The Town FilesWaurika, Oklahoma
City in Jefferson County · population 1,837 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $64,800
- Household income
- $45,882
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 40.0
Waurika is a city of 1,837 people in Jefferson County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $64,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better transit than 100% of Oklahoma towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Oklahoma towns, better for retirees than 80% of Oklahoma towns.
How Waurika 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 Waurika is worth $64,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $45,882, which is more affordable than 95% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $679 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waurika | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $64,800 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $679 | $830 |
| Median household income | $45,882 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Waurika
| People | Waurika | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.4% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.1% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 86.0% |
Weather in Waurika
July highs average 97.0°F and January lows 31.1°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.9 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waurika since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 10, 1979 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on May 10, 1975.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 18, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4862: 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 Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 964 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $37,825 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Waurika itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Waurika
3 public schools with 450 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAURIKA ES | PK-5 | 230 | 13.5 |
| WAURIKA HS | 9-12 | 138 | 19.7 |
| WAURIKA MS | 6-8 | 82 | 13.7 |
Towns near Waurika
- Ryan, OK12.0 mi · 667 people · home $48,400
- Comanche, OK12.6 mi · 1,378 people · home $78,100
- Temple, OK13.4 mi · 862 people · home $51,600
- Sunray, OK16.1 mi · 853 people · home $87,800
- Petrolia, TX16.7 mi · 514 people · home $95,600
- Empire City, OK20.4 mi · 703 people · home $193,200
- Duncan, OK20.9 mi · 22,692 people · home $131,500
- Walters, OK22.4 mi · 2,412 people · home $126,900
Waurika questions
Is Waurika, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waurika scores better for retirees than 80% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 49%. 18.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Waurika?
The median owner-occupied home in Waurika is valued at $64,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,882, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $679 a month.
What is the weather like in Waurika?
July highs average 97.0°F and January lows 31.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.9 inches of snow.
Does Waurika get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waurika since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 10, 1979. 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)