McAlester is a metro area of 43,561 people. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $156,900. The foreign-born share is 1%. There are 33 people per square mile. Median rent is $860 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $55,310, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about McAlester
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share1.7% → 5.7%(+4.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree10.3% → 20.2%(+9.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Among the 21 metro and micro areas based in Oklahoma
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)22.8%(773)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.6%(869)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.5%(1,273)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.4%(116)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(65)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,395 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
McAlester, decade by decade
McAlester 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
40,581
$45,376
$82,322
10.3%
37.9
2000
43,953
$52,243
$93,633
12.9%
48.3
2010
45,837
$56,457
$119,401
15.1%
55.2
2020
43,773
$57,585
$132,112
18.3%
65.5
2024
43,561
$55,310
$156,900
20.2%
60.3
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.
