The Town FilesBethany, Oklahoma
City in Oklahoma County · population 20,831 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,600
- Household income
- $56,591
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 92
- Median age
- 31.1
Bethany is a city of 20,831 people in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $171,600, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 99% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 99% of Oklahoma towns.
How Bethany ranks
Percentile among Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oklahoma towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bethany is worth $171,600, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $56,591, which is more affordable than 20% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $1,071 a month. 53.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethany | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,600 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $1,071 | $830 |
| Median household income | $56,591 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.1% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethany
| People | Bethany | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 86.0% |
Weather in Bethany
July highs average 94.7°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 30.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.7 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 73 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
92 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 28 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1978 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 153 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 22, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 590 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on May 16, 1960.
Severe weather in Oklahoma County since 1996
Oklahoma County has been included in 52 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 13, 2026 | Fire | FM-5669: Train Trestle Fire |
| May 21, 2025 | Fire | DR-4866: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 18, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4862: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5562: Luther Fire |
| March 31, 2023 | Fire | FM-5459: Hefner Fire, Oklahoma Fmag |
Jobs and pay in Oklahoma County
Oklahoma County had 495,002 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,904 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Bethany itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Bethany
9 public schools with 4,432 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EARL HARRIS ES | PK-5 | 771 | 18.8 |
| WESTERN OAKS MS | 6-8 | 642 | 14.6 |
| WESTERN OAKS ES | PK-5 | 641 | 16.0 |
| BETHANY HS | 9-12 | 577 | 16.5 |
| OVERHOLSER ES | PK-5 | 565 | 14.5 |
| APOLLO ES | PK-5 | 509 | 15.0 |
| BETHANY MS | 6-8 | 367 | 15.3 |
| LAKE PARK ES | PK-5 | 300 | 11.1 |
| CHILDREN'S CTR | PK-8 | 60 | 20.0 |
Towns near Bethany
- Warr Acres, OK1.9 mi · 10,452 people · home $164,500
- Nichols Hills, OK6.2 mi · 3,870 people · home $818,500
- The Village, OK6.4 mi · 9,538 people · home $211,800
- Yukon, OK7.0 mi · 23,630 people · home $198,900
- Oklahoma City, OK7.7 mi · 681,054 people · home $231,300
- Mustang, OK9.2 mi · 19,879 people · home $239,200
- Del City, OK12.0 mi · 21,822 people · home $126,800
- Piedmont, OK13.2 mi · 7,402 people · home $330,100
Bethany questions
Is Bethany, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethany scores better for retirees than 18% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 0%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Bethany?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethany is valued at $171,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,591, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,071 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethany?
July highs average 94.7°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.7 inches of precipitation a year and 6.7 inches of snow.
Does Bethany get tornadoes?
92 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 1978. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)