The Town FilesJay, Oklahoma
City in Delaware County · population 2,425 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $107,900
- Household income
- $38,094
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 34.6
Jay is a city of 2,425 people in Delaware County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $107,900, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for cycling than 85% of Oklahoma towns, quieter than 70% of Oklahoma towns.
How Jay 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 Jay is worth $107,900, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $38,094, which is more affordable than 30% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $765 a month. 61.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jay | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,900 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $765 | $830 |
| Median household income | $38,094 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.3% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Jay
| People | Jay | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.3% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.5% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.1% | 86.0% |
Weather in Jay
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.1 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 22, 2011 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 6, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on March 27, 2020.
Severe weather in Delaware County since 1996
Delaware County has been included in 33 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 |
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Delaware County
Delaware County had 9,636 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,520 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Jay itself the ACS puts it at 13.6%.
Public schools in Jay
4 public schools with 1,556 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAY ES | PK-3 | 585 | 14.6 |
| JAY HS | 9-12 | 427 | 15.8 |
| JAY UPPER ES | 4-6 | 330 | 17.4 |
| JAY MS | 7-8 | 214 | 10.7 |
Towns near Jay
- Grove, OK10.9 mi · 6,956 people · home $244,300
- Southwest City, MO12.2 mi · 922 people · home $91,100
- Colcord, OK12.6 mi · 728 people · home $93,600
- Cleora, OK14.2 mi · 1,220 people · home $230,800
- Kenwood, OK14.2 mi · 904 people · home $104,100
- Langley, OK15.0 mi · 606 people · home $110,800
- Kansas, OK15.3 mi · 711 people · home $77,500
- Copeland, OK16.4 mi · 1,511 people · home $123,500
Jay questions
Is Jay, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jay scores better for retirees than 13% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 70%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.6).
How much does a house cost in Jay?
The median owner-occupied home in Jay is valued at $107,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,094, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $765 a month.
What is the weather like in Jay?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.1 inches of snow.
Does Jay get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 22, 2011. 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)