LWS cartoon about the Apple Game, 1904
Ryan’s story
136 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1904.
- 1890Ryan is settled
RyanOK
A town of 678, settled in 1890.
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
678
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$77K
−1.2% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
35.7
years
Jobs based here
100
A commuter town
Is Ryan a good place to live?
Ryan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
678 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ryan: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ryan, and how to reach them.
PowerTown of RyanEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterRyan Utilities Authority47 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ryan’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, Jefferson County Election BoardJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2018
ZIP code7356573565 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 Ryan.
Housing
Ryan stands out in Oklahoma and nationally: the median rent there is lower
Zillow values the typical Ryan home at about $77,000, down 1.2% in a year, 65% below the Oklahoma typical home. In Ryan, 71% of households live in a home they own.
$77KZillow home value
| Ryan | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $500 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 62% | 73% |
Typical home value
Ryan$77K
Oklahoma$221K
−1.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Ryan’s kids attend
Its two schools are below. The Ryan school district runs its public schools. The 2 public schools in Ryan teach 251 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 171 | C |
| Ryan HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 80 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Ryan’s workers commute out
The share of residents in Ryan who live below the poverty line is 24%, above both Oklahoma’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Most people who work leave Ryan to do it: just 11% work in town. The town’s typical household income is $53,000. Half the trips to work are shorter than 35 miles.
11%work in town
| Ryan | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Ryan11%
Oklahoma City11%
Waurika10%
Duncan10%
Lawton4%
35 mi
median commute distance
100
jobs based in Ryan
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is Ryan’s year
Among 132 Oklahoma towns, just 5 have a higher midsummer high than Ryan. July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 30° and about 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–56°
Spring51–75°
Summer71–94°
Fall52–76°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Mar 29
typical last frost
+0.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Ryan, mostly drought
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. 43% of Ryan’s expected losses from natural hazards come from drought, followed by inland flooding at 18%. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2021.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Ryan is
For adults in Ryan, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 36%. Of 32 CDC measures, Ryan beats the Oklahoma average on 1 and trails it on 16. The share of adults in Ryan who have high blood pressure is 45%, where Oklahoma’s towns sit at 40% and U.S. towns at 35%.
| Ryan | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Oklahoma
1 better15 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Ryan | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 28.1% | 16.4% |
Jefferson County Hospital
10 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ryan
18pages on Ryan
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ryan; the nearest are
Midwestern State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Wichita Falls, TX33.9 mi$10,580 in-state tuitionNorth Central Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · Gainesville, TX53.1 mi$3,600 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Ryan residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Ryan for work
Where Ryan’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
100jobs based in Ryan
11%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Ryan
4 notable people were born in Ryan.
About Ryan
Town in Oklahoma, United States
Ryan is a town in Jefferson County, Oklahoma, United States, located just north of the Texas state line. The population was 667 at the 2020 census. It is also known as the birthplace of Chuck Norris.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1890
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 902 ft
- ZIP code
- 73565
- Area code
- 580
Questions about Ryan
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ryan, OK a good place to live?
Ryan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Ryan, OK known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Floyd Tillman and Tillie Manton.