Red Tape 50 · State Profile
Oklahoma
Overall State Ranking
#16 of 50
Permitting Detail
Statewide permit records · Red Tape Index
Permitting Rank
#14of 50
Approval Score
5.06
Lower = faster · same scale as the rankings table
Commercial Approval Score
95.2
0-100, higher = faster
Residential Approval Score
95.9
0-100, higher = faster
Tags Score
68.0
0-100 approval-quality signal
Economic Profile & Benchmarks
How independent national rankings see this state (1-50, 1 = best)
Top States for Business
CNBC, 2025
#37
Economy
#32
Infrastructure
#34
Cost of Business
#1
Business Friendliness
#20
Workforce
#42
Access to Capital
#33
Tech & Innovation
#42
Education
#43
Cost of Living
#18
Quality of Life
#42
Best States
US News & World Report
#42
Economy
#19
Fiscal Stability
#21
Infrastructure
#29
Opportunity
#30
Education
#48
Health Care
#48
Crime & Corrections
#36
Natural Environment
#37
Best States to Live
WalletHub
#43
Affordability
#16
Economy
#32
Education & Health
#44
Quality of Life
#32
Safety
#39
Benchmark ranks are published by their respective sources and shown here for context; they are inputs or companions to the Red Tape 50 composite, not outputs of it.
Pillar Breakdown
Composite inputs · full bar = #1 of 50
Fiscal
Freedom in the 50 States
#24of 50
Tax & fiscal policy. 1 = most competitive tax environment.
Land Use
Freedom in the 50 States
#2of 50
Zoning & development regulation. 1 = least restrictive rules.
Labor
Freedom in the 50 States
#26of 50
Labor market. 1 = strongest workforce conditions.
Growth
US Census
#14of 50
Population growth. 1 = fastest growing state.
Affordability
WalletHub
#16of 50
Housing & cost of living. 1 = most affordable.
Infrastructure
CNBC Top States
#34of 50
Roads, transit, utilities. 1 = best infrastructure.
Cost of Business
CNBC Top States
#1of 50
Operating cost burden. 1 = lowest costs.
Business Friendliness
CNBC Top States
#20of 50
Regulatory climate. 1 = most pro-business.
State Snapshot
External benchmarks, sourced independently of the composite
Population Growth
3.4%#14 of 50
US Census, 5-year
Urban Population
65%
Share living in urban areas
Top States for Business
#37of 50
CNBC, 2025
Best States
#42of 50
US News
Best States to Live
#43of 50
WalletHub
Tech & Science
#46score 27.4
State Tech & Science Index