the Storm Water Drainage Division to work on ways to meet the new federal standards of drainage.
If you’re not sure about living in Oklahoma City yet, spend a couple of days in the city and go sight-seeing. Buy a map and mark the landmarks and tourist attractions on it. Visit the parks and the zoo. Observe how people in Oklahoma City live their lives, that way you will have an idea of their lifestyle and see what you can do to blend in. Here are some city features you should be aware of:
Oklahoma City has launched its newest attraction: the Oklahoma River Cruises. This allows you to tour the Oklahoma River in a cruise. Choose from three cruise packages (Public, Private and Themed) and enjoy the tour.
Oklahoma City is a home for sports enthusiasts. If you want to watch the sports you have missed due to your military days, here is the right place and the right moment for that. The city has a lake where you can put your fishing and boating skills at play. You can do both at the available three reservoirs. You may also want to water ski or jet ski at Lake Draper, Oklahoma City’s largest lake. If you want more action, the tennis courts and golf courses can bring you entertainment and makes you physically active.
Oklahoma City is enriched with cowboy culture. So if you are into Mid-western style, this city can actually be the answer for your military retirement. Experience cowboy culture at Oklahoma City Stockyards, the world’s largest Stocker and Feeder cattle market. Try eating a succulent steak in Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, shopping at Langstons and Mercantile and be entertained in the Centennial Rodeo Opry.
Being in a new place would require being accustomed to the place. Oklahoma City is a large city and it will bring you adventures that will make you think your retirement created a new life. A retired military life in Oklahoma City.
This is just a small sample of what Oklahoma City offers to the future military retiree. You can do plenty of more research before you make your final decision.
Check out the resources below to help you through your military retirement: