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Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

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Oklahoma County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 796,292,[1] making it the most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Oklahoma City,[2] the state capital and largest city. Oklahoma County is at the heart of the Oklahoma City metropolitan statistical area.

Oklahoma County
County
Oklahoma County Courthouse
Oklahoma County Courthouse
Seal
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Oklahoma County
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°29′N 97°32′W / 35.48°N 97.53°W / 35.48; -97.53
Country United States
State Oklahoma
Founded1890
SeatOklahoma City
Largest cityOklahoma City
Area
 • Total718 sq mi (1,860 km2)
 • Land708.82 sq mi (1,835.8 km2)
 • Water9.6 sq mi (25 km2)  1.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total796,292 Increase
 • Density1,123/sq mi (434/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts3rd, 4th, 5th
Websiteoklahomacounty.org

Oklahoma County is one of seven counties in the United States to share the same name as the state it is located in (the other six being Arkansas County, Hawaii County, Idaho County, Iowa County, New York County (Manhattan), and Utah County), and the only one of the seven to contain the state capital, and one of two to contain a city of the same name as well.[3]

History

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See also: History of Oklahoma City

The area that would someday be called Oklahoma County was originally inhabited by members of the indigenous nations of the Southern Plains, but by the 1830s the land would become part of the territory assigned to the Seminoles and Creeks after their removal from their ancestral lands in the Southeastern USA.[4]

As a result of the Reconstruction era treaties signed between the US government and the Seminole and Creek nations in 1866, the land was taken from tribal jurisdiction but not assigned to other tribal governments, which in time led it to be called the Unassigned Lands. In 1889, the US federal government held a land run for the Unassigned lands, which led to the rapid settlement of the area.[5]

By 1890, Oklahoma County was called "County Two" and was one of seven counties established by the Organic Act of 1890.[4]

County business initially took place in a building at the intersection of California Avenue and Robinson Street until the construction of the first Oklahoma County Courthouse at 520 West Main Street in the 1900s. In 1937, the county government was moved to a building at 321 Park Avenue, which now serves only as the county courthouse.[6]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 709 square miles (1,840 km2) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) (1.3%) is water.[7]

Transit

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Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
189011,742—
190025,915120.7%
191085,232228.9%
1920116,30736.5%
1930221,73890.6%
1940244,15910.1%
1950325,35233.3%
1960439,50635.1%
1970526,80519.9%
1980568,9338.0%
1990599,6115.4%
2000660,44810.1%
2010718,6338.8%
2020796,29210.8%
2023 (est.)808,866[8]1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010[13]
 
Age pyramid for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

According to the 2010 U.S. census, there were 718,633 people, 277,615 households, and 172,572 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,013 inhabitants per square mile (391/km2). There were 319,828 housing units at an average density of 416 units per square mile (161 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 64.6% White, 15.4% Black or African American, 3.5% Native American, 3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.1% from other races, and 5.3% from two or more races; 15.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[14] Throughout its population, 12.4% were of German, 12.3% Mexican, 10.1% Irish, 7.9% English, and 7.7% American ancestries according to the 2010 census. 84.4% spoke English and 11.5% Spanish as their first language.[15]

At the 2020 U.S. census, its population increased to 796,292, with a 2022-estimate at 802,559. Racially, the 2021 American Community Survey estimated 54.5% were non-Hispanic white, 15.8% Black or African American, 4.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.8% multiracial, and 18.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race. An estimated 10.2% of its population between 2017 and 2021 were foreign-born residents.[16]

In 2010, there were 277,615 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.26. As of 2021,[16] there were 313,822 households with an average of 2.48 people per household. The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $164,000 from 2017 to 2021, and the median gross rent was $929.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $42,916, and the median income for a family was $54,721. The per capita income for the county was $25,723. About 11.70% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.70% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.[17] In 2021, its median household income was $58,239 with a per capita income of $34,129. Approximately 16.3% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.[16]

Politics

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Since the second half of the 20th century, Oklahoma County has been quite conservative for an urban county. It swung from a 20-point victory for Harry Truman in 1948 to a 15-point victory for Dwight Eisenhower in 1952. It has gone Republican in all but one presidential election since then; it narrowly voted for Lyndon Johnson in 1964. This mirrors the growing Republican trend in Oklahoma since the end of World War II. It was one of the few areas in the South where Jimmy Carter didn't do well.

However, the Republican share of votes for president has decreased in every election since the 2004 election (with the exception of 2024). In the 2022 Oklahoma gubernatorial election, Democratic candidate Joy Hofmeister received her largest vote share of any county, with 55.0% of the vote and a modest improvement over the 2018 Democratic candidate, Drew Edmonson.[18] Incumbent Republican Governor Mary Fallin was the last member of her party to win the county with 51.3% in 2014.[19] Also, in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma, Democrat Kendra Horn received 52.3% of the vote in Oklahoma County, which was the only county in the state to vote for a Democratic House candidate, thereby changing parties.[20] Horn would carry the county again in her 2022 Senate run, becoming the first Democratic Senatorial candidate to carry the county since David Boren's 1990 landslide.[21][22] In the 2020 United States Presidential election, Republican Donald Trump narrowly carried the county (1% margin), down from 10 points in 2016. It was also the best showing for a Democrat in the county since LBJ. In 2024, Trump won the county, but again by a narrow plurality. However, his margin of victory was slightly larger than in 2020.

County commissioners

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District Name Party Took office
1 Joe Blough Democratic 2024[23]
2 Brian Maughan Republican 2009
3 Myles Davidson Republican 2023

County offices

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Office Name Party Took office
Assessor Larry Stein Republican 2019
County Clerk Maressa Treat Republican 2023
Court Clerk Rick Warren Republican 2017
District Attorney Vicki Behenna Democratic 2023
Sheriff Tommie Johnson III Republican 2021
Treasurer Forrest Freeman Republican 1993

Oklahoma House of Representatives

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District Name Party Took office
31 Collin Duel Republican 2022
39 Ryan Martinez Republican 2016
41 Denise Crosswhite-Hader Republican 2019
54 Kevin West Republican 2016
82 Nicole Miller Republican 2019
83 Eric Roberts Republican 2020
84 Tammy West Republican 2016
85 Cyndi Muson Democratic 2015
87 Collin Walke Democratic 2016
88 Mauree Turner Democratic 2020
89 Arturo Alonso Sandoval Democratic 2022
90 Jon Echols Republican 2013
92 Forrest Bennett Democratic 2016
93 Mickey Dollens Democratic 2016
94 Andy Fugate Democratic 2019
95 Max Wolfley Republican 2020
96 Preston Stinson Republican 2020
97 Jason Lowe Democratic 2016
99 Ajay Pittman Democratic 2019
100 Marilyn Stark Republican 2019
101 Robert Manger Republican 2019

Oklahoma Senate

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District Name Party Took office
15 Rob Standridge Republican 2012
17 Shane Jett Republican 2020
22 Kristen Thompson Republican 2022
30 Julia Kirt Democratic 2018
40 Carrie Hicks Democratic 2018
41 Adam Pugh Republican 2016
42 Brenda Stanley Republican 2018
44 Michael Brooks Democratic 2017
45 Paul Rosino Republican 2017
46 Kay Floyd Democratic 2014
47 Greg Treat Republican 2011
48 George Young Democratic 2018

Congressional

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District Name Party Took office
OK-3 Frank Lucas Republican 1994
OK-4 Tom Cole Republican 2003
OK-5 Stephanie Bice Republican 2021

Party registration

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Voter registration and party enrollment as of August 31, 2023[24]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Republican 183,775 41.74%
Democratic 155,382 35.29%
Libertarian 4,526 1.03%
Unaffiliated 96,577 21.94%
Total 440,260 100%
United States presidential election results for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma[25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 143,522 49.71% 138,665 48.03% 6,523 2.26%
2020 145,050 49.21% 141,724 48.08% 7,966 2.70%
2016 141,569 51.68% 112,813 41.18% 19,560 7.14%
2012 149,728 58.33% 106,982 41.67% 0 0.00%
2008 163,172 58.41% 116,182 41.59% 0 0.00%
2004 174,741 64.23% 97,298 35.77% 0 0.00%
2000 139,078 62.34% 81,590 36.57% 2,443 1.09%
1996 120,429 54.68% 80,438 36.52% 19,386 8.80%
1992 126,788 48.78% 76,271 29.34% 56,864 21.88%
1988 135,376 63.59% 75,812 35.61% 1,703 0.80%
1984 159,974 71.65% 60,235 26.98% 3,052 1.37%
1980 139,538 66.05% 58,765 27.81% 12,970 6.14%
1976 119,120 56.69% 87,185 41.49% 3,808 1.81%
1972 156,437 75.24% 46,986 22.60% 4,502 2.17%
1968 93,212 49.73% 60,395 32.22% 33,834 18.05%
1964 83,660 48.00% 90,641 52.00% 0 0.00%
1960 102,992 61.44% 64,648 38.56% 0 0.00%
1956 85,395 59.76% 57,512 40.24% 0 0.00%
1952 95,492 57.63% 70,199 42.37% 0 0.00%
1948 40,161 40.11% 59,954 59.89% 0 0.00%
1944 42,464 42.30% 57,812 57.59% 116 0.12%
1940 35,639 39.77% 53,649 59.86% 329 0.37%
1936 24,312 32.15% 50,946 67.36% 373 0.49%
1932 21,238 34.05% 41,130 65.95% 0 0.00%
1928 36,608 69.13% 16,073 30.35% 272 0.51%
1924 17,504 40.63% 21,708 50.38% 3,873 8.99%
1920 15,350 44.68% 17,820 51.86% 1,189 3.46%
1916 5,291 36.33% 7,971 54.73% 1,302 8.94%
1912 5,706 42.02% 6,963 51.28% 910 6.70%
1908 5,401 50.03% 4,876 45.17% 518 4.80%

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated communities

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Education

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School districts include:[26]

K-12:

Elementary only:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Oklahoma County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Joseph Nathan Kane; Charles Curry Aiken (2005). The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950-2000. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5036-1.
  4. ^ a b Wilson, Linda D. "Oklahoma County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 4, 2015.
  5. ^ "Unassigned lands" Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society. Accessed August 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "A Brief History of Oklahoma County Government." OklahomaCounty.org. Accessed September 17, 2009.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  11. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  13. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  14. ^ "American FactFinder - Results". Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  15. ^ Unknown[permanent dead link‍]
  16. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  17. ^ "Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (OK) income map, earnings map, and wages data". www.city-data.com. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  18. ^ Krehbiel, Randy (November 1, 2022). "Suburban and Rural Voters Make Stitt a Winner - Again". Tulsa World. p. 1. Retrieved May 24, 2023 – via Newsbank.
  19. ^ "Oklahoma Election Results". The New York Times.
  20. ^ "OK Election Results". Archived from the original on June 24, 2021.
  21. ^ Leip, Dave (2019). "Oklahoma Results for 1990". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  22. ^ "Oklahoma Election Results". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  23. ^ Mize, Richard (September 17, 2024). "County commissioner resignation will cost Oklahoma County, could disrupt new jail plans". The Oklahoman. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  24. ^ "Current Registration Statistics by County" (PDF). OK.gov (PDF). Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  25. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  26. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oklahoma County, OK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022. - Text list
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35°29′N 97°32′W / 35.48°N 97.53°W / 35.48; -97.53

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