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2024 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as 8th poorest state

By: Dave Hamby
September 11, 2025 // Updated: September 12, 2025
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, released Sept. 11, show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 14.9 percent, which means that more than 1 in 7 state residents live in poverty. While the state’s overall poverty rate… Read more More...

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The Weekly Wonk: Oklahoma ranks poorly on looking out for kids, how to avoid past mistakes on Medicaid

By: Jessica Vazquez
July 1, 2018 // Updated: July 2, 2018
What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

Now that Oklahoma’s federal Medicaid funding is climbing, let’s not repeat past mistakes

By: Carly Putnam
June 29, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
For Oklahoma families to prosper, they must be able to take advantage of work and educational opportunities. But working or doing well in school is much, much harder without consistent access to health care. SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program, provides that… Read more [More...]

New KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks Oklahoma near the worst in the nation for child well-being

By: Gene Perry
June 27, 2018 // Updated: December 11, 2020
A new report shows the youngest generation of Oklahomans face far-reaching challenges. The state ranks near the bottom in the nation for most measures of child well-being, according to the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today by the Annie… Read more [More...]

Episode 32: Danielle Allen, from South Central Los Angeles to the Declaration of Independence

By: Gene Perry
June 26, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or RSS. The podcast theme music is by Zébre. If you have any questions for the OK PolicyCast, topics you’d like us to cover, or people you want us to interview, you can reach us at policycast@okpolicy.org. We’ve got… Read more [More...]

A connection between the nation’s highest incarceration and refusal to expand Medicaid? (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
June 25, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. The latest state-by-state comparison for incarceration rates drew headlines in Oklahoma because we are now number one… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: OK Policy to host KIDS COUNT, problems with House Farm Bill, the radicals in criminal justice debate

By: Jessica Vazquez
June 23, 2018 // Updated: June 24, 2018
What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

Bipartisan Senate farm bill is a better way forward for families that struggle with food insecurity

By: Courtney Cullison
June 21, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Last month, we shared our concerns about the farm bill proposal being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill proposes deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) that could put 97,000… Read more [More...]

Accepting our highest-in-the-world incarceration rate means believing that Oklahomans are the worst people

By: Ryan Gentzler
June 19, 2018 // Updated: February 21, 2020
Update: Recent criminal justice reforms have moved Oklahoma’s incarceration rate back to second in the world.    We knew the day would come when Oklahoma surpassed Louisiana as the highest-incarcerating state in the highest-incarcerating country in the world. After Louisiana’s… Read more [More...]

As election day approaches, support for SQ 788 may be narrowing (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
June 18, 2018 // Updated: June 18, 2018
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. The June 26 primary elections are coming on quickly now. A lot of candidates, both new political… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: Medical cannabis & SQ 788, immigration rhetoric v. facts, and the ongoing battle to reduce incarceration

By: Jessica Vazquez
June 17, 2018 // Updated: June 17, 2018
What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

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