Oklahoma’s Workforce
The 2023 Child Care and Early Education in Oklahoma Fact Sheet from the First Five Years Fund Center noted that of the 307,164 children under the age of 5 in Oklahoma, 23% were living in poverty and 60% had all available parents currently in the workforce. Families typically spend about 9% of their income on childcare expenses. Based on the data on childcare facility capacity in Table 1, there were more than 60,000 spots that weren’t available in 2023. While the total number of facilities decreased over time, the capacity of those facilities has started to increase. The pandemic impacted some facility closures, but labor costs and regulations continue to be significant barriers for operators. While facilities and capacities are on the rise in Oklahoma, that increase could be affected by the expiration of federal aid packages that were granted by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) during the pandemic to assist low-income families as well as facility operations. The aid, totaling $24 billion, expired in September 2023. Another $15 billion in federal funds is expected to expire in September 2024. The state has made efforts to address the shortage of childcare services with House Bill 2452. The bill aims to ease restrictions for in-home daycare centers by increasing the number of available spots. Senate Bill 1063 was proposed to provide employers and childcare workers with tax incentives but died in conference last May. However in March of 2024 House Bill 4147 passed which would offer tax credits to employers for 30% of cost assistance, operation or contracting of child care for employees. Qualifying child care workers could also be eligible for a $1,000 income tax credit. The bill has an April 25th deadline to pass the senate. Several of the Native Nations in Oklahoma have also taken steps to assist communities with childcare needs. The Chickasaw Nation announced opening three new facilities in Ada, Tishomingo and Purcell. The Caddo Nation also announced the groundbreaking of a new facility in Hinton.
Poverty by Gender
Poverty According to U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, the percentage of all individuals whose income in the past 12 months was below the poverty level was 15.7% compared to the national rate of 11.5%. The percentage of families whose income in the past 12 months was below the poverty level was 11.4% for all families. Families with a female householder and no spouse present represented the largest category at 29.1% compared to married couples at 6.2%. The median household income in Oklahoma is estimated at $61,364 compared to the national median of $75,149.
Figure 5. Source: OSU Center for the Future of Work, 2023 Voice of the Workforce study
WorkTrends 2024
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