Payne County is a county of 82,972 people in Oklahoma. The median age is 27.7, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 51% of the housing stock. People stay put here: 74% were in the same home a year ago. 22.6% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $223,300.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $49,809, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 27.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Payne County
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree30.1% → 39.7%(+9.6 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)29.8%(1,022)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19%(652)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.5%(1,425)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.7%(59)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(41)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,432 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
Over time
Payne County, decade by decade
Payne County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
61,507
$47,020
$120,003
30.1%
26.4
2000
68,190
$52,342
$133,345
34.2%
37.2
2010
77,350
$49,993
$166,874
34.0%
44.1
2020
81,646
$51,030
$209,319
37.8%
57.7
2024
82,972
$49,809
$223,300
39.7%
54.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
