Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,020, settled in 1892.
Rush Springs’ best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for incomes. Only 16 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 72% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Rush Springs Park, at 30 acres. Rush Springs has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Rush Springs beats most towns.
1,231 counted in 2010 and 997 in 2020; an estimated 1,020 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Rush Springs is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 518 in 1900, a peak of 1,451 in 1980, 997 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rush Springs, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Rush Springs.
Nearly two fifths of Rush Springs adults have obesity. The share of adults in Rush Springs who binge drink is 13%, close to Oklahoma’s towns (14%) and below U.S. towns (16%).
| Rush Springs | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 40% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 25% |
| What stands out | Rush Springs | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.4% | 3.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 7.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The public schools here belong to the Rush Springs school district. Of its 3 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. 3 public schools serve Rush Springs, with 473 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Springs EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 234 | B− |
| Rush Springs HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 133 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
The share of working residents in Rush Springs who work locally is 7.8%, against 22% in Oklahoma’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Among residents locally, 26% live below the poverty line. Employers in Rush Springs shed 53 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 162. In Rush Springs, the median household income is $45,000.
| Rush Springs | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.8% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In Rush Springs, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 75 of 100. 27% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from tornadoes, followed by inland flooding at 27%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Rush Springs after 8 declared disasters, most recently in 2016.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Home values are up 7.7% over the year to September 2026. Rush Springs’ rent at the middle of the market stands at $716 a month. In Rush Springs, 64% of households own their home.
| Rush Springs | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $716 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 62% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Rush Springs’ peak summer temperature comes in at 94°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Rush Springs’ rate of reported violence is 2.9 per 1,000 residents. The level of property crime for Rush Springs comes to 13.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Rush Springs | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.6 per 1,000 residents | 14 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rush Springs Park | — | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Rush Springs; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Rush Springs residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Oklahoma.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in Oklahoma, United States
Rush Springs is a town in Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 997 at the 2020 census, a 19% decrease from 2010. The town promotes itself as the "Watermelon Capital of the World." The community's largest event is the annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival, which attracts about 30,000 people each year. They consume about 50,000 pounds of watermelon during this event.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.