© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
El Reno.
About
Life in El Reno
Living in El Reno means embracing a slower pace while staying close enough to Oklahoma City for real job opportunities—you're looking at about a 22-minute commute on average, which makes it workable for people who don't want the big-city grind but need the big-city paycheck. The cost of living is genuinely affordable: median home values hover around $166,000 and rent runs about $968 a month, which stretches further than most places in the region, though the median household income of $56,219 means you're not making big money here—jobs tend to cluster in agriculture, small manufacturing, and service work, plus a steady stream of government employment tied to the county seat designation. The downtown has real character thanks to the Main Street revival program and local landmarks like the Carnegie Library and historic El Reno High School, and the famous Fried Onion Burger Festival in May gives the community a quirky identity that locals take pride in, even if it's not enough to drive major population growth.
El Reno at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.3%
Foreign-Born
7.3%
Broadband Internet
85.7%
of households
Population Growth
+22.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in El Reno: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In El Reno, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (90.9%), and 14.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.1%
of residents
65 and Older
13.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.7%
of households
Married Couples
41.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.75
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for OK
Rent, home values, and income in El Reno
In El Reno, home values are 17% below the OK average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,338
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $182,708 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below OK average
Unemployment in El Reno and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Canadian County, which includes El Reno, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the OK average.
Unemployment rate
El Reno: Canadian County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Canadian County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What El Reno Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Oklahoma City, OK metro area
Commute22.1 min avg
How El Reno residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In El Reno, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
OKC Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
Small hub2.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 40% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in El Reno runs 40% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
196.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,089.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
El Reno Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 27 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Canadian County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Canadian County, which includes El Reno, the most common type is hail, with 27 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | Hail | $28,000 |
| 2024 | 30 | Heat | $212,000 |
| 2023 | 41 | Heat | $722,000 |
| 2022 | 27 | Drought | $20,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $80,000 |
| 2020 | 16 | Hail | $5,000 |
| 2019 | 18 | Hail | $414,500 |
| 2018 | 22 | Drought | $45,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
35 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Canadian County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Canadian County, which includes El Reno, is typically good.
Median AQI
43
Canadian County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
El Reno has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
50°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.5"
Annual Snowfall
3.6"
Hot Days/Year
75
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
76
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
72
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 25°F | 0.93" |
| Feb | 53°F | 28°F | 1.17" |
| Mar | 62°F | 36°F | 2.43" |
| Apr | 71°F | 46°F | 3.06" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 5.16" |
| Jun | 88°F | 66°F | 5.61" |
| Jul | 94°F | 70°F | 3.23" |
| Aug | 92°F | 68°F | 3.30" |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 3.03" |
| Oct | 73°F | 48°F | 3.00" |
| Nov | 60°F | 36°F | 2.13" |
| Dec | 50°F | 28°F | 1.49" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in El Reno
Uninsured
17.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside El Reno's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Integris Canadian Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12 mi away · Yukon
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in El Reno
El Reno's student/teacher ratio is 17.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in El Reno
Public · 2-year · 946 students · in-state tuition $5,385 · 30% graduate · median earnings $40,358 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Oklahoma City National Memorial, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for El Reno
El Reno has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Oklahoma City National Memorial (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oklahoma City National Memorial
National Memorial
26 mi awayChickasaw National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
92 mi awayWashita Battlefield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in El Reno
El Reno Carnegie Library
215 E Wade, El Reno
Cities Near El Reno
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to El Reno?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
El Reno FAQ
Is El Reno, Oklahoma affordable?⌄
El Reno's median rent is $968/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,219/year. Median home value is $165,900.
Is El Reno, Oklahoma safe?⌄
El Reno's violent crime rate was 197 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1089 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in El Reno, Oklahoma?⌄
Canadian County, which includes El Reno, has an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in El Reno, Oklahoma?⌄
The cost of living in El Reno is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $968/month and median household income is $56,219/year. The median home value is $165,900. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in El Reno, Oklahoma?⌄
The average commute in El Reno is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from