Annual survey finds 69% believe Oklahoma City is moving in the right direction, while road conditions and traffic remain top priorities.
Oklahoma City residents remain optimistic about their community, although concerns about street conditions, homelessness and traffic continue to top their list of priorities, according to the city’s 2026 Resident Satisfaction Survey.
The annual survey, conducted by ETC Institute, found that 81% of respondents rated Oklahoma City as an excellent or good place to live, 74% as a place to work and 68% as a place to raise children.
Nearly seven in 10 residents (69%) believe Oklahoma City is moving in the right direction, down from 72% in 2025.
Despite the positive outlook, residents identified street conditions, the effectiveness of the city’s homelessness response and traffic flow as the three areas needing the most attention over the next two years.
Street conditions received one of the lowest satisfaction ratings at just 12%, followed by code enforcement at 32% and EMBARK public transportation at 42%.
Fire protection earned the highest satisfaction rating at 91%, followed by trash collection (84%), EMSA response (77%) and police services (66%).
“This survey helps us understand what matters most to residents,” City Manager Craig Freeman said. “We’re making historic investments in our street network through the 2025 bond program, and we’re working closely with community partners through the Key to Home Partnership to expand housing and support for people experiencing homelessness.”
Public transportation respondents called for routes serving more destinations, bus stops closer to home and shorter travel times. Code enforcement concerns focused on removing junk and debris from private property and enforcing mowing requirements.
The survey also found that 73% of residents visited a city park or participated in a recreation program during the past year. Maintenance of city parks was the leading parks-related priority.
Among residents who had contact with an Oklahoma City police officer, 88% said they were treated fairly. Meanwhile, 76% said the city does not issue enough traffic citations.
The survey included responses from 1,309 residents across Oklahoma City’s eight wards and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
Now in its 20th year, the survey helps city leaders evaluate services and establish future priorities.
Full results are available at okc.gov
Download the report here.