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Living in
Ponca City.
About
Life in Ponca City
Ponca City is a community of 24,377 people in Oklahoma. The median household income is $55,941, median rent runs about $850 per month, and median home values are around $135,800. Unemployment is low at 3.6%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Ponca City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.9%
Foreign-Born
3.5%
Broadband Internet
84.4%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Ponca City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ponca City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (42.2%), and 4.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.6%
of residents
65 and Older
17.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.0%
of households
Married Couples
41.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
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 16% below OK average
Rent, home values, and income in Ponca City
In Ponca City, rent runs 16% below the OK average, and home values are 32% below the OK average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$910
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1964
median year built
Vacant Homes
18.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $137,447 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OK
Unemployment in Ponca City
Unemployment in Ponca City is close to the OK average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Ponca City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.7 min avg
How Ponca City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ponca City, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 37 mi
Stillwater Regional Airport (SWO)
Regional airport · few flights33k 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 52% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ponca City runs 52% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
500
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,677.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ponca City Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
79.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kay County, which includes Ponca City, the most common type is drought, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $165,000 |
| 2024 | 40 | Heat | $280,000 |
| 2023 | 50 | Drought | $60,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 7 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $145,200 |
| 2018 | 20 | Drought | $8,000 |
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.
23 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kay County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kay County, which includes Ponca City, is typically good — 257 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
257
per year
Moderate Days
102
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Kay County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ponca City has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.6"
Annual Snowfall
7.9"
Hot Days/Year
73
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
89
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
82
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 25°F | 1.02" |
| Feb | 52°F | 28°F | 1.10" |
| Mar | 62°F | 37°F | 2.17" |
| Apr | 71°F | 46°F | 3.78" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 5.10" |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.70" |
| Jul | 93°F | 71°F | 3.70" |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 3.28" |
| Sep | 84°F | 61°F | 2.74" |
| Oct | 73°F | 48°F | 3.06" |
| Nov | 60°F | 36°F | 1.65" |
| Dec | 49°F | 27°F | 1.27" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ponca City
Ponca City has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Integris Health Ponca City
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Stillwater Medical-blackwell
Rural Emergency Hospital · ER available · 13.9 mi away · Blackwell
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.
Education17.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ponca City
Ponca City's student/teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Oklahoma City National Memorial, 90 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ponca City
Ponca City has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Oklahoma City National Memorial (90 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oklahoma City National Memorial
National Memorial
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ponca City
Ponca City Library
515 East Grand, Ponca City
Cities Near Ponca City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ponca City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ponca City FAQ
Is Ponca City, Oklahoma affordable?⌄
Ponca City's median rent is $850/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,941/year. Median home value is $135,800.
Is Ponca City, Oklahoma safe?⌄
Ponca City's violent crime rate was 500 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1678 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ponca City, Oklahoma?⌄
Ponca City has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ponca City, Oklahoma?⌄
The cost of living in Ponca City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $850/month and median household income is $55,941/year. The median home value is $135,800. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ponca City, Oklahoma?⌄
The average commute in Ponca City is 16 minutes, which is shorter than 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