What it's like to live in Midwest City
Midwest City is a smaller city in Oklahoma with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Midwest City deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Midwest City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Midwest City
Based on Midwest City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,182
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,640 a year
- 44% of Midwest City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$32,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,450
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,091/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,091 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $164,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $164,500 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
345 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2278/100k · Midwest City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Oklahoma City National Memorial (8 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Midwest City's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,091/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Midwest City
All Oklahoma guides →Moving to Del City →
4 mi away · pop. 21,494
Rent $1,054/mo · Income $46,925
Compare with Midwest City →Moving to Choctaw →
6 mi away · pop. 12,303
Rent $1,208/mo · Income $100,574
Compare with Midwest City →Moving to Oklahoma City →
8 mi away · pop. 697,125
Rent $1,130/mo · Income $68,656
Compare with Midwest City →Not sure Midwest City is the one?
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