Besides Oklahoma County, the city limits extend into Canadian, Cleveland, and Pottawatomie counties. The city ranks as the 7th-largest city in the nation by land area.
The city was founded during the Land Run of 1889. In 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed by a disaffected U.S. Army veteran. With the Oklahoma City bombing resulting in 168 deaths, Timothy McVeigh caused the most destructive act of domestic terrorism in United States history, and the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
At the 2005-2007 American Community Survey Estimates the city's population was 72.7% White (60.7% non-Hispanic White alone), 16.1% Black or African American, 7.6% American Indian and Alaska Native (2.7% non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native alone), 4.7% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 5.4% from some other race and 6.3% from two or more races. 13.9% of the total population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [1]
As of the census of 2000, there were 506,132 people, 204,434 households, and 129,360 families residing in the city. The population density was 321.9/km² (833.8/mi²) with 2,317.4/mi² for an urban area that occupies a small portion within the city's incorporated limits, which cover hundreds of square miles of rural land. There were 228,149 housing units at an average density of 375.9/sq mi (145.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.4% White, 15.4% Black or African American, 3.5% Native American, 3.5% Asian American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.3% from other races based on persons indicating only one race category on Census forms. 5.6% of the population were two or more races. 10.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 204,434 households, 30.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. One person households account for 30.7% of all households and 8.8% of all households had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the 2000 Census Oklahoma City's age composition was 25.5% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The 1999 median income for a household in the city was $34,947, and the median income for a family was $42,689. Among full time employed persons, males had median 1999 earnings of $31,589 compared to $24,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,098. 16.0% of the population and 12.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.0% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In June, 2007, the U.S. Census announced its estimate population of 547,274 and that Oklahoma City had grown 1.4 percent between July, 2006 and July, 2007. Since the official Census in 2000, Oklahoma City has grown 8.1 percent, according to the Census Bureau's estimates.
Oklahoma City is the principal city of the eight-county Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area in Central Oklahoma and is the state's largest urbanized area. Based on population rank, the metropolitan area was the 46th largest in the nation as of the year 2000.
Oklahoma City is an integral point on the U.S. Interstate Network. Interstate 35, Interstate 40, and Interstate 44 bisect the city, Interstate 240 connects I-40 to I-44 in South OKC, the Lake Hefner Parkway (SH-74) runs through Northwest Oklahoma City, Kilpatrick Turnpike makes a loop around North and West Oklahoma City, Airport Rd. (SH-152) runs through Southwest Oklahoma City and leads to Will Rogers World Airport, Broadway Extension (US-77) connects Central Oklahoma City to Edmond, and Interstate 235 spurs from I-44 in North Central OKC into downtown Oklahoma City.
As reported by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 2005, the busiest freeway in Oklahoma City, and in the state of Oklahoma, is Interstate 44, with an average of 118,000 to 132,000 vehicles daily. The I-40 Crosstown Oklahoma City Crosstown Construction Project will relocate a stretch of highway near downtown several blocks to the south. It is expected to be completed in 2012.
Oklahoma City is served by two primary airports, Will Rogers World Airport and the much smaller Wiley Post Airport (incidentally, the two honorees died in the same plane crash in Alaska). Tinker Air Force Base, in East OKC, is the largest military air depot in the nation, a major maintenance and deployment facility for the Navy and the Air Force, and the second largest military institution in the state (after Fort Sill in Lawton).
Amtrak has a train station downtown, with daily service to Fort Worth and the nation's rail network via the Heartland Flyer. Oklahoma City once was the crossroads of several interstate railroads, but commercial passenger service has long since been discontinued. Oklahoma City has no light rail or commuter rail service, although there is growing interest in incorporating light rail into the city's future transportation planning. A short heritage rail line is under re-construction that will connect Bricktown and the Adventure District in NE Oklahoma City, including the Oklahoma Railroad Museum.
Greyhound and several other intercity bus companies serve Oklahoma City at Union Bus Station, Downtown. METRO Transit is the public transit company. Their bus terminal is located downtown at NW 5th Street and Hudson Avenue.