Bixby Oklahoma is a growing city located just south of Tulsa. Known for its excellent schools and family-friendly atmosphere, Bixby offers residents a variety of community events and recreational activities. The city's close proximity to Tulsa provides easy access to job opportunities and cultural amenities.
The town of Bixby received its name from the Dawes Commission chairman, Tams Bixby. What started as Creek allotments from the Creek (Muscogee) Nation turned into a small community known for its farmland and agricultural production. It is situated along the Arkansas River just 18 miles from Tulsa and grew when the Midland Valley Railroad came to town. Early in the 1900s oil and natural gas were discovered nearby in Glenpool then known as Glenn Poll and Red Fork oilfields. They continued to grow through the Great Depression in the 1930s and eventually achieved a population that now exceeds 27,000 citizens. The incredible growth of the area, more than doubling from 2000 to 2020, comes in part from the bustling metropolis of Tulsa expanding. The town still has quite the agricultural influence along with sod farms and livestock growing. There are some light industrial and manufacturing jobs available through such employers as Kimberly Clark.The growth of the town has escalated the need for new school buildings as the expansion happened so rapidly. By 2022, Bixby Public Schools had four elementary and intermediate sites and had doubled the size of their middle school, added a 9th-grade center, and as of February 2022, passed a bond to construct and expand more high school facilities. The district is ranked 12th in the state and 7th for athletes. The district's overall rating is an A- from niche.com which also grades the district in academics, teachers, and college prep with A's. The school proudly boasts a few recent football state titles, girls basketball has also played for the state title multiple times in recent years and the band continues to excel in their competitions both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the soccer and lacrosse teams are really gaining strength and building traditions in their respective programs as well. The city has so many activities for their young people and families at parks such as Washington Irving, Bentley Sports Complex, and Charlie Young Park downtown. Nature lovers can hike or kayak at Lake Bixhoma, run the jogging trails along the river, and take their kids to the Pumpkin Patch and local farmer's produce retail stores. The city and the Optimist Club host Green Corn Festival every year in June and the Rotary Club organizes the Barbeque and Blues Festival every May. The downtown district, also known as The Downtown River District, is currently being revitalized with new businesses, new office and retail spaces, and hosts a multitude of events such as concerts in the Charlie Young Park, The Gambler's Crit which is a local bike race for all ages, and trick or treating events every fall and a local Christmas parade organized by the Rotary Club every December. The town now boasts a quiet rural feel with convenient access to Tulsa and surrounding communities for additional shopping and recreation. Overall commute time to Tulsa averages 30 minutes and 47 minutes to Muskogee. 77% of Bixby's households are families and almost half have a Bachelor's degree or higher. The industries in Bixby vary from banking, retail, and light industrial/ manufacturing to home building and construction. New residents cite the schools as the #1 reason for choosing to live in Bixby and www.niche.com ranks it as the #2 best place to live in the Tulsa Area. So, are you ready to move to Bixby?