The Town Files

Payne County, Oklahoma

82,972 people. The median home is worth $223,300 (typical Oklahoma town: $122,500) and the median household earns $49,809.

Towns in Payne County

Towns in Payne County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Stillwater48,394$237,200$43,70023.9
Cushing8,327$114,500$44,13635.7
Perkins3,205$172,200$35,45626.1
Yale1,059$82,400$42,75036.9

People and housing

Payne CountyTypical Oklahoma town
Median home value$223,300$122,500
Median rent$917$830
Median household income$49,809$54,111
Median age27.737.1
Bachelor's degree or higher39.7%16.3%
Below the poverty line22.6%18.8%

Jobs and pay

35,198 jobs in 2024, average pay $52,066 a year.

Largest industries in Payne CountyHotels & restaurants4,897 jobs · $19,170Retail4,029 jobs · $31,594Health care & social assistan…2,280 jobs · $43,731Construction1,646 jobs · $68,108Manufacturing1,321 jobs · $60,762Professional & technical serv…1,315 jobs · $69,256
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Payne County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 3%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 841 storm events in Payne County from 1996 to 2026, with 5 deaths.

Storm events in Payne County by type since 1996Hail243Heat62Drought83Tornado21High Wind16Lightning15Heavy Snow15Flash Flood29Winter Storm17Excessive Heat34
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Payne County has been included in 39 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
May 21, 2025FireDR-4866: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds
March 15, 2025FireFM-5566: Underwood Fire
March 14, 2025FireFM-5558: Stillwater Fire
October 30, 2024FireFM-5543: Euchee Creek Fire
July 19, 2023Severe StormDR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes
February 24, 2021Severe Ice StormDR-4587: Severe Winter Storms
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).