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2023 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as sixth poorest state

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 12, 2024 // Updated: September 12, 2024
Lawmakers have options to improve Oklahomans’ well-being, access to prosperity Data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey released Sept. 12 show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 15.9 percent, which was the nation’s sixth highest. The national poverty rate… Read more More...

Recent Posts

Guest Blog: Will Oklahoma be first to discriminate against military spouses in divorces?

By: Paul Shinn
September 29, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
From time to time, we will use the OK Policy blog to post submissions we receive from Oklahomans who have interesting perspectives on important policy issues for the state. This submission is from Karin Brandenburg, an Oklahoman who works in… Read more [More...]

Poverty by any other name would smell just as bitter

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 28, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Shakespeare wrote: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Maybe Juliet had only Romeo in her mind when she fictitiously spoke these words, but I can’t help but think… Read more [More...]

Major new report sheds light on assets, opportunity and financial security in Oklahoma

By: David Blatt
September 24, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Monday we participated, along with other members of the Oklahoma Asset Building Coalition, in the release of the 2009-10 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, a major  report that looks at wealth, poverty, and the financial security of families in all 50… Read more [More...]

Our Online Budget Guide is coming soon

By: Paul Shinn
September 22, 2009 // Updated: May 1, 2019
On October 6, Oklahoma Policy Institute will release its Online Budget Guide. This unique tool for understanding Oklahoma state and local government finances will be valuable both as an introduction for newcomers and as a reference guide for the more… Read more [More...]

Stagnant enrollment and other numbers you need

By: Paul Shinn
September 21, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Last week we released the September edition of Numbers You Need, our monthly recap of statistics that shape Oklahoma. In addition to bad news for the short run–a higher unemployment rate, more people on public support programs, and the eighth… Read more [More...]

Health insurance reform explained.. in three steps!

By: David Blatt
September 18, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The best flow chart ever, created by Nicholas Beaudrot of Donkeylicious, explaining how you would get health insurance if the major health care proposals under consideration by Congress were to pass:… Read more [More...]

Cutting into the bone: Impact of falling revenues starting to be felt

By: David Blatt
September 17, 2009 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Anyone hoping for signs that the state’s budget woes had already hit bottom found little to cheer in Tuesday’s  revenue announcement [PDF] from Treasurer Scott Meacham. August General Revenue (GR) collections came in nearly 32 percent below one year ago.… Read more [More...]

Pleasant surprise: Oklahoma health insurance gains ground for all ages, types of coverage

By: David Blatt
September 15, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As we noted right after the numbers were  released, last week’s Census Bureau report on health insurance coverage provided some unexpectedly good news for Oklahoma. While the nation as a whole saw an increase in the number of uninsured, which… Read more [More...]

Automatic for the people: New approaches to building savings

By: David Blatt
September 14, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The Obama administration recently announced a series of measures aimed at making it easier for Americans to save.  As the New York Times article on the initiative noted, the measures are all rooted in research from the field of behavioral… Read more [More...]

New national data on income, poverty and the uninsured shows recession’s initial effects

By: David Blatt
September 11, 2009 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Yesterday, the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage for 2008  from its Current Population Survey. You can or click here for fact sheets and links to all the data or click here… Read more [More...]

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