The Town FilesIdabel, Oklahoma
City in McCurtain County · population 6,961 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $134,800
- Household income
- $43,295
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 33.0
Idabel is a city of 6,961 people in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $134,800, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 89% of Oklahoma towns, better transit than 85% of Oklahoma towns, better for young professionals than 81% of Oklahoma towns.
How Idabel 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 Idabel is worth $134,800, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $43,295, which is more affordable than 17% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $702 a month. 54.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Idabel | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,800 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $702 | $830 |
| Median household income | $43,295 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 54.8% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Idabel
| People | Idabel | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 30.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.1% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.3% | 86.0% |
Weather in Idabel
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 54.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.0 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Idabel since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 2, 1982 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 69 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 20, 1975.
Severe weather in McCurtain County since 1996
McCurtain County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 McCurtain County
McCurtain County had 12,201 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,832 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Idabel itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Idabel
5 public schools with 1,553 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDABEL HS | 9-12 | 425 | 17.0 |
| CENTRAL ES | 2-5 | 328 | 14.9 |
| DENISON PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 297 | 14.1 |
| IDABEL PRIMARY SOUTH ES | PK-1 | 261 | 16.3 |
| IDABEL MS | 6-8 | 242 | 17.3 |
Towns near Idabel
- Broken Bow, OK9.6 mi · 4,228 people · home $179,900
- Clarksville, TX24.5 mi · 2,857 people · home $53,700
- De Queen, AR29.0 mi · 6,105 people · home $109,600
Idabel questions
Is Idabel, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Idabel scores better for retirees than 33% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 35%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Idabel?
The median owner-occupied home in Idabel is valued at $134,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,295, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $702 a month.
What is the weather like in Idabel?
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.5 inches of precipitation a year and 2.0 inches of snow.
Does Idabel get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Idabel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 2, 1982. 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)