Population 82,972 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Payne County
Household size in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.60 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.63 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Payne County are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.44 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Oklahoma county has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.8 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.8 | 38.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +0.6 | +2.3 |
Payne County is young: half of its residents are under 32.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.0, mirroring the country. No other Oklahoma county is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 12.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Payne County than nationally: 10.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Payne County
Renters in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.1% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.3% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.3% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.0% | 34.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Payne County than nationally: 49.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 47.1% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Payne County has the highest share of renters of any Oklahoma county.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 12.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 13.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 11.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Payne County: 13.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Payne County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $659 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $815 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $877 | $897 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,003 | $1,127 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$344 | +$411 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Payne County costs $1,003 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $344 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Payne County
Bachelor's degrees in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4% | 24.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.3% | 24.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 26.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.2% | 28.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Payne County than nationally: 42.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Payne County has the highest share of college graduates of any Oklahoma county.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.5% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 87.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 89.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Payne County is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Oklahoma county has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Payne County
| Period | Payne County | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 6.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Payne County is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Payne County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payne County | 2.28 | 32.8 | 10.3% | 49.0% | 13.5% | 1983 | $1,003 | 42.2% | 94.0% | 5.6% |
| Creek County | 2.57 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 25.6% | 10.5% | 1986 | $1,000 | 18.9% | 90.9% | 3.3% |
| Kingfisher County | 2.70 | 40.0 | 9.5% | 25.5% | 11.1% | 1982 | $1,002 | 23.4% | 88.9% | 1.9% |
| Tulsa County | 2.55 | 36.8 | 12.1% | 40.3% | 8.0% | 1981 | $1,305 | 33.7% | 89.5% | 5.5% |
| Wagoner County | 2.80 | 39.6 | 9.4% | 18.7% | 7.2% | 1995 | $1,211 | 28.0% | 92.4% | 4.2% |
| Cherokee County | 2.52 | 38.2 | 11.9% | 34.3% | 14.5% | 1988 | $834 | 28.9% | 88.6% | 5.3% |
| Dewey County | 2.63 | 39.0 | 9.5% | 23.6% | 24.5% | 1975 | $922 | 22.2% | 91.8% | 3.4% |
| Washington County | 2.62 | 34.6 | 11.1% | 44.4% | 8.5% | 1995 | $1,213 | 35.9% | 87.5% | 3.7% |
| Madison County | 2.72 | 42.1 | 12.2% | 20.5% | 15.9% | 1989 | $723 | 13.7% | 85.6% | 5.3% |
| Newton County | 2.21 | 49.9 | 7.7% | 23.5% | 22.7% | 1985 | $583 | 15.6% | 83.1% | 3.7% |
| Searcy County | 2.48 | 48.2 | 8.7% | 20.6% | 31.5% | 1983 | $621 | 15.2% | 83.9% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Augusta County, VA · Bannock County, ID · Wood County, WI · Bedford County, VA · Broomfield County, CO · Bulloch County, GA · Ozaukee County, WI · Morgan County, IN · Muskingum County, OH · Nassau County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Payne County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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