The Town FilesTahlequah, Oklahoma
City in Cherokee County · population 16,209 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $185,400
- Household income
- $49,581
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 29.3
Tahlequah is a city of 16,209 people in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $185,400, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks hipper than 100% of Oklahoma towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Oklahoma towns, more of a college town than 99% of Oklahoma towns.
How Tahlequah 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 Tahlequah is worth $185,400, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $49,581, which is more affordable than 6% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $835 a month. 40.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tahlequah | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $185,400 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $835 | $830 |
| Median household income | $49,581 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 40.2% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Tahlequah
| People | Tahlequah | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.4% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 86.0% |
Weather in Tahlequah
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 27.5°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.3 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tahlequah since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1981 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on October 2, 2014.
Severe weather in Cherokee County since 1996
Cherokee County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4657: Severe Storms, 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 |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3462: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cherokee County
Cherokee County had 17,947 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,123 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Tahlequah itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Tahlequah
11 public schools with 5,112 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAHLEQUAH HS | 9-12 | 1,341 | 16.0 |
| TAHLEQUAH MS | 6-8 | 693 | 15.4 |
| GRAND VIEW PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 522 | 13.4 |
| GREENWOOD ES | K-5 | 501 | 15.7 |
| HERITAGE ES | K-5 | 490 | 15.3 |
| CHEROKEE ES | K-5 | 425 | 14.7 |
| BRIGGS PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 395 | 16.5 |
| WOODALL PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 385 | 14.8 |
| SEQUOYAH ES | PK-PK | 160 | 20.0 |
| CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCH (charter) | PK-8 | 105 | 11.7 |
| LOWREY PUBLIC SCHOOL | PK-8 | 95 | 9.5 |
Towns near Tahlequah
- Park Hill, OK5.3 mi · 3,193 people · home $174,400
- Fort Gibson, OK18.1 mi · 3,814 people · home $181,100
- Stilwell, OK20.5 mi · 3,700 people · home $101,600
- Wagoner, OK22.7 mi · 7,621 people · home $148,900
- Muskogee, OK24.1 mi · 36,878 people · home $146,100
Tahlequah questions
Is Tahlequah, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tahlequah scores better for retirees than 67% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 4%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Tahlequah?
The median owner-occupied home in Tahlequah is valued at $185,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,581, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $835 a month.
What is the weather like in Tahlequah?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 27.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 4.3 inches of snow.
Does Tahlequah get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tahlequah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1981. 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)