Lake eucha, 2008
Jay’s story
117 years in pictures
Census counts: 741 in 1940, 2,425 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 3 maps from 1899 on.
- 1909Jay is settled
JayOK
A town of 2,507, settled in 1909.
Population
2,507
2025 Census estimate · +3.4% since 2020
Typical home
$243K
+6.2% in a year
Household income
$38K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
1,817
A job hub
TownGrade
D
#119 of 131 in OK
Is Jay a good place to live?
Jay grades D overall, ranked 119th of 131 in Oklahoma, mostly because of health and incomes. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 98% of the country. The median household income is $38K, and 24% of residents live below the poverty line. What it does well: a typical home costs about $243K, 4.3 years of the county’s $57K median household income. Jay’s property crime rate is 38.2 per 1,000 residents, above both Oklahoma’s towns (14) and U.S. towns (9.9). Only 6 of Oklahoma’s 227 towns score higher on walkability. Jay's crime rate is higher than 94% of U.S. towns, with 11 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025.
What makes Jay stand out
Where Jay beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,817
Residents who work813
Work
2.2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
6.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Oklahoma
0 better11 too close to call21 worse
| Widest gap | Jay | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults without reliable transportation | 16% | 9.6% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Trails OK on 21 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,659 people come to Jay for work
Where Jay’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,817jobs based in Jay
19%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Jay grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Jay is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 86% of comparable towns) to D− for health (better than 2%), so the D overall blends very different results.
HealthIntegris Grove Hospital 12 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeD−Open →SafetyDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 13.2% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.6; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Jay: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jay, and how to reach them.
PowerPSO14.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterJay water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Jay’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, Delaware County Election BoardDelaware County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2018
ZIP code7434674346 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 Jay.
Jay trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, draws workers from Grove and beyond and has more 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of Oklahoma.
HealthD−
Jay earns a D− for health
28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Jay. Among 131 Oklahoma towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Jay.
2%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Jay | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 23% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 21% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Oklahoma
0 better11 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Jay | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults without reliable transportation | 16% | 9.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 30.5% | 18.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.8% | 8% |
Integris Grove Hospital
12 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among OK towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Jay’s schools rank behind 75% of Oklahoma districts
Two of its 4 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. The largest public high school is Jay HS, with 471 students. The Jay school district runs its public schools.
25%of OK districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 538 | B+ |
| Jay HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 471 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Jay earns a D for safety
Property crime runs at 38.2 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Oklahoma rate, most of it theft.
For Jay, the violent crime rate is 4.4 per 1,000 residents.
6%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Jay4.4
Oklahoma4.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Jay38.2
Oklahoma18.4
U.S.15.5
6th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
5th
percentile among OK towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
95
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
About one in five working residents works right in Jay
1,817 jobs are based in Jay, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Jay had 1,817 jobs in 2023, up 188 from 2013. In Jay, the mean commuting time is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Grove (8%), Tulsa (5%) and Gentry (4%).
19%work in town
| Jay | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 22% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Jay19%
Grove8%
Tulsa5%
Gentry4%
Oklahoma City3%
22 mi
median commute distance
1,817
jobs based in Jay
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Jay is 91°F, against 93°F in Oklahoma’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns
The Spavinaw weather station, 15 miles away, records that about 58 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 91% of Oklahoma places with climate records. July afternoons average 90.9°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 95% of Oklahoma places with climate records; January nights average 25.9°.
Summers in Jay are warm, and winters chilly. About 6 inches of snow falls in a winter. Its January low stands at 26°F.
6″snow a winter
| Jay | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 91°F | 93°F | 85°F |
| January low | 26°F | 28°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–50°
Spring47–70°
Summer67–89°
Fall48–71°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Jay faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Jay’s FEMA hazard score comes in at 64 of 100. FEMA puts just over two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 15% to tornadoes. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A−
Jay earns an A− for cost of living
Homes are within reach (about $243K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 22 miles. 61% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 46.3% across Oklahoma.
The typical home value in Jay is about $243,000, up 6.2% in a year, 10% above the Oklahoma typical home. The town’s rent at the middle of the market is $765 a month. 61% of Jay households live in a home they own.
$243KZillow home value
| Jay | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $765 a month | $875 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 62% | 73% |
Typical home value
Jay$243K
Oklahoma$221K
+6.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Jay
19pages on Jay
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 75% of OK districts · 4 schoolsSafetyD4.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than OK on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$243K typical home · up 6.2% in a yearWork & commuteD−$38K median household income · 1,817 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 64% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Jay; the nearest are
John Brown UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Siloam Springs, AR21 mi$31,756 tuitionNortheastern Oklahoma A&M CollegeCommunity college · Public · Miami31.4 mi$5,213 in-state tuitionNortheastern State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Tahlequah36.3 mi$7,810 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Jay residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
About Jay
City in Oklahoma, United States
Jay is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Jay had a population of 2,425. Almost 40% of its residents are Native American, thus Jay is home to numerous Cherokee tribal offices and a health clinic for the Delaware District of the Cherokee Nation. Jay has a council-manager system of government. Becki Farley is the mayor with Kyle Stump serving as Vice Mayor. The city is celebrated as the Huckleberry Capital of the World and has been host to the annual Huckleberry Festival each July 4 weekend since 1967.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,043 ft
- ZIP code
- 74346
Jay’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Jay.
Brush CreekNew EuchaJay
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OK rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay | #119 | D | A− | D | C | D− |
| Brush Creek | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Eucha | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Brush Creek and New Eucha aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Jay with a neighbor →
Questions about Jay
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Jay, OK a good place to live?
Jay grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #119 of 131 in Oklahoma. It grades D− for health, D for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Jay, OK expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
What is Jay, OK known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Mel Cornshucker and William Keith.