The Town FilesCookson, Oklahoma
Community in Cherokee County · population 826 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $110,700
- Household income
- $49,983
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 57.3
Cookson is a community of 826 people in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $110,700, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks quieter than 100% of Oklahoma towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Oklahoma towns, better for retirees than 98% of Oklahoma towns.
- #1 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Oklahoma
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Oklahoma
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Oklahoma
- #15 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Oklahoma
- #24 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Oklahoma With Mild Winters
How Cookson 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 Cookson is worth $110,700, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $49,983, which is more affordable than 64% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $830 a month. 94.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cookson | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $110,700 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $830 | $830 |
| Median household income | $49,983 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 94.9% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 25.6% | — |
Who lives in Cookson
| People | Cookson | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.4% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 7.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.0% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 15.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.0% | 86.0% |
Weather in Cookson
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.5 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cookson since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 26, 1973 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 10, 2010.
Severe weather in Cherokee County since 1996
Cherokee County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4657: Severe Storms, 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 |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3462: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cherokee County
Cherokee County had 17,947 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,123 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Cookson itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Cookson
- Pettit, OK5.0 mi · 829 people · home $148,200
- Keys, OK5.8 mi · 1,030 people · home $130,200
- Park Hill, OK8.4 mi · 3,193 people · home $174,400
- Zeb, OK9.4 mi · 520 people · home $151,600
- Welling, OK11.3 mi · 781 people · home $186,300
- Woodall, OK11.8 mi · 816 people · home $221,800
- Redbird Smith, OK12.5 mi · 526 people · home $87,900
- Tahlequah, OK13.5 mi · 16,209 people · home $185,400
Cookson questions
Is Cookson, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cookson scores better for retirees than 98% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 100%. 39.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in Cookson?
The median owner-occupied home in Cookson is valued at $110,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,983, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $830 a month.
What is the weather like in Cookson?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.5 inches of snow.
Does Cookson get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cookson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 26, 1973. 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)