Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in McAlester, OK
25 neighborhoods with growth potential — still affordable, increasingly walkable, and showing improving conditions. Ranked by affordability, walkability, employment, safety, and air quality.
Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in McAlester, OK — Key Takeaways
McAlester has 25 neighborhoods showing growth potential. The most affordable up-and-coming area is Sunray CDP with a median home value of $81,300. The strongest job market is in Sunray CDP with an unemployment rate of 1.1%.
McAlester has a population of 18,110, a median household income of $46,875, an unemployment rate of 8.0%, and a poverty rate of 24.1%. The median home value citywide is $126,300, which is 55% below the national average of $281,900.
Data sourced from the US Census Bureau, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA AirNow, Walk Score, and FEMA. Last updated: March 2026.
Top 3 Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods
| # | Neighborhood | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartwright CDP | 62 | ||
| Sunray CDP | 61 | ||
| Fairfield CDP | 54 | ||
4 | Cookson CDP | 52 | |
5 | Remy CDP | 47 | |
6 | Pettit CDP | 47 | |
7 | Limestone CDP | 43 | |
8 | Justice CDP | 43 | |
9 | Pickett CDP | 43 | |
10 | Simms CDP | 43 | |
11 | Whitehorn Cove CDP | 41 | |
12 | Kenwood CDP | 40 | |
13 | Texanna CDP | 40 | |
14 | Rocky Mountain CDP | 39 | |
15 | Wickliffe CDP | 38 | |
16 | Longtown CDP | 38 | |
17 | Burneyville CDP | 38 | |
18 | Taylor Ferry CDP | 37 | |
19 | Sequoyah CDP | 37 | |
20 | Copeland CDP | 37 | |
21 | Oakhurst CDP | 35 | |
22 | Redbird Smith CDP | 35 | |
23 | Moodys CDP | 33 | |
24 | Cleora CDP | 32 | |
25 | Brushy CDP | 28 |
Rankings by Category
Top 5 up-and-coming neighborhoods in McAlester for each growth-potential metric.
Lowest median home value
- $81,300
- $83,900
- $104,000
- $105,800
- $107,400
Lowest unemployment rate
- 1.1%
- 1.7%
- 1.8%
- 2.1%
- 2.9%
Lowest violent crime rate
- 3.0 per 1K
- 3.0 per 1K
- 3.0 per 1K
- 3.0 per 1K
- 3.0 per 1K
Lowest median rent
- $575
- $617
- $621
- $641
- $655
Highest median household income
- $117,292
- $109,875
- $99,000
- $95,294
- $90,556
Lowest poverty rate
- 0.8%
- 2.1%
- 2.9%
- 4.2%
- 5.4%
Up-and-coming neighborhoods are identified using a Growth Potential Score that evaluates five weighted categories. These areas are still affordable relative to the city average but show strong fundamentals that suggest improving conditions and future appreciation.
- Affordability vs City Average
- 30% weight
- Walkability & Transit
- 25% weight
- Job Market (Unemployment)
- 20% weight
- Safety
- 15% weight
- Environment (Air Quality)
- 10% weight
Neighborhoods that are priced below the city median home value score higher on affordability. Walkability reflects the Walk Score, indicating access to amenities on foot. A low unemployment rate signals a strong local economy. Safety is measured by violent crime rates per 1,000 residents. Air quality uses the EPA Air Quality Index (AQI), where lower values indicate cleaner air.
Data Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), EPA AirNow, Walk Score, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. All data is updated on a rolling basis as new government releases become available.