The Town FilesChecotah, Oklahoma
City in McIntosh County · population 3,018 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,900
- Household income
- $37,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 39.4
Checotah is a city of 3,018 people in McIntosh County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $124,900, close to the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 86% of Oklahoma towns, easier by car than 85% of Oklahoma towns.
How Checotah 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 Checotah is worth $124,900, close to the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $37,042, which is more affordable than 10% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $768 a month. 58.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Checotah | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,900 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $768 | $830 |
| Median household income | $37,042 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.1% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Checotah
| People | Checotah | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.8% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.2% | 86.0% |
Weather in Checotah
July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 28.2°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.2 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 68 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Checotah since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 1, 1999 about 3.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 87 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 16, 1997.
Severe weather in McIntosh County since 1996
McIntosh County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3462: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in McIntosh County
McIntosh County had 4,604 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $36,904 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Checotah itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Checotah
4 public schools with 1,414 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARSHALL ES | PK-2 | 422 | 16.2 |
| CHECOTAH HS | 9-12 | 396 | 18.0 |
| CHECOTAH MS | 6-8 | 316 | 13.7 |
| CHECOTAH INTERMEDIATE ES | 3-5 | 280 | 14.0 |
Towns near Checotah
- Eufaula, OK13.6 mi · 2,766 people · home $178,700
- Longtown, OK16.6 mi · 2,659 people · home $184,200
- Muskogee, OK20.3 mi · 36,878 people · home $146,100
- Fort Gibson, OK25.4 mi · 3,814 people · home $181,100
- Okmulgee, OK26.2 mi · 11,322 people · home $98,400
- Henryetta, OK26.2 mi · 5,640 people · home $88,600
- Stigler, OK27.6 mi · 2,703 people · home $163,900
Checotah questions
Is Checotah, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Checotah scores better for retirees than 66% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 27%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Checotah?
The median owner-occupied home in Checotah is valued at $124,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,042, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $768 a month.
What is the weather like in Checotah?
July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 28.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 8.2 inches of snow.
Does Checotah get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Checotah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 1, 1999. 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)