The Town FilesTemple, Oklahoma
Town in Cotton County · population 862 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $51,600
- Household income
- $29,243
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 45.4
Temple is a town of 862 people in Cotton County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $51,600, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Oklahoma towns, quieter than 76% of Oklahoma towns.
How Temple 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 Temple is worth $51,600, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $29,243, which is more affordable than 86% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Temple | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $51,600 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $717 | $830 |
| Median household income | $29,243 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Temple
| People | Temple | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.6% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.8% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 14.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 1.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.9% | 86.0% |
Weather in Temple
July highs average 96.6°F and January lows 27.3°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.2 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Temple since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 26, 1962 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 10, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 98 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 1973.
Severe weather in Cotton County since 1996
Cotton County has been included in 37 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 |
| 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 Cotton County
Cotton County had 1,914 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,637 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Temple itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Temple
2 public schools with 168 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEMPLE ES | PK-8 | 122 | 13.6 |
| TEMPLE HS | 9-12 | 46 | 9.2 |
Towns near Temple
- Walters, OK9.2 mi · 2,412 people · home $126,900
- Waurika, OK13.4 mi · 1,837 people · home $64,800
- Comanche, OK15.8 mi · 1,378 people · home $78,100
- Geronimo, OK17.0 mi · 1,158 people · home $93,500
- Empire City, OK17.4 mi · 703 people · home $193,200
- Petrolia, TX17.9 mi · 514 people · home $95,600
- Sunray, OK18.6 mi · 853 people · home $87,800
- Duncan, OK21.3 mi · 22,692 people · home $131,500
Temple questions
Is Temple, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Temple scores better for retirees than 65% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 76%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Temple?
The median owner-occupied home in Temple is valued at $51,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $29,243, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Temple?
July highs average 96.6°F and January lows 27.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 2.2 inches of snow.
Does Temple get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Temple since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 26, 1962. 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)