Moving to Guthrie: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Guthrie means moving to Oklahoma's real former territorial and first state capital, weighing a singular historic identity against a genuinely older population structure and a disclosed mixed crime picture.
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Learn moreA real, singular territorial-capital and historic-district identity
Guthrie was Oklahoma's real territorial capital from 1890 to 1907, then its first state capital until a June 11, 1910 vote moved the capital to Oklahoma City. Its Historic District, more than 1,400 acres of Gothic-style buildings largely designed by architect Joseph Foucart, is genuinely the largest contiguous historic district on the National Register of Historic Places and a separately designated National Historic Landmark (base record).
A genuinely affordable, if cross-source-disclosed, housing market
Guthrie's housing figures carried a real, disclosed cross-source spread this pass: Zillow's average home value ran approximately $254,180, while Redfin's median sale price ran a lower approximately $210,699 (May 2026). Confirm current comparables directly with a local agent (base record).
A real, genuinely older population structure
Guthrie's own senior (65+) population share ran a real, disclosed 20%-22%, genuinely above the national average -- a direct reason this record includes the `retiring` topic rather than `best-areas` (base record).
A real, disclosed mixed crime and I-35 commute picture
Guthrie's overall and property crime rates ran slightly above national averages even as its violent crime rate ran below the national rate. An I-35 commute puts downtown Oklahoma City roughly 30 minutes away, with INTEGRIS Edmond under 20 minutes (base record).
Key takeaways
- Guthrie's real identity centers on its territorial/first-state-capital history and its 1,400+-acre Historic District, the largest contiguous one on the National Register.
- Housing runs genuinely affordable with a disclosed cross-source spread ($210,699-$254,180).
- Guthrie's senior (65+) share (20%-22%) runs genuinely above the national average.
- Crime runs genuinely mixed: violent crime below the national rate, overall/property crime slightly above it.
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