JARC Coordination Plan - Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Section 2: State Demographic Profile
SECTION 2:
STATE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
The purpose of the Plan is to identify the transportation needs of three target populations
and develop strategies for addressing those needs. Reviewing population characteristics
is helpful in transportation planning because it can provide a better understanding of
potential needs of different population groups and identify groups who may be
underserved by the existing transportation system. For the Plan, particular focus is
placed on three target populations: 1) the elderly, 2) persons with disabilities, 3) and lowincome
persons.
To identify potential target populations and understand population distributions
throughout Oklahoma, socioeconomic and demographic data was collected and
reviewed. Data sources include the decennial Census and the American Community
Survey (ACS), undertaken by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Social Security
Administration (SSA). It is important to note that the most currently available data has
been collected. One caveat is that much of the data released by the U.S Census Bureau
is based on a statistical sampling process, including most data for years beyond 2000.
For purposes of the Plan, data has been collected at the small urban, county, and state
level. The small urban areas with population between 50,000 and 199,999 are Lawton
and Norman. Urban areas with a population of 200,000 or more (Oklahoma City and
Tulsa) are considered large urban areas and are responsible for their own transportation
plans. A great effort was made to obtain the most current data for all Oklahoma counties.
Where current information was not available, data from previous years and/or regional
data was included to provide the most complete picture of trends across the state.
Over the past decade, the state has shown slow but steady growth, with an 8.7 percent
increase in population. In general, population has increased more around urban counties
and has stagnated or declined in rural areas. Since 2000, the percentage of people over
age 65 has increased while the percent of people with a disability has declined. Although
overall poverty levels have risen slightly across the state, vehicle ownership has
improved. State, county, and small urban demographic information is provided in this
section. Detailed county information, as well as, comparison of 2000 and 2010 U.S.
Census data is provided in Appendix B.
State and Countywide Population Characteristics
One of the greatest determinants of transportation need is total population and
population concentration or density. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Oklahoma had
a total population of 3,751,351, ranking it 28 out of 52 states (inclusive of Washington
DC and Puerto Rico). Oklahoma is the 19 th largest state in land area at 68,595 square
miles. This means that overall, the state has a fairly dispersed population, ranking 37 th in
population density at 54.7 persons per square mile. A comparison of Oklahoma to other
states in FTA Region Six is shown in Table 2.1. The table shows that in comparison to
neighboring states in Region Six, Oklahoma falls in the middle for total population and
land area. The State’s overall population per square mile is less than Louisiana or Texas
Oklahoma Locally Coordinated Public Transit 5
Human Service Transportation Plan