Tulsa metro population growth.

[buffalodan]

https://corporate.walmart.com/newhomeoffice

Speaking of NWA

[ComeOnBenjals]

Do people think Tulsa Metro will hit the 1 million mark this census? I just moved to Tulsa, so I got us 1 closer to the mark  .

Have been reading through this thread, and the future of Tulsa is truly exciting.  Coming from a larger city in the Northeast, Tulsa has so much to offer younger professionals and families. There's is definitely a lack of awareness about Tulsa though, I think my friends in the NE pictured a glorified little house on the prairie situation.  I'm still learning about Tulsa, and I think there's lots of opportunities for improvement (Public Transit, downtown infill, state wide politics, social issues) but I really think the city is developed enough & could benefit from some sort of a national(or regional) marketing campaign. I know a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by all that Tulsa has to offer. 

[swake]

Do people think Tulsa Metro will hit the 1 million mark this census? I just moved to Tulsa, so I got us 1 closer to the mark  .

Have been reading through this thread, and the future of Tulsa is truly exciting.  Coming from a larger city in the Northeast, Tulsa has so much to offer younger professionals and families. There's is definitely a lack of awareness about Tulsa though, I think my friends in the NE pictured a glorified little house on the prairie situation.  I'm still learning about Tulsa, and I think there's lots of opportunities for improvement (Public Transit, downtown infill, state wide politics, social issues) but I really think the city is developed enough & could benefit from some sort of a national(or regional) marketing campaign. I know a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by all that Tulsa has to offer. 

I would certainly hope Tulsa Metro can grow by another 6k people from 2018 (the last estimate) to 2020.

[ComeOnBenjals]

I would certainly hope Tulsa Metro can grow by another 6k people from 2018 (the last estimate) to 2020.

Didn't realize the last estimate was that close, fantastic!

[Conan71]

I would certainly hope Tulsa Metro can grow by another 6k people from 2018 (the last estimate) to 2020.

Was that the MSA or actual metro?

[swake]

Was that the MSA or actual metro?

I'm not sure what you mean by actual metro, the census estimates MSA, which is the Metropolitan Statistical Area, and Tulsa is at 994k, the other measure is Combined Statistical Area and Tulsa is close to 1.2 million now for the CSA.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Do people think Tulsa Metro will hit the 1 million mark this census? I just moved to Tulsa, so I got us 1 closer to the mark  .

Have been reading through this thread, and the future of Tulsa is truly exciting.  Coming from a larger city in the Northeast, Tulsa has so much to offer younger professionals and families. There's is definitely a lack of awareness about Tulsa though, I think my friends in the NE pictured a glorified little house on the prairie situation.  I'm still learning about Tulsa, and I think there's lots of opportunities for improvement (Public Transit, downtown infill, state wide politics, social issues) but I really think the city is developed enough & could benefit from some sort of a national(or regional) marketing campaign. I know a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by all that Tulsa has to offer. 

We have some of that 'sales pitch' in action - there were a couple of videos just a couple of years ago that made the rounds for a while highlighting what the area has to offer.  Can't find them right now, but I know they were linked here.  Anyone know where?

I have been making that pitch to outsiders for decades.  Then those pesky politics and social issues you touched on repeatedly put us in a bad light nationally.  If we could just get people to ignore the BS, we would be in great shape.  Or maybe we could just get rid of the BS so there is nothing to ignore....

[SXSW]

Between Amazon and AA that's 2,000 jobs that will be created in Tulsa over the next year.  There are obviously many other expanding companies in and around Tulsa as well.  At the same time oil & gas is running pretty stable or in some cases cutting jobs as prices have stagnated. 

As much as Tulsa has diversified its economy a sizable portion of it is still tied to oil & gas, either at the big company HQ's like Williams, ONEOK and H&P to the myriad smaller companies based in Tulsa especially in midstream like Magellan, Explorer Pipeline and SemGroup.  Also the many manufacturing companies tied to the industry that have offices and plants in and around Tulsa.  Notice some of the big signage next time you're at the airport, companies based in Tulsa like UOP Russell and Linde (NA HQ).

[TheArtist]

Was interesting to hear that Tulsa Public Schools was going to have to cut 12 mill in their budget due to continued declines in enrollment.  Another symptom of our continued population decline and aging. 

But this may not just be a Tulsa or Oklahoma problem, or even a US problem (as trends show that the US as a whole will see population stagnation and decline).  Saw an article where Elon Musk and Jack Ma were at a conference debating the merits of AI.  Though they disagreed on that subject they both pivoted and said what the real threat was to the global economy and stability was an impending population collapse that could happen fairly soon.


Interesting thoughts though whether we think locally or globally.... 

How will an economy grow or prosper as "customers" become fewer and fewer?  Business competition will definitely be tougher. What will the economic model be? Some cities and areas may grow, but this will only mean a more rapid decline for other cities and areas.  How do those cities and areas adapt? Do you pull things back to the core and densify to increase efficiency and quality of life? Raze outlying neighborhoods and streets and return them to nature in order to not have to have a dwindling population pay for sprawling infrastructure upkeep (roads, policing, schools, etc.)?

Will Tulsa be one of those few population "winners"?

Should the US be anti immigrant at this pivotal nexus?  Or should we stand once again as a welcoming beacon to the world?

[shavethewhales]

Between Amazon and AA that's 2,000 jobs that will be created in Tulsa over the next year.  There are obviously many other expanding companies in and around Tulsa as well.  At the same time oil & gas is running pretty stable or in some cases cutting jobs as prices have stagnated. 

As much as Tulsa has diversified its economy a sizable portion of it is still tied to oil & gas, either at the big company HQ's like Williams, ONEOK and H&P to the myriad smaller companies based in Tulsa especially in midstream like Magellan, Explorer Pipeline and SemGroup.  Also the many manufacturing companies tied to the industry that have offices and plants in and around Tulsa.  Notice some of the big signage next time you're at the airport, companies based in Tulsa like UOP Russell and Linde (NA HQ).

Yes, lots of job growth in various blue collar industries around Tulsa, but O&G is definitely at the start of a major contraction. As these companies go out of business or are acquired, their remaining operations will be moved out of Tulsa. Thank goodness for WPX building a new HQ here that I assume is already bought and paid for.

Of course our economy is still based around O&G. All the blue collar jobs from out-of-state companies might keep people around, but they aren't the ones making huge contributions to things like the Zoo, Gathering Place, etc. Corporate jobs actually give people enough money to do things like invest, retire, and give back to the community and local economy. Our corporate HQ's are what keeps Tulsa relevant on the national stage. If we lose 1 major oil company HQ but gain 10,000 new warehouse jobs, it's still a net loss in my book. The jobs that are being created these days just don't support people the way they used to. They barely pay you, break you down over time, and leave you with very little to live on when you are old and used up. But I digress...

I don't think we'll have to worry about those supposed problems in our lifetime Artist. At this point, simply reverting a few immigration policies will be enough to keep US population growing indefinitely. We aren't really slowing down much anyway.

Tulsa doesn't look like it is "winning" in population growth at the moment, but it isn't really losing either. I'm just worried that we are set up for a major quality of life decline for future generations...

[D-TownTulsan]

I may be completely missing something here, but where is the data saying Tulsa is losing population? I understand the slower growth, however, I don't see folks high tailing it out, unless I'm completely missing something, this forum makes it seem like the city is getting the "St. Louis jump ship" treatment. I think I have lived away from the city to sort of gain an "out-of-towner's" perspective, and if anything, there seems to be the opposite happening. I understand population isn't exploding, but to me, I just don't see a population decline. But then again I am an optimist!

[swake]

I may be completely missing something here, but where is the data saying Tulsa is losing population? I understand the slower growth, however, I don't see folks high tailing it out, unless I'm completely missing something, this forum makes it seem like the city is getting the "St. Louis jump ship" treatment. I think I have lived away from the city to sort of gain an "out-of-towner's" perspective, and if anything, there seems to be the opposite happening. I understand population isn't exploding, but to me, I just don't see a population decline. But then again I am an optimist!

It's not declining, but with the downturn in energy prices and declining immigration numbers nationally our growth has slowed.

[TheArtist]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/census-tulsa-loses-population-as-area-suburbs-see-growth/article_2397d507-7387-5c1a-92e7-286b73b18385.html

"Tulsa has now lost 3,513 residents since its population peaked in July 2016 at 404,182, according to the Census Bureau population estimates."

I have been watching the Census stats for ages and you could see even before the over all decline happened that the white population had been declining, the black population was steady, and the only growth was with the hispanic population.  Wouldn't take a rocket scientist to guess there just might be a decline once all the hispanic scaremongering went into full swing with this administration, and on top of that we didn't catch the urban growth wave while that was happening in other cities.

But what is troubling is that as the decade or so saw slower and slower growth in Tulsa, until we have reached this point.  The suburbs have now seen slower and slower "rates of growth".   Following those trends..... I know you all are smart enough to figure it out.  Unless something changes even the suburbs will begin seeing decline.  Looking statewide the rural areas have already been showing population declines as well.

My point isn't to say all is doom and gloom but to put a fire under people to make the changes that 20 + years ago.  We had so much opportunity to make the changes that would have made our city really catch the "People wanting to move to lively pedestrian friendly places" growth.  But we did not want to make the changes that would have had us at a good point now.  

I still get people just about every other day that I am downtown here at the store going... "Where is everyone?"  "What is wrong with your downtown?" I wish you could feel how my gut feels every time I hear that from people.  It makes me sick.  I do my best to put a good face on things, smile and give a little explanation.  (Don't dare say things are a lot better, because then they exclaim "How on gods earth could it be worse!" heard that a couple times then avoid saying that now lol).

But anywhoo.  I think we need need to pull our heads out of the sand and face reality.  For it seems we only have the gumption to make the changes needed when we are pressed to do so, when its an emergency.  On the surface and to others we should indeed paint a good picture of all the positive things that are happening.  But, for gosh sakes don't think everything is hunky dory, no need to put in any extra effort to change,  until it's too late.    

[heironymouspasparagus]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/census-tulsa-loses-population-as-area-suburbs-see-growth/article_2397d507-7387-5c1a-92e7-286b73b18385.html

"Tulsa has now lost 3,513 residents since its population peaked in July 2016 at 404,182, according to the Census Bureau population estimates."

I have been watching the Census stats for ages and you could see even before the over all decline happened that the white population had been declining, the black population was steady, and the only growth was with the hispanic population.  Wouldn't take a rocket scientist to guess there just might be a decline once all the hispanic scaremongering went into full swing with this administration, and on top of that we didn't catch the urban growth wave while that was happening in other cities.

But what is troubling is that as the decade or so saw slower and slower growth in Tulsa, until we have reached this point.  The suburbs have now seen slower and slower "rates of growth".   Following those trends..... I know you all are smart enough to figure it out.  Unless something changes even the suburbs will begin seeing decline.  Looking statewide the rural areas have already been showing population declines as well.

My point isn't to say all is doom and gloom but to put a fire under people to make the changes that 20 + years ago.  We had so much opportunity to make the changes that would have made our city really catch the "People wanting to move to lively pedestrian friendly places" growth.  But we did not want to make the changes that would have had us at a good point now.  

I still get people just about every other day that I am downtown here at the store going... "Where is everyone?"  "What is wrong with your downtown?" I wish you could feel how my gut feels every time I hear that from people.  It makes me sick.  I do my best to put a good face on things, smile and give a little explanation.  (Don't dare say things are a lot better, because then they exclaim "How on gods earth could it be worse!" heard that a couple times then avoid saying that now lol).

But anywhoo.  I think we need need to pull our heads out of the sand and face reality.  For it seems we only have the gumption to make the changes needed when we are pressed to do so, when its an emergency.  On the surface and to others we should indeed paint a good picture of all the positive things that are happening.  But, for gosh sakes don't think everything is hunky dory, no need to put in any extra effort to change,  until it's too late.    

There is a cycle to the growth phases...an ebb and flow.  Sadly, Tulsa doesn't always get the flow but always gets the ebb.

[Oil Capital]

July 1, 2020 population estimate are out for metropolitan areas (these are not the 2020 Census, which numbers will come out later this year):

Tulsa metro area broke through the 1 Million mark!

July 1, 2020:  1,006,411  up 7,063 (0.7%) from 2019.   Up 66,543 (7.1%) from July 1, 2010.
July 1, 2019:     999,348
July 1, 2010:     939,868