The Town FilesSallisaw, Oklahoma
City in Sequoyah County · population 8,510 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $134,100
- Household income
- $48,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 35.8
Sallisaw is a city of 8,510 people in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $134,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks better transit than 92% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 90% of Oklahoma towns, more walkable than 87% of Oklahoma towns.
How Sallisaw 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 Sallisaw is worth $134,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $48,036, which is more affordable than 30% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $826 a month. 53.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sallisaw | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,100 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $826 | $830 |
| Median household income | $48,036 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.9% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Sallisaw
| People | Sallisaw | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.5% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 86.0% |
Weather in Sallisaw
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.9 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sallisaw since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1960 about 1.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 14 deaths and 36 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 73 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 12, 2011.
Severe weather in Sequoyah County since 1996
Sequoyah County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 1, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4438: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sequoyah County
Sequoyah County had 9,480 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,050 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Sallisaw itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Sallisaw
7 public schools with 2,753 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALLISAW HS | 9-12 | 585 | 16.7 |
| LIBERTY ES | PK-2 | 544 | 20.1 |
| SALLISAW MS | 6-8 | 399 | 12.1 |
| BRUSHY PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 363 | 20.2 |
| EASTSIDE ES | 3-5 | 355 | 15.4 |
| CENTRAL ES | PK-8 | 335 | 15.2 |
| CENTRAL HS | 9-12 | 172 | 15.6 |
Towns near Sallisaw
- Muldrow, OK12.4 mi · 3,272 people · home $114,300
- Roland, OK17.1 mi · 3,316 people · home $139,800
- Stigler, OK22.3 mi · 2,703 people · home $163,900
- Pocola, OK23.9 mi · 4,255 people · home $151,100
- Van Buren, AR25.5 mi · 23,218 people · home $181,500
- Fort Smith, AR25.7 mi · 89,142 people · home $178,100
- Stilwell, OK26.4 mi · 3,700 people · home $101,600
- Park Hill, OK27.5 mi · 3,193 people · home $174,400
Sallisaw questions
Is Sallisaw, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sallisaw scores better for retirees than 6% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 9%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Sallisaw?
The median owner-occupied home in Sallisaw is valued at $134,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,036, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $826 a month.
What is the weather like in Sallisaw?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 1.9 inches of snow.
Does Sallisaw get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sallisaw since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1960. 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)