City · Oklahoma
Poteau, Oklahoma
Poteau, city, in Le Flore County, Oklahoma. Poteau had 9,171 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,807 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,959 (±54). GEOID 4060350.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
9,171
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,807 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,959 ±54
Median household income
$50,511
±$6,620 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $65,039
Median home value
$157,400
±$27,053 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $199,800
Median gross rent
$853
±$49 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $1,014
Where is Poteau and what county is it in?
Poteau is a city in Le Flore County, Oklahoma. It covers 26.6 square miles of land, 331 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 Poteau, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,171 people lived in Poteau on July 1, 2025, up 4.2% since 2020, in line with Oklahoma (+4.1%). The 2020 Census counted 8,807 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,959 (±54).
| Measure | Poteau | Le Flore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,959 ±54 | 49,053 | +116 |
| Households | 3,286 ±157 | 17,997 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.58 ±0.12 | 2.63 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,707 ±165 | 21,249 | no clear change |
Poteau's population since 2000
From 7,939 in 2000 to 9,171 in 2025: up 15.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Poteau 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 Poteau?
The median resident of Poteau is 36.0 years old; 27.3% are under 18 and 16.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 15.2%. 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Poteau | Le Flore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 ±1.1 | 38.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.3% ±2.2 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.2% ±1.7 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±2.3 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.2% ±2.7 pts | 8.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.3% ±3.3 pts | 68.4% | −5.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 8.5% ±2.1 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.4% ±2.2 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.0% ±2.0 pts | 3.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.6% ±2.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±2.0 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 20.5% ±3.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.4% ±3.2 pts | 17.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.4% ±3.9 pts | 85.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.4% ±3.4 pts | 15.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.5% ±2.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.7% ±3.6 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.8% ±2.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
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 Poteau earn?
Half of Poteau's 3,286 households earn less than $50,511 a year (±$6,620), against $51,565 in Le Flore County and $65,039 in Oklahoma. In 2015-2019 it was $49,746 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Poteau | Le Flore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,511 ±$6,620 | $51,565 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,468 ±$6,577 | $67,356 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,228 ±$2,286 | $25,771 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.8% ±4.6 pts | 19.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.9% ±9.2 pts | 24.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.7% ±4.4 pts | 20.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.4% ±4.1 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.9% ±4.0 pts | 81.4% | – |
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 Poteau?
Owners occupy 62.3% of Poteau's occupied homes and renters 37.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,400 by its owner (±$27,053). The median renter pays $853 a month including utilities, and 41.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Poteau | Le Flore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $157,400 ±$27,053 | $135,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $853 ±$49 | $798 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.8% ±7.4 pts | 35.0% | +12.3 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,045 ±$138 | $1,144 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.3% ±5.2 pts | 72.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.7% ±5.2 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Housing units | 3,707 ±165 | 21,249 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.1% ±1.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% ±3.1 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.4% ±3.4 pts | 75.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.0% ±2.4 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.5% ±3.3 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.4% ±2.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.3% ±2.7 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 Poteau building?
Builders took permits for 16 new housing units in Poteau in 2025 (16 in single-family houses), 1.7 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 Poteau work and get to work?
82.8% of Poteau's workers drive alone and 4.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.1%.
| Measure | Poteau | Le Flore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.7% ±3.8 pts | 51.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±2.5 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 82.8% ±4.8 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.2% ±4.0 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.4% ±2.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.4 min ±2.6 | 24.2 min | no clear change |
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 Poteau?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Poteau, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $44,329 (Tract 404.02) to $54,438 (Tract 404.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 404.01Le Flore County | 5,421 | $54,438 |
| Tract 404.02Le Flore County | 3,929 | $44,329 |
| Tract 403.02Le Flore County | 3,666 | $56,136 |
| Tract 403.01Le Flore County | 5,753 | $56,962 |
| Tract 405Le Flore County | 4,977 | $62,414 |
| Tract 406.02Le Flore County | 5,331 | $44,495 |
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 Poteau) · Census block assignment files
How does Poteau compare with other places in Oklahoma?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Poteau is the 3,415th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 51st-most populous of 591 in Oklahoma.
Poteau ranks 138th 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 | 51st | 591 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 64th | 212 |
| Residents per square mile | 182nd | 229 |
| Median household income | 138th | 228 |
| Per capita income | 164th | 229 |
| Median home value | 91st | 228 |
| Median gross rent | 103rd | 223 |
| Poverty rate | 92nd | 218 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 122nd | 226 |
| Median age | 132nd | 229 |
| Owner-occupied share | 139th | 229 |
| Work from home | 117th | 140 |
| Travel time to work | 130th | 229 |
Poteau's figures with every place in Oklahoma (CSV)
Every place in Oklahoma, sortable · Compare Poteau 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 Poteau?
7 of the 57 figures for Poteau 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 Poteau 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 Poteau.