United States › Oklahoma › Tahlequah CITY
Tahlequah Oklahoma · 17,508 residents (2025 est.) · 12.8 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Tahlequah is a city of 16,935 people in Oklahoma. This skews young, with a median age of 29.3. 40% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $185,400, having more than doubled since 2000. 77% were living in the same home a year earlier. The foreign-born share is 4%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,458 in 2000
17,508 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,327 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,277 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 26.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 12K 14K 16K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Tahlequah Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,581
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,238 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,371 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.4%
Public administration 3.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$185,400
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$835
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $399 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 42.4% in 2000
59.8% rent
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 57%(8,238)
Hispanic / Latino 7.3%(1,049)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 45.4%(7,694)
Hispanic / Latino 9.8%(1,667)
from 76 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 32.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 14.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 26.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 75.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 47.8%(3,106)
Women 15+
Never married 38.9%(2,955)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 26.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 34.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.3%(100)
Share of the 579 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Tahlequah Head to head
Compare Tahlequah to nearby cities TAHLEQUAH VS
Wagoner
Income $57,917 +17%
Home value $148,900 −20%
Population 8,405 −52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TAHLEQUAH VS
Muskogee
Income $50,213 +1%
Home value $146,100 −21%
Population 36,760 +110%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TAHLEQUAH VS
Siloam Springs
Income $72,065 +45%
Home value $221,700 +20%
Population 21,298 +22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TAHLEQUAH VS
Sallisaw
Income $48,036 −3%
Home value $134,100 −28%
Population 8,790 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Tahlequah, Oklahoma? Tahlequah, Oklahoma has about 16,935 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Tahlequah, Oklahoma? The typical household in Tahlequah, Oklahoma earns about $49,581 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Tahlequah, Oklahoma expensive? In Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the median home is worth about $185,400, and the typical rent is about $835 a month.
How educated are people in Tahlequah, Oklahoma? About 34.4% of adults age 25 and over in Tahlequah, Oklahoma hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Tahlequah, Oklahoma? About 18.4% of people in Tahlequah, Oklahoma live below the federal poverty line.
Has Tahlequah, Oklahoma grown since 1990? Yes, Tahlequah, Oklahoma has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,537 residents, a change of about 63 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 