CooksonOK
A town of 921, settled in 1895.
Is Cookson a good place to live?
Cookson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
921 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Cookson: who provides what
Cookson is unincorporated, so Cherokee County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cookson.
The median age in Cookson is higher than in the typical Oklahoma or U.S. town
Oklahoma has 28% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 38%. People 65 and older are 40% of residents (16% statewide); children under 18 are 7% of residents (24% statewide).
| Cookson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 years | 36.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 20% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 43% and 64% women
The Census survey reached too few of Cookson’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.3 points. Across Oklahoma, 50.2% of residents are women.
| Cookson | OK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 1.6% | 12.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.8% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 1.1% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.2% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 18.2% | 11.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.7% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 23.6% | 9.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 15.9% | 6.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.4% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.3% | 30.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.2% | 22.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 2.1% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.4% | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 20.5% | 9.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Cookson stands out in Oklahoma and nationally, with the average trip to work longer than most
The top destinations are Tahlequah (17%), Tulsa (11%) and Oklahoma City (4%). Only one of the 132 Oklahoma towns we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Cookson. Also worth knowing: 6.6% of residents live below the poverty line here, and on top of that its income of the median household is $50,000, below both the Oklahoma town median ($55,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000).
| Cookson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 22% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In Cookson, expect mild winters and hot summers
Only 7 of the 132 Oklahoma towns we compare have a lower typical July afternoon high than Cookson. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 27° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Cookson is
Among 132 Oklahoma towns, just one has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Cookson. Against the Oklahoma average, Cookson comes out ahead on 8 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 9. The share of adults in Cookson who binge drink: 11%.
| Cookson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 40% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Cookson | OK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.7% | 11.3% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.4% | 14% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.3% | 7.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical home in Cookson is valued at about $244K
Home values are up 8.2% over the year to September 2026. No town among the 132 in Oklahoma we compare has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Cookson. The town’s rent at the middle of the market is $830 a month.
| Cookson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 95% | 62% | 73% |
| Median rent | $830 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Cookson faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Cookson, 38% come from inland flooding and 15% from heat waves. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in nearly three fifths of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Cookson households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2022.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Spiro Mounds and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cookson. Close and well known come first.
34 mi Ancient siteSpiro Mounds
23 mi MuseumUSS Batfish
20 mi LandmarkFort Gibson
37 mi State parkDevil's Den State Park
40 mi National forestOzark–St. Francis National Forest
35 mi National Historic SiteFort Smith National Historic Site107K visitors a yearPhoto credits
Spiro Mounds: Herb Roe Original uploader was Heironymous Rowe at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Batfish: Blackwing.1, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Gibson: Fred Q. Casler, Photographer, Public domain · Devil's Den State Park: jaystout, CC BY 2.0 · Ozark–St. Francis National Forest: Paul A. Mistretta, USDA Forest Service, CC BY 3.0 us · Fort Smith National Historic Site: Photolitherland (talk) Chris Litherland, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Everything we know about Cookson
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Cookson
About 0 of every 100 Cookson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
99% of working residents leave Cookson for work
Where Cookson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Cookson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cookson, OK a good place to live?
Cookson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.