The Town FilesPerkins, Oklahoma
City in Payne County · population 3,205 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,200
- Household income
- $35,456
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 26.1
Perkins is a city of 3,205 people in Payne County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $172,200, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Oklahoma towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 72% of Oklahoma towns.
How Perkins 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 Perkins is worth $172,200, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $35,456, which is more affordable than 1% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 61.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Perkins | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,200 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $838 | $830 |
| Median household income | $35,456 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.2% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Perkins
| People | Perkins | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 38.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.0% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 16.9% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 86.0% |
Weather in Perkins
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 36.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.2 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perkins since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 13, 1975 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 2, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 137 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 26, 1984.
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 Perkins itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Perkins
4 public schools with 1,591 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PERKINS-TRYON HS | 9-12 | 457 | 16.9 |
| PERKINS-TRYON ES | PK-2 | 449 | 15.5 |
| PERKINS-TRYON INTERMEDIATE ES | 3-5 | 346 | 16.5 |
| PERKINS-TRYON MS | 6-8 | 339 | 14.1 |
Towns near Perkins
- Stillwater, OK10.8 mi · 48,394 people · home $237,200
- Cushing, OK15.1 mi · 8,327 people · home $114,500
- Chandler, OK21.4 mi · 2,858 people · home $110,600
- Guthrie, OK22.3 mi · 10,749 people · home $186,600
- Drumright, OK24.3 mi · 2,560 people · home $85,600
- Stroud, OK25.8 mi · 2,719 people · home $125,000
- Perry, OK25.9 mi · 4,484 people · home $109,100
Perkins questions
Is Perkins, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Perkins scores better for retirees than 27% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 16%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.1).
How much does a house cost in Perkins?
The median owner-occupied home in Perkins is valued at $172,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,456, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Perkins?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.2 inches of snow.
Does Perkins get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perkins since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 13, 1975. 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)