Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,355, settled in 1901.
The best of Walters’ subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Walters, above both Oklahoma’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. Only 2 of the 132 Oklahoma towns we compare have a higher July high than Walters. Walters has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them First United Methodist Church and Cotton County Courthouse. Walters has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Walters beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Walters is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1917.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Walters, 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 Walters.
20% of Walters adults smoke cigarettes, above both the Oklahoma town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 43% of Walters adults have obesity. Walters beats the Oklahoma average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
| Walters | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 41% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 34% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Walters | OK |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.6% | 16.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 8% |
| More smokers | 20.1% | 16.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Walters school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walters EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 262 | A− |
| Walters HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 197 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
The typical Walters home is worth about $108,000, up 1.5% in a year, 51% below the Oklahoma typical home. Walters’ median rent is $719 a month.
| Walters | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 79% | 62% | 73% |
| Median rent | $719 a month | $873 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
About one in 4 of Walters’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Walters has lost 48 jobs, to 505 in 2023. The average trip to work in Walters is 21 minutes.
| Walters | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (37% statewide). 28% of residents are under 18 in Walters. Walters has lost 2.3% of its people since 2020, down to 2,355 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Walters | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 28% | 25% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 20% | 20% | 29% |
| Median age | 40.4 years | 36.2 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.2 points. Across Oklahoma, 50.2% of residents are women.
| Walters | OK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 12.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 17.6% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.6% | 13.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.3% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 11.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.4% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.4% | 9.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.5% | 6.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.8% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30% | 30.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 32.8% | 22.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.8% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 8.3% | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.3% | 9.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,400, single groups can be off by several points
Walters has mild winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 29° and about 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
| Walters | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4% | 6.9% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Youth Park | 0.8 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 2007, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Walters.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Walters; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Walters residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
3 places in Walters on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Walters.
City in Oklahoma, US
Walters is a city and the county seat, nestled between twin creeks, of Cotton County, Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 2,412 as of the 2020 United States census. The city's motto is "Small Town; Big Heart".
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+.
5 notable people were born here, including Van Heflin and Fred R. Harris.
