Enid is the best place to live in Oklahoma, a recent study from Chamberofcommerce.org determined.
Researchers looked at over 2,500 cities across the U.S. and ranked the top 10 in each state by livability, using 5 criteria, according to the website, and Enid came out on top.
In a city of Enid press release, Mayor George Pankonin called the designation a “great honor.”
“Thanks to City Manager Jerald Gilbert and all of the great city employees whose team efforts in support of our city has brought us this great honor,” Pankonin said.
The five factors the study considered were housing, employment, quality of life, education and health, the site said. Only cities with populations at or above 25,000 were included in the study.
The “employment” category looked at the number of employment establishments, and median earnings, while “quality of life” was defined by poverty levels and work commute, and “health” was determined by obesity ratios.
“Education” looked at the percentage of the population with bachelor’s degrees or higher, and “housing” was determined by the level of owner-occupied housing with a mortgage, and monthly housing costs.
The rest of the top 10 cities were, in order, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Ponca City, Edmond, Owasso, Bartlesville, Norman, Stillwater and Ardmore, according to Chamberofcommerce.org.
“The city of Enid enjoys a thriving economy due to its strong agricultural sector,” the website said of its top selection.
Story provided by Enid News & Eagle
Written by: MItchell Willetts