Tulsa Gains Ground on Forbes Best Places 2005

[Chicken Little]

Tulsa is ranked 77th on Forbes Best Places for Business in 2005. We were ranked 99th in 2004, and 35th in 2003 (the year before they started factoring "Culture and Leisure" categories).

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/1/Rank_4.shtml

Here's how we ranked out of 150 cities:

#77 Tulsa OK
Population: 833,000
RANK  
 
Engineers               65
Cost of Doing Business  3  
Cost Of Living          41  
Crime Rate             106  
Culture & Leisure       92  
Educational Attainment  88  
Income Growth          111  
Job Growth             134
Net Migration          105

Overall                 77

Change in rank from 2004:

Advanced Degrees* +41
Cost of Doing Business same
Cost Of Living -4
Crime Rate -4
Culture & Leisure same
Educational Attainment -2
Income Growth -25
Job Growth +2
Net Migration -40
 
Overall    +22

* this has changed.  Last year it was "advanced degrees", this year its "engineers".  I couldn't find an explanation for the change in methodology, maybe the engineers can explain that (in 10,000 words or less, please)[].  Regardless, it must be weighted HEAVY, because we were the same or worse in every other category.

Huge loss in net migration, no doubt the final throws of our economic downturn.

OKC is 36th, down from 32nd in 2004.  They got burned on the switch from "advanced degrees (43rd)" to "engineers (75th).  Other categories haven't changed much.