Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Stillwater grades C+ overall, 42nd of 131 graded towns in Oklahoma, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its public schools beat 86% of Oklahoma towns on state tests and graduation and it is more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $267K for a typical one and 5.4 times the Stillwater area’s $50K median household income. 48% of working residents work locally in Stillwater, above both Oklahoma’s towns (22%) and U.S. towns (8%). On health, just 11 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns do better. Stillwater has 19 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Campus Fire Station and Magruder Plots.
Where Stillwater beats most towns.
Old Central, Oklahoma State University| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Westwood Es | PK–5 | 626 |
| Will Rogers Es | PK–5 | 511 |
| Highland Park Es | PK–5 | 505 |
Census counts: 480 in 1890, 48,394 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 3 maps from 1893 on.
19 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Stillwater is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Stillwater, 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 Stillwater.
Stillwater is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns.
Its A for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $267K.
Its public schools are run by the Stillwater school district. Three of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stillwater MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–7 | Grades 6–7 | 932 | A− |
| Stillwater HSLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | 1,341 | A |
| Richmond EsTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 362 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
20 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Boomer Lake Park, at 349 acres. The trail density in Stillwater is 0.7 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sanborn Lake Park and Sports Complex | 2.8 mi | 112 |
| 2. The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University | 1 mi | 54 |
| 3. Teal Ridge Wetland | 0.6 mi | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
60.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 46.3% across Oklahoma.
37% of households own their home in Stillwater. Among 131 Oklahoma towns, just 7 have a higher share of renters spending 30% or more of income on rent than Stillwater. The typical Stillwater home is worth about $267,000, up 4.4% in a year, 21% above the Oklahoma typical home.
| Stillwater | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 37% | 62% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 60% | 44% | 48% |
| Median rent | $947 a month | $870 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
July afternoons average 94°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 25.7°.
Stillwater has chilly winters and hot summers. Stillwater’s July high is 94°F. About 8 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Stillwater | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 94°F | 93°F | 85°F |
| January low | 26°F | 28°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 18,339 working residents takes 15.4 minutes, against 22.4 across Oklahoma.
27% of Stillwater residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Stillwater grew to 25,984 in 2023, 4,579 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Oklahoma City (12%), Tulsa (6%) and Perry (2%).
| Stillwater | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 27% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 6.6% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 3,575 U.S. towns with household incomes like Stillwater’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. Within Oklahoma it is healthier than 93% of the 131 graded towns: much of Oklahoma scores lower on these measures.
Of the 131 Oklahoma towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Stillwater. Stillwater beats the Oklahoma average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. Among 131 Oklahoma towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who binge drink than Stillwater.
| Stillwater | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 40% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.1% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Stillwater | OK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 8.1% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.7% | 7.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.7% | 9.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 64 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Stillwater.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Within Oklahoma, it does better than 63% of towns.
| Stillwater | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.8 per 1,000 residents | 14 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Stillwater. Close and well known come first.
in town Stadium & arenaBoone Pickens Stadium
in town MuseumNational Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
in town GardenOklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum
31 mi MuseumChandler Armory
26 mi GardenApothecary GardenBoone Pickens Stadium: XStewart2007, CC BY-SA 4.0 · National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum: Jibran1 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Chandler Armory: Skyring, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Apothecary Garden: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Stillwater
College town 38 of every 100 Stillwater residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
19 places in Stillwater on the National Register of Historic Places.
24 notable people were born in Stillwater.
City in Oklahoma, United States
Stillwater is the tenth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and the county seat of Payne County. It is located in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. Route 177 and State Highway 51. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 48,394. The Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 78,399 according to the 2012 census estimate. Stillwater was part of the first Oklahoma Land Run held on April 22, 1889, when the Unassigned Lands were opened for settlement and became the core of the new Oklahoma Territory. The city charter was adopted on August 24, 1889, and the city operates under a council-manager government system. Stillwater has a diverse economy wi…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Stillwater grades C+ overall, better than 40% of U.S. towns and #42 of 131 in Oklahoma. It grades B for health, C+ for safety and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Oklahoma, it does better than 63% of towns.
24 notable people were born here, including James Marsden and Tyson Ritter.
