The Town FilesStillwater, Oklahoma
City in Payne County · population 48,394 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $237,200
- Household income
- $43,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 23.9
Stillwater is a city of 48,394 people in Payne County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $237,200, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 99% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 98% of Oklahoma towns.
How Stillwater 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 Stillwater is worth $237,200, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $43,700, which is more affordable than 1% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $947 a month. 37.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stillwater | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $237,200 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $947 | $830 |
| Median household income | $43,700 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 37.1% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Stillwater
| People | Stillwater | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 14.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.9% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.4% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 15.4 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 86.0% |
Weather in Stillwater
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 36.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.5 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stillwater since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 15, 1990 about 1.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 127 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 26, 1984.
Severe weather in Payne County since 1996
Payne County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Fire | DR-4866: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 15, 2025 | Fire | FM-5566: Underwood Fire |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5558: Stillwater Fire |
| October 30, 2024 | Fire | FM-5543: Euchee Creek Fire |
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Payne County
Payne County had 35,198 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,066 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Stillwater itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Stillwater
9 public schools with 6,019 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| STILLWATER HS | 10-12 | 1,339 | 19.7 |
| STILLWATER JHS | 8-9 | 936 | 18.7 |
| STILLWATER MS | 6-7 | 849 | 16.6 |
| WESTWOOD ES | PK-5 | 628 | 16.5 |
| HIGHLAND PARK ES | PK-5 | 543 | 16.0 |
| SANGRE RIDGE ES | PK-5 | 498 | 14.6 |
| WILL ROGERS ES | PK-5 | 473 | 13.1 |
| SKYLINE ES | PK-5 | 390 | 13.0 |
| RICHMOND ES | PK-5 | 363 | 14.5 |
Towns near Stillwater
- Perkins, OK10.8 mi · 3,205 people · home $172,200
- Perry, OK16.6 mi · 4,484 people · home $109,100
- Cushing, OK20.4 mi · 8,327 people · home $114,500
- Guthrie, OK25.7 mi · 10,749 people · home $186,600
- Drumright, OK28.4 mi · 2,560 people · home $85,600
Stillwater questions
Is Stillwater, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stillwater scores better for retirees than 15% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 1%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.9).
How much does a house cost in Stillwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Stillwater is valued at $237,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,700, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $947 a month.
What is the weather like in Stillwater?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.0 inches of precipitation a year and 7.5 inches of snow.
Does Stillwater get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stillwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 15, 1990. 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)