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Tahlequah, OklahomaPhoto: Caleb Long · CC BY-SA 2.5
Town Hall · Tahlequah

Tahlequah runs its own hospital

Tahlequah’s city government spent $14.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $851 per resident. It also runs a hospital ($138.4 million) and water utilities ($3.3 million), counted separately. Census Bureau figures.

Town website
Next public meeting

Hospital Authority

4:00 pm · GH Memorial Boardroom, 1373 E Boone St, Tahlequah, OK 74464

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$14.3M
year to June 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$851
In 2022: $1,172, more than 63% of 27 similar cities
Long-term debt
$37.2M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2025
230
full-time, hospital & welfare staff apart (1,043 in all) · March payroll $6.7M
Typical tax bill
$1,293
0.70% of home value · OK 0.80%

What stands out about how Tahlequah is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Runs a hospital$138.4 million for a hospital the city runs in 2024, shown apart from day-to-day spending.Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Its own police and fire41 sworn officers and 23 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Your share of the 2024 budget

About $851 per resident a year, or $2.33 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 29%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 87%Utility sales 7%From the state 3%From the federal government 2%Sales taxes 1%From other local governments 1%Interest, fines & other <1%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $6 million; interest on debt $1.9 million; payments to other governments $4.3 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $168.5 million.
Why the hospital is apart.The Census Bureau counts the hospital it runs in the city’s books ($138.4 million, 89% of all operations). Only 135 of the 11,301 towns and cities of 2,500+ run one (Census finance files), so it is shown here and left out of every per-resident comparison.
Compared with similar places

$1,172 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Tahlequah’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,172 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 27 Oklahoma cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,025, and the middle half spent $820–$1,322. Tahlequah spent more than 63% of them.

Middle half of the group, $820–$1,322Median $1,025Tahlequah

Includes sewer and trash ($7.2 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
27

Oklahoma cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Tahlequah itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is down 28% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Tahlequah reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$19.9 million
2023$16.7 million
2024$14.3 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,172 · 2023: $1,014 · 2024: $851.

City staff
230

full-time in March 2025 (hospital, health & welfare left out), up from 227 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,293 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.70% of the home’s value, vs 0.80% across Oklahoma.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Oklahoma$1,599
Tahlequah$1,293
Grandview$1,112
Park Hill$847
$1,293
typical bill a year
0.70%
effective rate
$185,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Tahlequah’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Tahlequah’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Tahlequah →

Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Tahlequah’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Nov2
    City CouncilMonday · 5:30 pm · Council Chambers, City Hall, 225 N. Water Ave. Tahlequah, OK 74464City Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Nov2
    Abatement BoardMonday · 3:30 pm · Council Chambers, City Hall, 225 N. Water Ave. Tahlequah, OK 74464Meeting page ↗
  • Oct29
    City CouncilThursday · 11:00 am · NSU University Center, Herb Rozell Ballroom, 643 N. Grand Ave.Notice of Possible QuorumMeeting page ↗
  • Oct27
    Chamber of CommerceTuesday · 8:00 am · Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce Board Room, 123 DelawareTahlequah Area Chamber of CommerceAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    Board of AdjustmentMonday · 4:00 pm · Council Chambers, City Hall, 111 S. Cherokee Ave.Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Tahlequah

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityoftahlequah.com for Tahlequah’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Tahlequah yet.cityoftahlequah.com ↗
Who works for Tahlequah

One full-time city employee for every 73 residents, not counting hospital, health & welfare staff

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (16,828).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Water & other utilities53
Police49 + 2 pt
Sewer & trash39
Fire23 + 12 pt
Parks & libraries15 + 8 pt
Administration & buildings14 + 6 pt
Roads & transportation15
Courts, inspections & corrections2
Other20
Run separately
Hospital, health & welfare813 + 212 pt
230
full-time, hospital, health & welfare apart
240
part-time
$6.7M
payroll for March 2025
$80.4M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$72,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
41
sworn police officers
23
full-time firefighters
The hospital.The 813 full-time hospital, health & welfare staff include the hospital the city runs, so they are counted apart, as the hospitals are in the budget. The payroll figures cover every employee, the hospital’s included: the Census file doesn’t split pay by function.
Compared, 2022.Tahlequah had 13.4 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022 (hospital, health & welfare left out, and the same for any peer that runs a hospital). The median for the 25 of the 27 Oklahoma cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 9.5: Tahlequah had more than 84% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Tahlequah Public Schools

Tahlequah’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Tahlequah →
$12,526
per pupil · OK $12,210
3,610
students
$12.9 million
long-term debt

Of the $12,526 per pupil, $7,030 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 23%State 57%Federal 21%

Oklahoma districts overall: 42% local, 45% state, 14% federal.

Also serving Tahlequah

Grand View Public School · $14,238 per pupil

Briggs Public School · $12,008 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Tahlequah’s votes are counted by county

Oklahoma reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Tahlequah alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Cherokee County’s results.

President · Cherokee County’s results17,823 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican65.3%11,637 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat32.7%5,826 votes

Others: 2.0% (360 votes).

Most votes in Cherokee County: Donald J Trump

Oklahoma: Trump 66.2%, Harris 31.9%

The county’s page

100% of Tahlequah lies in Cherokee County. Every 2024 race in Cherokee County is on the county’s page.

Cherokee County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Tahlequah

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Tahlequah.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityoftahlequah.com ↗
  2. 2
    Oklahoma HouseState representatives
    Bob Culver
  3. 3
    Oklahoma SenateState senator
    Avery FrixJulie McIntosh
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Kevin Stitt
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Josh Brecheen
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Oklahoma
    James LankfordAlan Armstrong
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Tahlequah compares with the towns next door

Tahlequah spent $1,172 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Park Hill: unincorporated, no town budgetGrandview: unincorporated, no town budgetPark HillGrandviewTahlequah
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Tahlequah$1,172$1,293

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Tahlequah’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityoftahlequah.com ↗

Questions about Tahlequah’s government

How much does Tahlequah spend per resident?

About $851 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. Tahlequah also runs a hospital ($138.4 million), counted separately. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,172 was more than 63% of 27 Oklahoma cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Tahlequah?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,293 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.70% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.80% across Oklahoma. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoftahlequah.com.

Who runs Tahlequah’s government?

See cityoftahlequah.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Tahlequah yet.

How did Tahlequah vote in 2024?

Oklahoma counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Tahlequah alone. Cherokee County, where 100% of Tahlequah lies, voted Trump 65.3%, Harris 32.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Tahlequah?

230 full-time and 240 part-time employees in March 2025 (plus 813 full-time hospital, health & welfare staff), with a March payroll of $6.7M (about $80.4M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Tahlequah in the state legislature?

Tahlequah is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Oklahoma Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Tahlequah?

The next posted meeting is Hospital Authority on Monday, November 9, at 4:00 pm in GH Memorial Boardroom, 1373 E Boone St, Tahlequah, OK 74464, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Tahlequah’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →