Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety36#594/924
Economy16#777/925
Housing68#301/925
Health4#891/925
Healthcare37#584/923
Environment21#728/917
Education51#450/925
Infrastructure12#813/925
Community7#863/925
Leisure & amenities22#722/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Job growth · high2.3%
93/100Oklahoma 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Effective property tax rate · low0.49%
86/100Oklahoma 0.79%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Mental health providers · high484 /100k
85/100Oklahoma 439 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Rent as share of income · low26.2%
82/100Oklahoma 28.4%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Primary care physicians · high85 /100k
82/100Oklahoma 60 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Unemployment rate · low3.4%
79/100Oklahoma 3.4%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year

Weaknesses

Grocery stores · low0.6 /10k
3/100Oklahoma 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Adult obesity · high44.4%
4/100Oklahoma 40.4%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Uninsured residents (under 65) · high21.8%
4/100Oklahoma 14.4%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Firearm deaths · high29.1 /100k
5/100Oklahoma 17.6 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · low48.6%
5/100Oklahoma 53.8%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high20.4%
6/100Oklahoma 18.6%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

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

Drought exposureWorsening
4% (2021) → 63% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+59 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Gyms and fitness centersImproving
0.4 /10k (2020) → 0.8 /10k (2025)
+91%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
New homes permittedWorsening
3.4 /1k (2021) → 0.5 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−84%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
69.3% (2015-2019) → 82.8% (2020-2024)
+14 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child care cost burdenWorsening
29.6% (2020 & 2021) → 39.6% (2023 & 2024)
+10 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Primary care physiciansImproving
58 /100k (2019) → 85 /100k (2022)
+48%3 yearsUS 77 /100k → 76 /100k

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, Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area improved on 17 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 4 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved17

Gyms+91%0.4 /10k → 0.8 /10k
Uninsured−3.1 points24.9% → 21.8%
Poverty−3.8 points22.1% → 18.2%
Rent burden−6.4 points48.8% → 42.4%
Child poverty−7.5 points27.5% → 20.0%

Declined5

Overdose deaths+60%15.6 /100k → 24.9 /100k
Grocery stores−28%0.8 /10k → 0.6 /10k
Suicides+36%19.9 /100k → 27.0 /100k
Firearm deaths+5.4%27.6 /100k → 29.1 /100k
Price / income+0.4×2.8× → 3.2×

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.8 /10k2020	3.7 /10k2025	−4.3%	Little change	22%
Average commute time	24.3 min2015-2019	23.8 min2020-2024	−0.5 min	Within the margin of error	77%
Average weekly wage	$7772020	$9942025	+28%	Improved	85%
Bachelor's degree or higher	26.3%2015-2019	29.2%2020-2024	+2.9 points	Improved	52%
Broadband subscriptions	69.3%2015-2019	82.8%2020-2024	+14 points	Improved	86%
Child poverty rate	27.5%2015-2019	20.0%2020-2024	−7.5 points	Improved	89%
Distance to an airport	46 mi2020	46 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	24%
Drug overdose deaths	15.6 /100k2020	24.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+60%	Declined	6%
Effective property tax rate	0.60%2015-2019	0.49%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	45%
Firearm deaths	27.6 /100k2020	29.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+5.4%	Declined	40%
Grocery stores	0.8 /10k2020	0.6 /10k2025	−28%	Declined	4%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.4 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	+91%	Improved	94%
High school diploma or higher	86.5%2015-2019	89.2%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	74%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	3.2×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	55%
Homicide rate	7.8 /100k2020	6.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−13%	Improved	35%
Income adjusted for local prices	$41,7412019	$54,0302024	+29%	Improved	32%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4732015-2019	0.4552020-2024	−0.018	Within the margin of error	87%
Median household income	$42,7742015-2019	$53,2182020-2024	+24%	Improved	35%
New business applications	6.9 /1k2020	9.6 /1k2025	+40%	Improved	41%
Pharmacies	1.5 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	+9.4%	Improved	87%
Poverty rate	22.1%2015-2019	18.2%2020-2024	−3.8 points	Improved	92%
Property crime rate	1,970 /100k2020	1,200 /100k2025	−39%	Improved	62%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	+0.1%	Little change	65%
Rent as share of income	29.3%2015-2019	26.2%2020-2024	−3.1 points	Within the margin of error	93%
Rent-burdened households	48.8%2015-2019	42.4%2020-2024	−6.4 points	Improved	92%
Restaurants and bars	7.4 /10k2020	7.3 /10k2025	−1.6%	Little change	38%
Suicide rate	19.9 /100k2020	27.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+36%	Declined	13%
Traffic deaths	19.7 /100k2015-2019	15.9 /100k2020-2024	−19%	Improved	88%
Unemployment rate	5.2%2020	3.4%2025	−1.8 points	Improved	18%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	24.9%2015-2019	21.8%2020-2024	−3.1 points	Improved	94%
Violent crime rate	242 /100k2020	190 /100k2025	−22%	Improved	60%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area 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, Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area itself moved +4 points in standing on average over the same 30 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

47,942 residents

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

18,698 households (±271)

Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k21%4,019
$25k–50k26%4,849
$50k–75k17%3,158

Homes

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

Owners and renters

18,698 households (±271)

Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area
United States share

Own66%12,291
Rent34%6,407

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−2.6 points).

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

20,527 workers (±614)

Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone73%14,981
Carpool13%2,686
Public transit0.4%†79

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area.

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.

Tahlequah, OK has 767 employer establishments, 159 for every 10,000 residents (0.64× the US rate of 248), with 8,864 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,247. The Census Bureau also counts 3,402 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 767; 3,402 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 159; US 248
Paid employees: 8,864
Average annual pay: $42,247; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Tahlequah, OK by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	70	14.5	0.79×Fewer than typical	1,271	$21,552	15
Ambulatory health care services	66	13.7	0.66×Fewer than typical	589	$56,896	151
Specialty trade contractors	37	7.7	0.50×Fewer than typical	204	$40,216	347
Full-service restaurants	34	7.1	0.92×About typical	451	$17,381	8
Lessors of real estate	29	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	55	$36,764	209
Limited-service restaurants	29	6	0.75×Fewer than typical	719	$15,364	5
Religious organizations	29	6	1.09×About typical	123	$22,553	—
Offices of other health practitioners	23	4.8	0.79×Fewer than typical	112	$39,670	83
Gasoline stations	20	4.2	1.28×More than typical	163	$25,644	—
Legal services	20	4.2	0.77×Fewer than typical	74	$38,149	31
Construction of buildings	19	3.9	0.52×Fewer than typical	39	$29,051	214
General merchandise stores	17	3.5	2.00×More than typical	509	$28,053	22

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 48,121 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $74M on contracts performed in Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area: $1,504 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $74M; +1,036% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,504; US $1,995
Sole-source: 13%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.1%; 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

Department of the Army$64M86%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management$9.9M13%
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention$39.5K0.1%
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission$33K0.0%

Top recipients

ALBERICI CONSTRUCTORS INC$63.8M86%
CHEROKEE NATION$10M13%
ALLSTATE TERMITE AND PEST SOLUTIONS INC.$154.6K0.2%
NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY$39.5K0.1%
ROSA SALAS$10.1K0.0%

Spending by fiscal year

13.3MFY2017
4.6MFY2018
14.5MFY2019
6MFY2020
17.6MFY2021
14.7MFY2022
7.1MFY2023
8.7M

Top industries (NAICS)

Highway, street, and bridge construction · 2373$63.8M86%
Technical and trade schools · 6115$9.9M13%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$154.6K0.2%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$39.5K0.1%
Social advocacy organizations · 8133$33K0.0%
RV parks and recreational camps · 7212

Largest awards

FORT GIBSON REPLACE SPILLWAY BRIDGE$63.8M
ALBERICI CONSTRUCTORS INC· Cherokee County, OK· Construction & real property· Dec 15, 2025 – Mar 27, 2026· W912BV26CA003
AWARD FOR THE TALKING LEAVES JOB CORPS CENTER WITH OUTREACH AND ADMISSIONS AND CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES$21.2M
CHEROKEE NATION· Cherokee County, OK· Education & social services· Jul 31, 2024 – Aug 28, 2026· 1605JW24C0005
MOWING SERVICES FOR TENKILLER AND WEBBERS FALLS LAKES.$309.2K
ALLSTATE TERMITE AND PEST SOLUTIONS INC.· Cherokee County, OK· Facilities & utilities· Mar 31, 2025 – Jun 11, 2026· W912BV25PA005
EO 14398 - EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF PHAASE CHANGE MATERIAL-INTEGRATED FIREFIGHTER TURNOUT GEAR ON A FULL BODY MANIKIN

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $522.4M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area: $10,620 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $522.4M; −3.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $10,620; US $12,957
Loan face value: $35.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$166.7M32%
14.867 · Indian Housing Block Grants$55.8M11%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$46.6M8.9%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$40.2M7.7%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$32.4M6.2%
20.289 · Tribal Transportation Program (TTP)$19M3.6%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$18.3M3.5%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$15.1M2.9%

Top recipients (organizations)

CHEROKEE NATION$170.9M33%
TAHLEQUAH, OK
NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY$19.1M3.7%
TAHLEQUAH, OK
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$14.2M2.7%
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, INC.$4.4M0.9%
HULBERT, OK
KEETOOWAH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$229.4M44%
Federal Highway Administration$73.1M14%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$57.7M11%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$45.7M8.7%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

488.3MFY2021
477.4MFY2022
445.9MFY2023
551.2MFY2024
541.5MFY2025
522.4MFY2026

County aggregates

55%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Tahlequah, OK

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Cherokee CountyCentral county1949,196

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

TahlequahPrincipal city16,935

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Oklahoma

Areas based in Oklahoma, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M45140

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved17

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like Tahlequah, OK micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Tahlequah, OK

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Oklahoma

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved17

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type