Town · Le Flore County, Oklahoma

Arkoma, Oklahoma

Arkoma is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma. It has 1,976 residents. Arkoma, Oklahoma has a quality-of-life score of 3 out of 100 (very low), ranking #15,114 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Oklahoma it ranks #213 of 237 cities and towns. It ranks best on home price to income ratio (low), time spent in the emergency room (low) and average commute time (low). It ranks worst on adult smoking (high), preventable hospital stays (high) and average weekly wage (low).

3Very low

Quality-of-life score: #15,114 of 15,651 cities and towns
Oklahoma: #213 of 237 in OK
Population: 1,976 (2020-2024)
Land area: 3 mi²
Density: 568.9 /mi²
FIPS code: 4002650

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety16#13,122/15,637
Economy4#15,076/15,631
Housing97#451/14,977
Health1#15,522/15,609
Healthcare5#14,800/15,650
Environment15#13,197/15,453
Education16#13,069/15,649
Infrastructure9#14,294/15,650
Community8#14,374/15,651
Leisure & amenities2#15,411/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Arkoma, Oklahoma ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Le Flore County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Home price to income ratio · low1.9×
93/100Oklahoma 3.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Time spent in the emergency room · low111 min
92/100Oklahoma 122 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesLe Flore County value
Average commute time · low17.5 min
92/100Oklahoma 22.4 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Effective property tax rate · low0.44%
91/100Oklahoma 0.79%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Job growth · high1.4%
83/100Oklahoma 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataLe Flore County value
Public libraries · high1.2 /10k
81/100Oklahoma 0.5 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesLe Flore County value

Weaknesses

Adult smoking · high26.0%
1/100Oklahoma 18.6%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Preventable hospital stays · high4,988 /100k
2/100Oklahoma 3,055 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLe Flore County value
Average weekly wage · low$840
2/100Oklahoma $1,173United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLe Flore County value
Frequent mental distress · high23.0%
3/100Oklahoma 19.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Physical inactivity · high40.1%
3/100Oklahoma 32.5%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Access to exercise opportunities · low32.0%
3/100Oklahoma 70.7%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLe Flore County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,821 (2015-2019) → 1,976 (2020-2024)
+8.5%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateImproving
41.8% (2015-2019) → 21.5% (2020-2024)
−20 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
64.4% (2015-2019) → 44.4% (2020-2024)
−20 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Poverty rateImproving
35.2% (2015-2019) → 22.1% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$27,708 (2015-2019) → $43,929 (2020-2024)
+59%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
73.4% (2015-2019) → 82.9% (2020-2024)
+9.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Arkoma, Oklahoma improved on 7 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved7

Poverty−13 points35.2% → 22.1%
Child poverty−20 points41.8% → 21.5%
Rent burden−20 points64.4% → 44.4%
Inequality−0.0840.519 → 0.435
Rent / income−9 points36.0% → 27.0%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Arkoma, Oklahoma between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.5 min2015-2019	17.5 min2020-2024	−2.0 min	Within the margin of error	70%
Bachelor's degree or higher	10.0%2015-2019	10.6%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Broadband subscriptions	73.4%2015-2019	82.9%2020-2024	+9.6 points	Improved	58%
Child poverty rate	41.8%2015-2019	21.5%2020-2024	−20 points	Improved	94%
Effective property tax rate	0.60%2015-2019	0.44%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	49%
High school diploma or higher	78.5%2015-2019	85.5%2020-2024	+7 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Home price to income ratio	2.6×2015-2019	1.9×2020-2024	−0.7×	Within the margin of error	95%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5192015-2019	0.4352020-2024	−0.084	Improved	93%
Median household income	$27,7082015-2019	$43,9292020-2024	+59%	Improved	90%
Poverty rate	35.2%2015-2019	22.1%2020-2024	−13 points	Improved	96%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	36.0%2015-2019	27.0%2020-2024	−9 points	Improved	92%
Rent-burdened households	64.4%2015-2019	44.4%2020-2024	−20 points	Improved	94%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	16.1%2015-2019	19.2%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Within the margin of error	18%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Arkoma, Oklahoma five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Arkoma, Oklahoma in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Arkoma, Oklahoma itself moved +19.3 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,976 residents (±203)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

726 households (±79)

Arkoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma share

Under $25k27%195
$25k–50k27%†195
$50k–75k17%124

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

726 households (±79)

Arkoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma share

Own62%453
Rent38%273

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

795 workers (±94)

Arkoma, Oklahoma
Oklahoma share

Drive alone83%658
Carpool7.5%†60
Public transit0.0%0

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Le Flore County, the county holding most of Arkoma's residents.

Le Flore County has 798 employer establishments, 161 for every 10,000 residents (0.65× the US rate of 248; 0.68× Oklahoma's), with 6,665 paid employees at an average annual pay of $37,855. The Census Bureau also counts 3,455 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 798; 3,455 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 161; US 248 · Oklahoma 237
Paid employees: 6,665
Average annual pay: $37,855; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Le Flore County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	66	13.4	0.64×Fewer than typical	359	$44,058	128
Specialty trade contractors	54	10.9	0.71×Fewer than typical	384	$47,987	454
Restaurants and other eating places	49	9.9	0.54×Fewer than typical	607	$24,201	17
Religious organizations	35	7.1	1.28×More than typical	165	$20,194	—
Building equipment contractors	32	6.5	1.08×About typical	150	$44,780	73
Management, scientific and technical consulting	30	6.1	0.90×About typical	57	$44,088	53
Architectural, engineering and related services	29	5.9	1.68×More than typical	56	$33,821	23
Offices of other health practitioners	26	5.3	0.87×About typical	74	$38,068	71
Full-service restaurants	25	5.1	0.66×Fewer than typical	158	$16,728	6
General merchandise stores	23	4.7	2.63×More than typical	488	$28,156	25
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors	22	4.5	1.35×More than typical	129	$44,171	42
Insurance agencies and brokerages	21	4.2	0.97×About typical	60	$41,217	42

Rank places for an industry Open Le Flore County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 49,437 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $27.5K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Arkoma, Oklahoma: $13.90 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $27.5K
Per resident: $13.90; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

U.S. Geological Survey$27.5K100%

Top recipients

SEITEL, INC$27.5K100%

Spending by fiscal year

27.5KFY2026

What was bought

Other equipment & supplies$27.5K100%

Top industries (NAICS)

Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$27.5K100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Arkoma, Oklahoma, so they do not add up across cities.

Arkoma, Oklahoma's figures are part of those of Le Flore County, OK ($25M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.1% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Arkoma is mostly in Le Flore County.

See federal money in Le Flore County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Arkoma, Oklahoma is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Josh BrecheenR-OK-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 4.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Le Flore County2100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Le Flore County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/4002650

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends