Dickson Oklahoma Elementary School Entrance, 2018
Dickson’s story
Dickson in pictures
Census counts: 798 in 1970, 1,331 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 4 maps from 1901 on.
Explore the history →
DicksonOK
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,363
2025 Census estimate · +2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$252K
+7% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
40.6
years
Jobs based here
135
A commuter town
Is Dickson a good place to live?
Dickson’s best subject grade is a B for cost of living; its weakest is a C− for health. On the outdoors, just 21 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns do worse. Dickson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Small town
1,363 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ArdmoreDickson
How Dickson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Dickson is from typical.
HealthMercy Hospital Ardmore 8.1 miles awayC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5 of 20; 1.4% of households have no car; 1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard risktornadoes tops the listCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →SafetyC+Open →Jobs & income135 jobs based hereC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dickson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dickson, and how to reach them.
PowerOG&E12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSouthern Okla Water Corp39 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dickson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Oklahoma you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person until 25 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSecretary, Carter County Election BoardCarter County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code7340173401 100%Census 2020
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 Dickson.
HealthC−
Residents of Dickson are less healthy than four in five U.S. towns
21% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Dickson, against 23% in Oklahoma’s towns and 19% across U.S. towns. Among adults in the town, 33% get no exercise outside work.
21%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Dickson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 40% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Oklahoma
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Dickson | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with arthritis | 31.5% | 27.8% |
Mercy Hospital Ardmore
8.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Dickson’s schools rank ahead of 57% of Oklahoma districts
Two of the 4 schools are below, and why each made the list. The largest public high school is Dickson HS, with 347 students. The Dickson school district runs its public schools.
57%of OK districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickson EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 323 | – |
| Dickson HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 347 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Compared with most of Oklahoma and the rest of the country, fewer of Dickson’s working residents work locally
Just over one in ten residents live below the poverty line in Dickson. Its average commute is 21 minutes, near the Oklahoma town median (22 minutes) and below the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). The top destinations are Ardmore (55%), Ada (4%) and Oklahoma City (3%). The typical household income here is $81,000.
2%work in town
| Dickson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 22% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $81,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Dickson2%
Ardmore55%
Ada4%
Oklahoma City3%
Norman2%
11 mi
median commute distance
135
jobs based in Dickson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Dickson faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Of the losses FEMA expects in Dickson, 32% come from tornadoes and 29% from inland flooding. Compared with just over two thirds of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–55°
Spring51–74°
Summer71–93°
Fall53–75°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+0.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Dickson sees more crime per resident than three in five U.S. towns
Dickson’s property offense rate comes in at 8.7 per 1,000 residents. For Dickson, the violent crime rate is 2.2 per 1,000 residents.
39%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Dickson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.7 per 1,000 residents | 14 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.2 per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Dickson2.2
Oklahoma4.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Dickson8.7
Oklahoma18.4
U.S.15.5
39th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
12
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Dickson home is worth about $252K
In Dickson, just over four in five households live in a home they own. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 7% in value. Also worth knowing: the town’s going rate for rent stands at $1,099 a month.
$252KZillow home value
| Dickson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 62% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,099 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Dickson$252K
Oklahoma$221K
+7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
A typical Oklahoma spread of ages in Dickson
Population is up 2.3% in Dickson since 2020, to 1,363 by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Age groups here sit within 4 points of the Oklahoma average. Among adults 25 and older, 25% have a four-year degree or more, against 28% across Oklahoma.
40.6median age · OK 37
| Dickson | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 years | 36.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 25% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 20% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 18% | 16% | 18% |
DicksonOklahomaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school35%
Some college21%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
47% women, 53% men
About 111 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.3 points). Across Oklahoma, 50.2% of residents are women.
| Dickson | OK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.1% | 12.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.6% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 11.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.4% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.4% | 9.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.3% | 6.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35% | 30.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.9% | 22.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.1% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.1% | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 9.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dickson
18pages on Dickson
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 57% of OK districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC+2.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than OK on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$252K typical home · up 7% in a yearWork & commuteC+$81K median household income · 135 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 68% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dickson; the nearest are
Murray State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tishomingo18.5 mi$7,230 in-state tuitionSoutheastern Oklahoma State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Durant37.8 mi$7,530 in-state tuitionNorth Central Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · Gainesville, TX40.6 mi$3,600 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Dickson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
A growing town
Dickson has grown 13% since 2010
1,207 counted in 2010 and 1,331 in 2020; an estimated 1,363 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
About Dickson
Town in Oklahoma, United States
Dickson is a town in Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Dickson had a population of 1,331. It is part of the Ardmore, Oklahoma Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 14 sq mi
- Elevation
- 817 ft
- Area code
- 580
Questions about Dickson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dickson, OK expensive?
That is 4.1 years of the area's median household income ($60,723 across the Ardmore, OK area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.