Payne County, OK

County

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2024 Population

82,972

US Senator

James Lankford

Republican Party

US Senator

Markwayne Mullin

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

22.6%

5.3% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$49,809

1.78% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$223,300

2.57% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

38,496

3.51% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Payne County, OK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.3% of the residents in Payne County, OK are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Payne County, OK are Oklahoma State University-Main Campus (6,544 degrees awarded in 2023), Meridian Technology Center (441 degrees), and Hello Gorgeous Barbers Stillwater's School of Barbering (19 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Payne County, OK was $223,300, and the homeownership rate was 51%.

Most people in Payne County, OK drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Payne County, OK was 2 cars per household.

Payne County, OK borders Creek County, OK, Lincoln County, OK, Logan County, OK, Noble County, OK, and Pawnee County, OK.

United States Oklahoma Stillwater, OK

Population & Diversity

Payne County, OK is home to a population of 83k people, from which 95.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.27% of Payne County, OK residents were born outside of the country (5.2k people).

In 2024, there were 9.48 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (61k people) in Payne County, OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.43k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 3.48k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.3%

2024 Citizenship

95.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.3% of Payne County, OK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Payne County, OK was 95.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Payne County, OK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Payne County, OK

White (Non-Hispanic)
61k ± 274
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
6.43k ± 646
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
3.48k ± 277

6.57%

Hispanic Population

5.45k people

6.57% of the people in Payne County, OK are hispanic (5.45k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Payne County, OK as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Oklahoma.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
105,376 ± 7,864 people
Vietnam
13,032 ± 2,798 people
Guatemala
11,790 ± 2,662 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Oklahoma was Mexico, the natal country of 105,376 Oklahoma residents, followed by Vietnam with 13,032 and Guatemala with 11,790.

Foreign-Born Population

6.27%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

5.2k people

6.68%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

5.5k people

As of 2024, 6.27% of Payne County, OK residents (5.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Payne County, OK was 6.68%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Payne County, OK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,414 ± 243
Gulf War (2001-)
1,022 ± 288
Gulf War (1990s)
332 ± 132

Payne County, OK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.38 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Payne County, OK.

Economy

The economy of Payne County, OK employs 38.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Payne County, OK were Educational Services (9,757 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,320 people), and Retail Trade (4,265 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,708), Utilities ($69,667), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,375).

Employment

Occupations

38.5k

2024 Value

± 1,600

3.51%

1 Year growth

± 5.77%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Payne County, OK grew at a rate of 3.51%, from 37.2k employees to 38.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Payne County, OK, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (4,766 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,931 people), and Management Occupations (3,433 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Payne County, OK.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Oklahoma.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Oklahoma (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

38.5k

2024 Value

± 1,600

3.51%

1 Year growth

± 5.77%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Payne County, OK grew at a rate of 3.51%, from 37.2k employees to 38.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Payne County, OK, are Educational Services (9,757 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,320 people), and Retail Trade (4,265 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Payne County, OK, though some of these residents may live in Payne County, OK and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,703

Median earning men ± $2,404

$27,717

Median earning women ± $1,858

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($67,500), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,109), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($57,286).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($52,914), Wholesale Trade ($43,681), and Construction ($43,125).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Oklahoma.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.72M people employed in Oklahoma. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Oklahoma.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

127
Other Services (except Public Administration)
105
Retail Trade
103
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$167k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$118k
Retail Trade
$82.7k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Oklahoma went to Donald J. Trump with 66.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (31.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.02%).

James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin are the senators currently representing the state of Oklahoma. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Oklahoma is currently represented by 5 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Payne County, OK. Showing the available data for Oklahoma.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (66.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (31.9%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (1.02%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Oklahoma went to Donald J. Trump with 66.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (31.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.02%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Oklahoma for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Oklahoma

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Oklahoma.

James Lankford

Senator from Oklahoma

Assumed office on January 3, 2015
Took office following the resignation of Tom Coburn.

Markwayne Mullin

Senator from Oklahoma

Assumed office on January 3, 2023
Took office following the resignation of Jim Inhofe.

James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin are the senators currently representing Oklahoma.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Oklahoma over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Payne County, OK awarded 7,004 degrees. The student population of Payne County, OK in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 12,879 male students and 14,079 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Payne County, OK are White (4,637 and 71.5%), Two or More Races (620 and 9.56%), Hispanic or Latino (511 and 7.88%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (300 and 4.63%).

The largest universities in Payne County, OK by number of degrees awarded are Oklahoma State University-Main Campus (6,544 and 93.4%), Meridian Technology Center (441 and 6.3%), and Hello Gorgeous Barbers Stillwater's School of Barbering (19 and 0.271%).

The most popular majors in Payne County, OK are General Business Administration & Management (596 and 8.51%), General Marketing & Marketing Management (337 and 4.81%), and General Psychology (264 and 3.77%).

The median tuition cost in Payne County, OK for a public four year colleges is $5,417 for in-state students and $20,937 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Payne County, OK, the percentage of applicants admitted was 70.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 26,958 (47.8% men and 52.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 26,958 students enrolled in Payne County, OK, 47.8% men and 52.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 17,160 records, of which 52.5% were women and 47.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Marketing & Marketing Management
337 degrees awarded
General Psychology
252 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
381 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Payne County, OK was General Marketing & Marketing Management with 337 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Payne County, OK according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
6,544 degrees awarded
Meridian Technology Center
441 degrees awarded
Hello Gorgeous Barbers Stillwater's School of Barbering
19 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Oklahoma State University-Main Campus with 6,544 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 3,387 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Payne County, OK, which is 0.936 times less than the 3,617 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,637 degrees mean that there were 7.48 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 620 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($5,417) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($4,693) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Payne County, OK was $223,300 in 2024, which is 0.671 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $217,700 to $223,300, a 2.57% increase. The homeownership rate in Payne County, OK is 51%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Payne County, OK have an average commute time of 18.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Payne County, OK is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 21.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Payne County, OK. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.54%.

Housing

Property

$223,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,532

$16,641

Median Property Taxes

±$962

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Payne County, OK the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Payne County, OK compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

51%

Homeownership

2024

65.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 51% of the housing units in Payne County, OK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 50.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Payne County, OK compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$49,809

Median Household Income

± $3,694

32.6k

Number of Households

± 1,576

In 2024, the median household income of the 32.6k households in Payne County, OK grew to $49,809 from the previous year's value of $48,937.

The following chart displays the households in Payne County, OK distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Payne County, OK is from Oklahoma.

0.452

2023 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

0.456

2022 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

In 2023, the income inequality in Oklahoma was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.809% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Oklahoma was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Oklahoma in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Oklahoma across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (72%)
Carpooled (9.45%)
Worked At Home (8.83%)

In 2024, 72% of workers in Payne County, OK drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.45%) and those who worked at home (8.83%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Payne County, OK have a shorter commute time (18.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2% of the workforce in Payne County, OK have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Payne County, OK compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Payne County, OK distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Payne County, OK have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 21.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Payne County, OK. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.54%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

22.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Payne County, OK (16.6k out of 73.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Payne County, OK is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 20% of the children was living in poverty in Payne County, OK. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 280 in Payne County, OK. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 77.5 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

89% of the population of Payne County, OK has health coverage, with 50.8% on employee plans, 12.6% on Medicaid, 10.1% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 1.54% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Payne County, OK see 2,158 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,158 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1690 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 292 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,158 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Payne County, OK

Primary care physicians in Payne County, OK see an average of 2,158 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,158 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Payne County, OK in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.3% under 18 years, 36% between 18 and 34 years, 27.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11%

Uninsured

50.8%

Employer Coverage

12.6%

Medicaid

10.1%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

1.54%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Payne County, OK declined by 5.38% from 11.6% to 11%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Payne County, OK changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 46.9 in Payne County, OK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Payne County, OK.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.5% in Payne County, OK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Payne County, OK.