City · Oklahoma
Jay, Oklahoma
Jay, city, in Delaware County, Oklahoma. Jay had 2,507 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,425 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,731 (±411). GEOID 4037650.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,507
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,425 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,731 ±411
Median household income
$38,094
±$3,508 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $65,039
Median home value
$107,900
±$16,506 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $199,800
Median gross rent
$765
±$142 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $1,014
Where is Jay and what county is it in?
Jay is a city in Delaware County, Oklahoma. It covers 3.3 square miles of land, 728 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Jay, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,507 people lived in Jay on July 1, 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, slower than Oklahoma (+4.1%). The 2020 Census counted 2,425 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,731 (±411).
| Measure | Jay | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,731 ±411 | 41,279 | no clear change |
| Households | 953 ±124 | 17,161 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.76 ±0.28 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,109 ±120 | 24,396 | no clear change |
Jay's population since 2000
From 2,482 in 2000 to 2,507 in 2025: up 1.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Jay as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Jay?
The median resident of Jay is 34.6 years old; 25.4% are under 18 and 13.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 37.3%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 35.1%.
| Measure | Jay | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±1.3 | 46.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.4% ±3.2 pts | 19.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.6% ±3.1 pts | 25.7% | – |
| Male | 48.0% ±3.7 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.6% ±3.2 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 37.3% ±5.5 pts | 62.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±2.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 35.1% ±7.3 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 17.9% ±6.7 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.8% ±2.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9% ±1.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 25.2% ±5.5 pts | 22.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 24.5% ±5.9 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 76.5% ±6.0 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.3% ±4.7 pts | 19.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.0% ±1.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.7% ±5.2 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.8% ±3.0 pts | 4.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Jay earn?
Half of Jay's 953 households earn less than $38,094 a year (±$3,508), against $56,676 in Delaware County and $65,039 in Oklahoma. In 2015-2019 it was $35,273 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Jay | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,094 ±$3,508 | $56,676 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $61,468 ±$14,879 | $77,839 | – |
| Per capita income | $23,150 ±$5,599 | $36,971 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.5% ±7.1 pts | 19.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.2% ±9.4 pts | 26.5% | −14.0 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.1% ±6.3 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±4.3 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.1% ±5.6 pts | 85.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Jay?
Owners occupy 61.3% of Jay's occupied homes and renters 38.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $107,900 by its owner (±$16,506). The median renter pays $765 a month including utilities, and 54.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Jay | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $107,900 ±$16,506 | $175,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $765 ±$142 | $913 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.9% ±14.8 pts | 37.7% | +21.3 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $985 ±$106 | $1,279 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.3% ±7.0 pts | 77.1% | +11.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.7% ±7.0 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,109 ±120 | 24,396 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.2% ±2.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.0% ±4.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.9% ±6.1 pts | 66.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.7% ±3.6 pts | 25.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.9% ±2.2 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.8% ±2.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.2% ±5.4 pts | 4.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Jay building?
Builders took permits for 15 new housing units in Jay in 2025 (15 in single-family houses), 6.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.8 across Oklahoma.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Jay work and get to work?
80.6% of Jay's workers drive alone and 5.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 13.6%.
| Measure | Jay | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.4% ±5.8 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 13.6% ±4.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.6% ±6.3 pts | 75.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±4.3 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 5.5% ±4.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.2% ±3.2 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.6 min ±3.9 | 28.6 min | +8.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Jay?
1 census tract lies mostly in Jay (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3760Delaware County | 5,599 | $49,851 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Jay) · Census block assignment files
How does Jay compare with other places in Oklahoma?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Jay is the 6,899th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 128th-most populous of 591 in Oklahoma.
Jay ranks 210th of 228 places in Oklahoma with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 128th | 591 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 75th | 212 |
| Residents per square mile | 112th | 229 |
| Median household income | 210th | 228 |
| Per capita income | 179th | 229 |
| Median home value | 162nd | 228 |
| Median gross rent | 158th | 223 |
| Poverty rate | 62nd | 218 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 193rd | 226 |
| Median age | 167th | 229 |
| Owner-occupied share | 151st | 229 |
| Work from home | 108th | 140 |
| Travel time to work | 34th | 229 |
Jay's figures with every place in Oklahoma (CSV)
Every place in Oklahoma, sortable · Compare Jay with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Jay?
10 of the 57 figures for Jay on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Jay are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Jay.