City profile · Oklahoma · Census ACS 2023

Tahlequah, OK

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

16,513
Residents
$48,515
Median income
$182,800
Median home
$948
Median rent (state)

Tahlequah - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Tahlequah lands in the 17th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
23rd
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: Tahlequah, OK

16,513 people live in Tahlequah, Oklahoma - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Tahlequah brings in $48,515 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.0%. Typical homes in Tahlequah are valued around $182,800, and the median resident age is 30.7 years. About 34.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 48 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 55% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2477.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 60.9°F with 51.0 inches of precipitation per year and 4.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Oklahoma run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Oklahoma at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $948 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 76.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

16,513 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oklahoma

Median Household Income

$48,515 /yr

Poverty 13.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oklahoma average

How does Tahlequah compare to other US cities?

Where Tahlequah sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 37% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% 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, Tahlequah ranks #158 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

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 Tahlequah'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.

17thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Tahlequah's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Tahlequah'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
Tahlequah'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 Tahlequah's home value compares nationally

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

$182,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Tahlequah $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 - Tahlequah, OK Tahlequah, OK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Tahlequah, 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 Tahlequah, OK median $48,515/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%
Tahlequah, 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 Tahlequah, OK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.2%

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

Population
16,513
Median Income
$48,515
Median Home Value
$182,800
Median Age
30.7
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Labor force participation
57.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2477.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
182.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2295.0
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
60.9°F
Annual Precipitation
51.0"
Annual Snowfall
4.3"

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents17,500 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,462 residents 17,508 residents ▲ +6.4%
Tahlequah's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
48
housing units authorized
Single-Family
32
detached homes
Multifamily
16
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 107
2020 125
2021 160
2022 22
2023 90
2024 48

Permit volume decreased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.6%
Carpool
12.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
5.5%
Work from Home
4.3%
Other
2.1%

Based on 7,671 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 Tahlequah sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$948/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
76.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oklahoma

Ada
16,536 people
Chickasha
16,349 people
El Reno
17,919 people
McAlester
18,098 people
Altus
18,670 people
Glenpool
13,885 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Tahlequah's 16,513 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Grovetown, GA
16,516 people
Fort Hunt, VA
16,519 people
Radford, VA
16,505 people
Morton, IL
16,503 people
Westchester, IL
16,524 people
Albemarle, NC
16,527 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Tahlequah's $48,515 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenup, IL
$48,516 median income
Hallandale Beach, FL
$48,518 median income
North Adams, MA
$48,521 median income
Sunbury, PA
$48,509 median income
Aguila, AZ
$48,523 median income
Mesa Verde, CA
$48,523 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Tahlequah, 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 Tahlequah, OK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 45.3% 32.9% 15.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.3% White 45.3% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 0.9% American Indian 32.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 15.3% 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 Tahlequah 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
Tahlequah (this city) 16,513 $48,515
Ada 16,536 $51,792
Chickasha 16,349 $55,039
El Reno 17,919 $54,459
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Tahlequah, OK?

What is the population of Tahlequah, OK? +

Tahlequah, OK counts 16,513 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Tahlequah, the typical household earns $48,515 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Tahlequah? +

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

Tahlequah has a total crime rate of 2477.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Tahlequah, OK? +

Homes in Tahlequah carry a median value of $182,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Tahlequah? +

Climate normals put Tahlequah's yearly average temperature at 60.9°F, 51.0 inches of precipitation, and 4.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.