The Town FilesShawnee, Oklahoma
City in Pottawatomie County · population 31,377 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,100
- Household income
- $55,815
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 67
- Median age
- 34.6
Shawnee is a city of 31,377 people in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $160,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Oklahoma towns, more vibrant than 97% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 96% of Oklahoma towns.
How Shawnee 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 Shawnee is worth $160,100, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $55,815, which is more affordable than 24% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 58.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shawnee | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,100 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $936 | $830 |
| Median household income | $55,815 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.3% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Shawnee
| People | Shawnee | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.8% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 86.0% |
Weather in Shawnee
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 26.6°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
67 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shawnee since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 24 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 5, 1960 about 5.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 242 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 3, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 132 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 8, 2015.
Severe weather in Pottawatomie County since 1996
Pottawatomie County has been included in 44 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2025 | Fire | FM-5563: East Thunderbird Fire |
| March 15, 2025 | Fire | FM-5565: Clear Pond Fire |
| April 30, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4776: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 24, 2023 | Tornado | DR-4706: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4657: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County had 22,901 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,693 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Shawnee itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Shawnee
17 public schools with 6,842 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHAWNEE HS | 9-12 | 979 | 14.6 |
| SHAWNEE MS | 6-8 | 705 | 12.6 |
| BETHEL ES | PK-5 | 564 | 17.6 |
| GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 536 | 16.2 |
| NORTH ROCK CREEK HS | 9-12 | 494 | 16.5 |
| NORTH ROCK CREEK ES | PK-4 | 477 | 17.0 |
| SOUTH ROCK CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 425 | 18.5 |
| BETHEL HS | 9-12 | 376 | 15.0 |
| WILL ROGERS ES | 1-5 | 374 | 12.9 |
| SHAWNEE EC CTR | PK-K | 340 | 13.1 |
| JEFFERSON ES | K-5 | 325 | 12.5 |
| SEQUOYAH ES | K-5 | 304 | 13.2 |
Towns near Shawnee
- Bethel Acres, OK6.4 mi · 3,029 people · home $211,700
- Tecumseh, OK7.4 mi · 6,302 people · home $122,500
- McLoud, OK9.0 mi · 4,351 people · home $157,400
- Harrah, OK14.6 mi · 6,245 people · home $225,400
- Choctaw, OK19.4 mi · 12,182 people · home $242,100
- Seminole, OK19.7 mi · 7,146 people · home $103,600
- Jones, OK23.2 mi · 2,885 people · home $219,300
- Norman, OK23.7 mi · 128,026 people · home $250,100
Shawnee questions
Is Shawnee, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shawnee scores better for retirees than 15% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 4%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.6).
How much does a house cost in Shawnee?
The median owner-occupied home in Shawnee is valued at $160,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,815, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Shawnee?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 26.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Shawnee get tornadoes?
67 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shawnee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 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)