What it's like to live in Bixby
Bixby is a small city in Oklahoma with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bixby deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bixby compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bixby
Based on Bixby's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,786
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $55,720 a year
- 39% of Bixby renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,420
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,393/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,393 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $334,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $334,200 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 30% below US
3.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 76% below US
80 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 590/100k · Bixby Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 34% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Smith National Historic Site (90 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bixby's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,393/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
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