The Town FilesPonca City, Oklahoma
City in Kay County · population 24,424 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,800
- Household income
- $55,941
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 37.1
Ponca City is a city of 24,424 people in Kay County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $135,800, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of Oklahoma towns, more walkable than 93% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 78% of Oklahoma towns.
How Ponca City 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 Ponca City is worth $135,800, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $55,941, which is more affordable than 54% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $850 a month. 62.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ponca City | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,800 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $850 | $830 |
| Median household income | $55,941 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 62.5% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Ponca City
| People | Ponca City | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.9% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 15.7 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 86.0% |
Weather in Ponca City
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 33.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.6 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponca City since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 2, 1956 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 132 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 14, 1998.
Severe weather in Kay County since 1996
Kay County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4776: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 21, 2020 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4575: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Kay County
Kay County had 17,181 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,720 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Ponca City itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Ponca City
13 public schools with 4,998 students, about 17.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PONCA CITY HS | 9-12 | 1,456 | 18.4 |
| PONCA CITY WEST MS | 6-7 | 628 | 15.7 |
| PONCA CITY EAST MS | 8-8 | 386 | 17.5 |
| LINCOLN ES | K-5 | 357 | 17.0 |
| MCCORD PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-6 | 308 | 15.4 |
| UNION ES | K-5 | 284 | 17.8 |
| E. M. TROUT ES | K-5 | 271 | 19.4 |
| WOODLANDS ES | K-5 | 267 | 17.8 |
| ROOSEVELT ES | K-5 | 263 | 20.2 |
| LIBERTY ES | K-5 | 239 | 14.9 |
| WASHINGTON PRE KG CENTER | PK-PK | 228 | 20.7 |
| GARFIELD ES | K-5 | 201 | 18.3 |
Towns near Ponca City
- Blackwell, OK14.2 mi · 6,085 people · home $85,600
- Tonkawa, OK14.2 mi · 3,015 people · home $84,300
- Arkansas City, KS24.5 mi · 11,974 people · home $86,800
Ponca City questions
Is Ponca City, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ponca City scores better for retirees than 16% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 8%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Ponca City?
The median owner-occupied home in Ponca City is valued at $135,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,941, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $850 a month.
What is the weather like in Ponca City?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.6 inches of precipitation a year and 7.6 inches of snow.
Does Ponca City get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponca City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 2, 1956. 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)