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Living in
Stillwater.
About
Life in Stillwater
If you're considering Stillwater, understand you're looking at a college town built around Oklahoma State University—which is both its biggest advantage and its defining characteristic. The university drives the economy and shapes the culture in ways you'll notice daily, from the heavy Homecoming traffic to the young population (median age 24.4) and the prevalence of student renters. The job market is solid with a 3.1% unemployment rate and median household income around $43,700, though housing costs reflect the college influence with median rents at $944 and home values around $237,200.
Stillwater at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.4%
Foreign-Born
8.7%
Broadband Internet
87.7%
of households
Population Growth
+3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.7% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Stillwater: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Stillwater, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (22.3%), and 3.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
14.2%
of residents
65 and Older
10.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
43.7%
of households
Married Couples
27.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
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 7% below OK average
Rent, home values, and income in Stillwater
In Stillwater, rent runs 7% below the OK average, and home values are 19% above the OK average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,207
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
37.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $267,261 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OK
Unemployment in Stillwater
Unemployment in Stillwater 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 Stillwater Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.4 min avg
How Stillwater residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Stillwater, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 89% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 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 39% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Stillwater runs 39% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
201.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,605.2
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Stillwater Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 26 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Payne County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Payne County, which includes Stillwater, the most common type is hail, with 26 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | Hail | $15.0M |
| 2024 | 32 | Excessive Heat | $70,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | Heat | $105,000 |
| 2022 | 20 | Drought | $55,000 |
| 2021 | 8 | Heavy Snow | $50,000 |
| 2020 | 6 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 15 | Hail | $85,000 |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
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.
27 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Payne County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Creek County, OK (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 42 miles from Stillwater) is typically good — 220 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
220
per year
Moderate Days
53
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Creek County, OK (42 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Stillwater has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
51°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.0"
Annual Snowfall
7.5"
Hot Days/Year
76
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
89
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
95
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 26°F | 1.32" |
| Feb | 54°F | 30°F | 1.56" |
| Mar | 63°F | 38°F | 2.75" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 4.15" |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 4.71" |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.64" |
| Jul | 94°F | 71°F | 3.42" |
| Aug | 93°F | 70°F | 3.66" |
| Sep | 85°F | 61°F | 2.94" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 2.94" |
| Nov | 61°F | 37°F | 2.28" |
| Dec | 51°F | 29°F | 1.67" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Stillwater
Stillwater has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Stillwater Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Stillwater
Stillwater's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 49.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
49.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Stillwater
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
Public · 4-year · 21,773 students · in-state tuition $10,444 · 64% graduate · median earnings $60,713 (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, 52 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Stillwater
Stillwater has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Oklahoma City National Memorial (52 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oklahoma City National Memorial
National Memorial
52 mi awayPublic Libraries in Stillwater
Stillwater Public Library
1107 S. Duck, Stillwater
Cities Near Stillwater
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Stillwater?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Stillwater FAQ
Is Stillwater, Oklahoma affordable?⌄
Stillwater's median rent is $947/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $43,700/year. Median home value is $237,200.
Is Stillwater, Oklahoma safe?⌄
Stillwater's violent crime rate was 202 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1605 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Stillwater, Oklahoma?⌄
Stillwater has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Stillwater, Oklahoma?⌄
The cost of living in Stillwater is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $947/month and median household income is $43,700/year. The median home value is $237,200. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Stillwater, Oklahoma?⌄
The average commute in Stillwater is 15 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