City profile · Oklahoma · Census ACS 2023

Sulphur, OK

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

4,900
Residents
$57,531
Median income
$116,300
Median home
$994
Median rent (state)

Sulphur - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sulphur places in the 31st percentile for household income and the 42nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
16th
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
42nd
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: Sulphur, OK

Oklahoma's Sulphur is a small town, with 4,900 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Sulphur brings in $57,531 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.1%. Typical homes in Sulphur are valued around $116,300, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. 16.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 50.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 8 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 167% from five years earlier. Sulphur reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1624.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Oklahoma run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Oklahoma scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $994 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $205 across Oklahoma, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 32.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

4,900 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oklahoma

Median Household Income

$57,531 /yr

Poverty 13.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oklahoma average

How does Sulphur compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sulphur stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 16% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 42% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Oklahoma and the picture shifts: Sulphur ranks #106 of 203 Oklahoma cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sulphur's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Oklahoma, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
42ndSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 42nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sulphur's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sulphur'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 52 Avg. percentile National median
Sulphur'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 Sulphur's home value compares nationally

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

$116,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Sulphur $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 - Sulphur, OK Sulphur, OK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sulphur, 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 Sulphur, OK median $57,531/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%
Sulphur, 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 Sulphur, OK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.1%

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

Population
4,900
Median Income
$57,531
Median Home Value
$116,300
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Labor force participation
50.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1624.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
185.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1439.4
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,850 residents4,900 residents4,950 residents5,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,950 residents 4,878 residents ▼ -1.5%
Sulphur's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 4
2021 8
2022 19
2023 4
2024 8

Permit volume increased 167% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.6%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
2.6%
Other
1.6%

Based on 1,846 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 Sulphur sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$994/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
32.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oklahoma

Hinton
4,886 people
Kingfisher
4,964 people
Alva
5,009 people
Lone Grove
5,070 people
Hugo
5,184 people
Sayre
5,216 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sulphur's 4,900 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hillandale, MD
4,901 people
University, MS
4,899 people
Fellsmere, FL
4,902 people
North Manchester, IN
4,904 people
Harlan, IA
4,896 people
Minot AFB, ND
4,904 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sulphur's $57,531 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Standing Pine, MS
$57,532 median income
Beaumont, TX
$57,530 median income
Iowa City, IA
$57,533 median income
Gladstone, MI
$57,534 median income
Bellevue, OH
$57,534 median income
Blue Mountain, MS
$57,527 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sulphur, 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 Sulphur, OK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.4% 11.8% 14.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.9% White 69.4% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 11.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 14.2% 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 Sulphur 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
Sulphur (this city) 4,900 $57,531
Hinton 4,886 $61,622
Kingfisher 4,964 $66,000
Alva 5,009 $41,728
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OK FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sulphur, OK?

What is the population of Sulphur, OK? +

The population of Sulphur, OK stands at 4,900 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Sulphur is $57,531 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sulphur? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sulphur; 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 Sulphur, OK safe? +

Sulphur has a total crime rate of 1624.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Sulphur, OK? +

Sulphur's median home value sits at $116,300, 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 Editorial

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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.