The Town FilesCarney, Oklahoma
Town in Lincoln County · population 545 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $96,300
- Household income
- $47,813
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 34.7
Carney is a town of 545 people in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $96,300, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Oklahoma towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Oklahoma towns, quieter than 87% of Oklahoma towns.
How Carney 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 Carney is worth $96,300, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $47,813, which is more affordable than 75% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $790 a month. 72.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carney | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,300 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $790 | $830 |
| Median household income | $47,813 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 72.5% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carney
| People | Carney | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.2% | 86.0% |
Weather in Carney
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 36.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carney since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 19, 2013 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 88 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 1, 2008.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Fire | DR-4866: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 18, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4862: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5559: Chandler Fire |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5561: Logan Fire |
| April 30, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4776: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 7,470 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,745 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Carney itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Carney
2 public schools with 216 students, about 18.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARNEY ES | PK-8 | 155 | 19.4 |
| CARNEY HS | 9-12 | 61 | 15.3 |
Towns near Carney
- Wellston, OK8.8 mi · 679 people · home $106,800
- Chandler, OK11.9 mi · 2,858 people · home $110,600
- Perkins, OK12.0 mi · 3,205 people · home $172,200
- Luther, OK13.7 mi · 1,492 people · home $212,800
- Davenport, OK15.6 mi · 809 people · home $92,000
- Langston, OK17.1 mi · 1,619 people · home $206,600
- Cushing, OK18.6 mi · 8,327 people · home $114,500
- Stroud, OK20.6 mi · 2,719 people · home $125,000
Carney questions
Is Carney, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carney scores better for retirees than 20% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 87%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Carney?
The median owner-occupied home in Carney is valued at $96,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,813, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $790 a month.
What is the weather like in Carney?
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does Carney get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 19, 2013. 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)