City profile · Oklahoma · Census ACS 2023

Poteau, OK

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Poteau - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,903
Residents
$49,789
Median income
$142,400
Median home
$937
Median rent (state)

Poteau - the verdict

Poteau ranks in the 19th percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
9th
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Poteau, OK

Oklahoma's Poteau is a small town, with 8,903 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Poteau brings in $49,789 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.2%. Poteau's housing stock carries a median value of $142,400, and the median resident age is 34.8 years. Educational attainment runs 15.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 48.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 17 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 45% from five years earlier. Poteau's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3231.1 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Oklahoma run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $937 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $205 across Oklahoma, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 22.0 minutes, with 81.3% driving alone and 4.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 82.7 out of 100 (High).

Population

8,903 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oklahoma

Median Household Income

$49,789 /yr

Poverty 18.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oklahoma average

How does Poteau compare to other US cities?

Poteau measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 9% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Oklahoma alone, Poteau ranks #178 of 203 Oklahoma cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Poteau against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Oklahoma only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Oklahoma-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Poteau near the bottom of Oklahoma's cities

Among the 671 Oklahoma cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Poteau ranks #324 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Poteau only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#351 of 639
45th percentile in Oklahoma
Median Gross Rent
#324 of 671
0th percentile in Oklahoma
Median Home Value
#183 of 628
71st percentile in Oklahoma
Poverty Rate
#183 of 671
72nd percentile in Oklahoma
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#292 of 671
56th percentile in Oklahoma

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Oklahoma only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

19thIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Poteau's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Poteau's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Poteau's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Poteau's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$142,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Poteau $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Poteau, OK Poteau, OK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Poteau, OK-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Poteau, OK median $49,789/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Poteau, OK's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Poteau, OK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,903
Median Income
$49,789
Median Home Value
$142,400
Median Age
34.8
Poverty Rate
18.2%
Labor force participation
48.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3231.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
294.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2936.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,600 residents8,800 residents9,000 residents9,200 residents9,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,822 residents 9,171 residents ▲ +4.0%
Poteau's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 31
2020 11
2021 37
2022 18
2023 16
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 45% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.0 minutes
Drive Alone
81.3%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
4.5%
Other
2.2%

Based on 3,341 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Oklahoma - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$205
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Oklahoma state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Oklahoma state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Poteau sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$937/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oklahoma

Sallisaw
8,553 people
Skiatook
8,553 people
Blanchard
9,276 people
Collinsville
8,468 people
Clinton
8,461 people
Cushing
8,336 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Poteau's 8,903 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Merritt Island, FL
8,903 people
Skidaway Island, GA
8,907 people
Cortez, CO
8,898 people
Evergreen, MT
8,908 people
Caldwell, NJ
8,898 people
Northwest Harborcreek, PA
8,908 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Poteau's $49,789 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fifth Ward, LA
$49,788 median income
Gila Bend, AZ
$49,786 median income
Hitterdal, MN
$49,792 median income
McGuffey, OH
$49,792 median income
Annex, OR
$49,792 median income
Eunice, NM
$49,795 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Poteau, OK Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Poteau, OK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.9% 9.8% 6.9% 10.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.2% White 70.9% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 0.3% American Indian 9.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.9% Two or more races 10.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Poteau compares to nearby Oklahoma cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Poteau (this city) 8,903 $49,789
Sallisaw 8,553 $47,333
Skiatook 8,553 $55,444
Blanchard 9,276 $89,472
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OK FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Poteau, OK?

What is the population of Poteau, OK? +

8,903 people live in Poteau, OK according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Poteau, OK? +

Poteau households earn a median of $49,789 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Poteau? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Poteau; the closest available measure is the Oklahoma state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Oklahoma vary by metro area.

Is Poteau, OK safe? +

Poteau has a total crime rate of 3231.1 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Poteau, OK? +

A typical home in Poteau is worth $142,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.