The Town FilesQuapaw, Oklahoma
Town in Ottawa County · population 811 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $72,200
- Household income
- $40,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 41.0
Quapaw is a town of 811 people in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $72,200, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more vibrant than 71% of Oklahoma towns.
How Quapaw 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 Quapaw is worth $72,200, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $40,000, which is more affordable than 86% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $709 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Quapaw | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $72,200 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $709 | $830 |
| Median household income | $40,000 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Quapaw
| People | Quapaw | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.4% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 1.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.9% | 86.0% |
Weather in Quapaw
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.4 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quapaw since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on May 10, 2008 about 9.4 miles from the town center and killed 14. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 21 deaths and 444 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 109 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 26, 1991.
Severe weather in Ottawa County since 1996
Ottawa County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4776: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 Ottawa County
Ottawa County had 12,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,301 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Quapaw itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Quapaw
3 public schools with 600 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| QUAPAW ES | PK-5 | 272 | 15.1 |
| QUAPAW HS | 9-12 | 189 | 14.5 |
| QUAPAW MS | 6-8 | 139 | 13.9 |
Towns near Quapaw
- Commerce, OK4.3 mi · 2,271 people · home $72,600
- Baxter Springs, KS5.6 mi · 3,888 people · home $92,900
- Miami, OK6.3 mi · 12,969 people · home $107,600
- Riverton, KS9.6 mi · 771 people · home $144,000
- Loma Linda, MO11.2 mi · 943 people · home $275,700
- Galena, KS12.0 mi · 2,761 people · home $78,500
- Seneca, MO12.2 mi · 2,230 people · home $132,600
- Fairland, OK14.1 mi · 1,106 people · home $90,200
Quapaw questions
Is Quapaw, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Quapaw scores better for retirees than 17% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 55%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Quapaw?
The median owner-occupied home in Quapaw is valued at $72,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,000, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $709 a month.
What is the weather like in Quapaw?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 7.4 inches of snow.
Does Quapaw get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quapaw since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on May 10, 2008. 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)