The Town FilesArapaho, Oklahoma
Town in Custer County · population 668 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,800
- Household income
- $39,632
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 36.8
Arapaho is a town of 668 people in Custer County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $118,800, close to the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Oklahoma towns, more upscale than 76% of Oklahoma towns, quieter than 71% of Oklahoma towns.
How Arapaho ranks
Percentile among Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oklahoma towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arapaho is worth $118,800, close to the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $39,632, which is more affordable than 20% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $889 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arapaho | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,800 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $889 | $830 |
| Median household income | $39,632 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Arapaho
| People | Arapaho | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.9% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.6% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 86.0% |
Weather in Arapaho
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.4 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arapaho since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 22, 1981 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 92 times; the largest was 4.75 inches on May 29, 2004.
Severe weather in Custer County since 1996
Custer County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4791: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 21, 2020 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4575: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Custer County
Custer County had 12,644 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,256 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Arapaho itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Arapaho
2 public schools with 485 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARAPAHO-BUTLER ES | PK-8 | 358 | 14.9 |
| ARAPAHO-BUTLER HS | 9-12 | 127 | 11.5 |
Towns near Arapaho
- Clinton, OK4.9 mi · 8,521 people · home $119,400
- Weatherford, OK15.7 mi · 12,076 people · home $232,600
- Thomas, OK16.9 mi · 1,143 people · home $135,400
- Corn, OK17.0 mi · 592 people · home $126,300
- New Cordell, OK19.5 mi · 2,775 people · home $106,600
- Burns Flat, OK19.6 mi · 1,948 people · home $106,600
- Hydro, OK21.4 mi · 927 people · home $155,100
- Elk City, OK29.4 mi · 11,561 people · home $150,400
Arapaho questions
Is Arapaho, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arapaho scores better for retirees than 99% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 71%. 9.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in Arapaho?
The median owner-occupied home in Arapaho is valued at $118,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,632, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $889 a month.
What is the weather like in Arapaho?
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 6.4 inches of snow.
Does Arapaho get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arapaho since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 22, 1981. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)