The Town Files

Newkirk, Oklahoma

City in Kay County · population 2,172 (2020 Census)

Map: where Newkirk is in OklahomaNewkirk
Median home
$101,800
Household income
$52,639
Jan low / Jul high
22° / 92°
Snow a year
9 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
31
Median age
35.9

Newkirk is a city of 2,172 people in Kay County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $101,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks quieter than 87% of Oklahoma towns, easier by car than 81% of Oklahoma towns, better for cycling than 78% of Oklahoma towns.

How Newkirk 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.

Newkirk lifestyle rankings vs other Oklahoma townsRetirement68th pctFamilies33rd pctQuiet87th pctWalkability61st pctFirst-time buyers63rd pctYoung professionals14th pctVibrancy33rd pctHip & trendy40th pctCollege town26th pctUpscale34th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling78th pctTransitbottomDriving81st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Newkirk is worth $101,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $52,639, which is more affordable than 80% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $623 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.

Newkirk vs Kay County vs typical Oklahoma townNewkirkKay CountyTypical Oklahoma townHome value$101,800$124,700$122,500Household income$52,639$58,423$54,111Monthly rent$623$842$830
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Oklahoma towns with 500+ people.
HousingNewkirkTypical Oklahoma town
Median home value$101,800$122,500
Median rent$623$830
Median household income$52,639$54,111
Home value ÷ income1.9×2.4×
Homeownership73.2%68.5%
Median year built19671976
Seasonal / vacation homes0.9%—

Who lives in Newkirk

PeopleNewkirkTypical Oklahoma town
Median age35.937.1
Age 65 and over19.1%16.5%
Under 1822.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher12.2%16.3%
Below the poverty line14.9%18.8%
Veterans8.1%—
Born outside the U.S.1.4%—
Work from home1.7%5.7%
Average commute22.9 min22.9 min
Homes with broadband83.0%86.0%

Weather in Newkirk

July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.6 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.

Newkirk monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing45°22°Jan50°25°Feb59°34°Mar69°43°Apr77°54°May87°65°Jun92°69°Jul91°67°Aug83°59°Sep72°47°Oct59°34°Nov47°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.12.41.61.92.71.64.25.75.44.34.23.13.61.80.11.62.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Newkirk 5Ne station (5.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newkirk since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 25, 1955 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Newkirk by decade51950s51960s101970s31980s21990s22000s12010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 80 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 27, 1996.

Severe weather in Kay County since 1996

Storm events in Kay County since 1996 by typeHail367Heat58Flood14Drought110Tornado32High Wind26Heavy Snow28Flash Flood78
NOAA Storm Events Database, Kay County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Kay County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 30, 2024TornadoDR-4776: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
February 24, 2021Severe Ice StormDR-4587: Severe Winter Storms
February 17, 2021Severe Ice StormEM-3555: Severe Winter Storm
December 21, 2020Severe Ice StormDR-4575: Severe Winter Storm
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in Kay County

Kay County had 17,181 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,720 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Newkirk itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.

Largest industries in Kay CountyRetail2,251 jobs · $32,851Manufacturing2,188 jobs · $57,425Health care & social assistan…1,942 jobs · $44,651Hotels & restaurants1,561 jobs · $18,429Construction892 jobs · $64,398Administrative & support656 jobs · $38,654
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Kay County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Kay 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Newkirk

4 public schools with 862 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
NEWKIRK ESPK-531314.2
NEWKIRK HS9-1224211.5
NEWKIRK MS6-818314.1
PECKHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLPK-812412.4

Towns near Newkirk

Newkirk questions

Is Newkirk, Oklahoma a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Newkirk scores better for retirees than 68% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 87%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).

How much does a house cost in Newkirk?

The median owner-occupied home in Newkirk is valued at $101,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,639, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $623 a month.

What is the weather like in Newkirk?

July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 8.6 inches of snow.

Does Newkirk get tornadoes?

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newkirk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 25, 1955. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Newkirk's Census boundary (GEOID 4051300). Comparisons use the median of Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.