The Town FilesCushing, Oklahoma
City in Payne County · population 8,327 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,500
- Household income
- $44,136
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 42
- Median age
- 35.7
Cushing is a city of 8,327 people in Payne County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $114,500, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Oklahoma towns, better for cycling than 82% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 81% of Oklahoma towns.
How Cushing 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 Cushing is worth $114,500, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $44,136, which is more affordable than 41% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $798 a month. 55.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cushing | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,500 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $798 | $830 |
| Median household income | $44,136 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.2% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cushing
| People | Cushing | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.0% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 86.0% |
Weather in Cushing
July highs average 93.2°F and January lows 26.4°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.1 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 69 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 76 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cushing since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 8, 1974 about 6.6 miles from the town center and killed 13. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 18 deaths and 176 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 2, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Payne County since 1996
Payne County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Fire | DR-4866: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 15, 2025 | Fire | FM-5566: Underwood Fire |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5558: Stillwater Fire |
| October 30, 2024 | Fire | FM-5543: Euchee Creek Fire |
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Payne County
Payne County had 35,198 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,066 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Cushing itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Cushing
6 public schools with 1,871 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUSHING HS | 9-12 | 529 | 14.3 |
| CUSHING MS | 5-8 | 500 | 13.9 |
| CUSHING UPPER ES | 2-4 | 368 | 14.7 |
| CUSHING LOWER ES | K-1 | 230 | 16.4 |
| OAK GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 155 | 12.9 |
| CUSHING PRE-KINDERGARTEN SCHL | PK-PK | 89 | 22.3 |
Towns near Cushing
- Drumright, OK9.2 mi · 2,560 people · home $85,600
- Perkins, OK15.1 mi · 3,205 people · home $172,200
- Stroud, OK15.9 mi · 2,719 people · home $125,000
- Chandler, OK18.9 mi · 2,858 people · home $110,600
- Stillwater, OK20.4 mi · 48,394 people · home $237,200
- Bristow, OK22.9 mi · 4,248 people · home $117,500
- Mannford, OK26.3 mi · 3,262 people · home $165,300
- Cleveland, OK28.0 mi · 3,205 people · home $117,800
Cushing questions
Is Cushing, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cushing scores better for retirees than 45% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 27%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Cushing?
The median owner-occupied home in Cushing is valued at $114,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,136, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $798 a month.
What is the weather like in Cushing?
July highs average 93.2°F and January lows 26.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 4.1 inches of snow.
Does Cushing get tornadoes?
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cushing since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 8, 1974. 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)