What it's like to live in Stillwater
Stillwater is a small city in Oklahoma with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Stillwater deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Stillwater compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Stillwater
Based on Stillwater's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,894
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,880 a year
- 57% of Stillwater renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,440
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,720
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 33% below US
$947/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $947 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $237,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $237,200 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 39% below US
202 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1605/100k · Stillwater Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 41% below US
15 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.4 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 39% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 50% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Oklahoma City National Memorial (52 miles away).
Bottom line
Stillwater's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($947/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Stillwater
All Oklahoma guides →Not sure Stillwater is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.