Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Oklahoma?
Only a third of Oklahomans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Oklahoma don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Oklahoma cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 73 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Sooner State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Oklahoma
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Stillwater is the happiest place in Oklahoma.
For more Oklahoma reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Oklahoma For 2023
/10
Population: 6,182
Poverty Level: 29.3%
Median Home Price $72,500
Married Households 22.0%
Households With Kids 44.31%
More on Anadarko: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 8,741
Poverty Level: 22.5%
Median Home Price $120,100
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 37.55%
More on Poteau: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,945
Poverty Level: 28.0%
Median Home Price $76,000
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 40.07%
More on Idabel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,694
Poverty Level: 17.2%
Median Home Price $111,700
Married Households 27.0%
Households With Kids 32.6%
More on Wagoner: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,131
Poverty Level: 27.1%
Median Home Price $65,400
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 39.49%
More on Seminole: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 11,330
Poverty Level: 23.0%
Median Home Price $76,500
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 29.23%
More on Okmulgee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,753
Poverty Level: 18.9%
Median Home Price $56,500
Married Households 17.0%
Households With Kids 25.74%
More on Holdenville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,439
Poverty Level: 19.7%
Median Home Price $117,800
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 36.36%
More on Pryor Creek: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,696
Poverty Level: 10.0%
Median Home Price $145,900
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 40.58%
More on Coweta: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,506
Poverty Level: 13.1%
Median Home Price $146,200
Married Households 26.0%
Households With Kids 38.97%
More on Purcell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Sooner State
To rank the unhappiest places in Oklahoma, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 73 places in Oklahoma with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 73 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Oklahoma.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Oklahoma.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Oklahoma
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Oklahoma is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Oklahoma, according to science:
- Stillwater
- The Village
- Weatherford
For more Oklahoma reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Oklahoma
- Cheapest Places To Live In Oklahoma
- Most Dangerous Cities In Oklahoma
- Richest Cities In Oklahoma
- Safest Places In Oklahoma
- Worst Places To Live In Oklahoma
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Oklahoma
Miserable Cities In Oklahoma For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anadarko, OK | 6,182 | 29.3% | $72,500 | 22.0% | 44.31% |
| 2 | Poteau, OK | 8,741 | 22.5% | $120,100 | 15.0% | 37.55% |
| 3 | Idabel, OK | 6,945 | 28.0% | $76,000 | 15.0% | 40.07% |
| 4 | Wagoner, OK | 7,694 | 17.2% | $111,700 | 27.0% | 32.6% |
| 5 | Seminole, OK | 7,131 | 27.1% | $65,400 | 24.0% | 39.49% |
| 6 | Okmulgee, OK | 11,330 | 23.0% | $76,500 | 21.0% | 29.23% |
| 7 | Holdenville, OK | 5,753 | 18.9% | $56,500 | 17.0% | 25.74% |
| 8 | Pryor Creek, OK | 9,439 | 19.7% | $117,800 | 23.0% | 36.36% |
| 9 | Coweta, OK | 9,696 | 10.0% | $145,900 | 29.0% | 40.58% |
| 10 | Purcell, OK | 6,506 | 13.1% | $146,200 | 26.0% | 38.97% |
| 11 | Hugo, OK | 5,146 | 37.6% | $73,900 | 21.0% | 33.17% |
| 12 | Pauls Valley, OK | 6,030 | 24.6% | $86,800 | 20.0% | 29.44% |
| 13 | Bethany, OK | 20,542 | 16.7% | $130,400 | 19.0% | 36.62% |
| 14 | Sallisaw, OK | 8,503 | 30.6% | $108,400 | 17.0% | 39.46% |
| 15 | Lawton, OK | 91,247 | 19.3% | $115,600 | 12.0% | 34.83% |
| 16 | Cushing, OK | 8,201 | 19.6% | $92,600 | 25.0% | 35.25% |
| 17 | El Reno, OK | 17,164 | 18.3% | $122,500 | 23.0% | 34.74% |
| 18 | Midwest City, OK | 58,146 | 15.2% | $122,600 | 22.0% | 31.84% |
| 19 | Claremore, OK | 19,173 | 11.3% | $136,200 | 24.0% | 33.54% |
| 20 | Tecumseh, OK | 6,356 | 20.8% | $92,100 | 28.0% | 40.48% |
| 21 | Catoosa, OK | 7,821 | 15.7% | $114,400 | 23.0% | 31.04% |
| 22 | Blackwell, OK | 6,192 | 19.5% | $63,300 | 30.0% | 28.72% |
| 23 | Del City, OK | 21,778 | 19.8% | $87,700 | 25.0% | 32.16% |
| 24 | Collinsville, OK | 7,765 | 12.9% | $155,600 | 29.0% | 34.56% |
| 25 | Vinita, OK | 5,250 | 24.9% | $87,400 | 18.0% | 26.54% |
| 26 | Altus, OK | 18,825 | 16.8% | $89,600 | 17.0% | 34.51% |
| 27 | Moore, OK | 62,633 | 10.3% | $154,100 | 25.0% | 39.79% |
| 28 | Henryetta, OK | 5,667 | 21.6% | $76,500 | 28.0% | 28.58% |
| 29 | Glenpool, OK | 13,446 | 8.6% | $144,100 | 31.0% | 42.11% |
| 30 | Mcalester, OK | 18,225 | 23.7% | $110,900 | 22.0% | 31.55% |
| 31 | Owasso, OK | 37,559 | 6.2% | $188,400 | 24.0% | 38.95% |
| 32 | Woodward, OK | 12,246 | 17.3% | $144,100 | 22.0% | 30.45% |
| 33 | Ponca City, OK | 24,499 | 17.5% | $102,600 | 23.0% | 30.38% |
| 34 | Blanchard, OK | 8,511 | 6.9% | $211,700 | 39.0% | 39.91% |
| 35 | Muskogee, OK | 37,214 | 24.0% | $101,100 | 25.0% | 34.06% |
| 36 | Clinton, OK | 8,612 | 9.0% | $100,700 | 27.0% | 41.08% |
| 37 | Harrah, OK | 6,155 | 13.7% | $166,100 | 28.0% | 36.42% |
| 38 | Mustang, OK | 19,847 | 5.2% | $180,300 | 31.0% | 33.69% |
| 39 | Chickasha, OK | 15,655 | 17.0% | $92,000 | 29.0% | 32.03% |
| 40 | Sapulpa, OK | 21,853 | 13.0% | $130,500 | 29.0% | 32.92% |
| 41 | Broken Arrow, OK | 112,751 | 8.1% | $179,800 | 24.0% | 36.76% |
| 42 | Miami, OK | 12,997 | 24.1% | $84,300 | 21.0% | 33.31% |
| 43 | Oklahoma City, OK | 673,183 | 14.9% | $168,900 | 20.0% | 32.22% |
| 44 | Verdigris, OK | 5,189 | 6.7% | $175,200 | 34.0% | 40.49% |
| 45 | Warr Acres, OK | 10,443 | 16.5% | $123,100 | 18.0% | 28.21% |
| 46 | Sand Springs, OK | 19,935 | 9.7% | $151,500 | 32.0% | 32.86% |
| 47 | Bixby, OK | 28,091 | 6.9% | $246,300 | 27.0% | 41.3% |
| 48 | Tuttle, OK | 7,412 | 3.7% | $217,100 | 46.0% | 36.7% |
| 49 | Bartlesville, OK | 37,074 | 15.0% | $126,400 | 21.0% | 30.71% |
| 50 | Durant, OK | 18,358 | 21.1% | $123,000 | 16.0% | 30.45% |
| 51 | Guthrie, OK | 10,767 | 20.7% | $140,500 | 23.0% | 29.86% |
| 52 | Shawnee, OK | 31,237 | 18.5% | $121,900 | 26.0% | 28.0% |
| 53 | Duncan, OK | 22,664 | 17.3% | $115,300 | 31.0% | 30.75% |
| 54 | Yukon, OK | 23,697 | 9.2% | $151,200 | 29.0% | 33.07% |
| 55 | Newcastle, OK | 10,970 | 3.4% | $216,900 | 43.0% | 37.34% |
| 56 | Norman, OK | 125,745 | 16.7% | $192,700 | 19.0% | 28.9% |
| 57 | Jenks, OK | 25,210 | 7.4% | $228,100 | 29.0% | 48.31% |
| 58 | Choctaw, OK | 12,130 | 5.7% | $184,500 | 34.0% | 35.43% |
| 59 | Tulsa, OK | 410,652 | 18.0% | $151,500 | 18.0% | 28.73% |
| 60 | Ardmore, OK | 24,829 | 18.9% | $124,000 | 24.0% | 31.21% |
| 61 | Piedmont, OK | 7,306 | 1.2% | $263,600 | 44.0% | 39.05% |
| 62 | Noble, OK | 7,078 | 10.2% | $156,400 | 32.0% | 30.29% |
| 63 | Enid, OK | 51,129 | 15.0% | $123,500 | 22.0% | 26.93% |
| 64 | Elk City, OK | 11,743 | 24.0% | $152,700 | 26.0% | 28.96% |
| 65 | Tahlequah, OK | 16,213 | 20.1% | $150,900 | 19.0% | 24.79% |
| 66 | Guymon, OK | 12,804 | 27.2% | $133,200 | 6.0% | 35.15% |
| 67 | Edmond, OK | 93,522 | 10.5% | $263,900 | 25.0% | 33.49% |
| 68 | Grove, OK | 6,900 | 18.2% | $179,600 | 21.0% | 22.78% |
| 69 | Ada, OK | 16,804 | 18.7% | $115,600 | 23.0% | 28.71% |
| 70 | Alva, OK | 5,056 | 17.3% | $105,600 | 24.0% | 22.45% |
| 71 | Weatherford, OK | 12,034 | 23.8% | $190,900 | 23.0% | 32.05% |
| 72 | The Village, OK | 9,510 | 11.9% | $148,100 | 25.0% | 18.08% |
| 73 | Stillwater, OK | 48,055 | 31.2% | $186,600 | 14.0% | 18.4% |
I am originally from Bennington, Okla. but later we moved to Durant and Durant is still one of my favorite places to go to.
add Crime to your list of Miserable Cities
Your criteria are very subjective. Just what you think is miserable. Most people I know think miserable is living in tulsa or okc or suburbs of those. Using different criteria would probably have people rating the ones you listed as the best/happiest places in Oklahoma.
I’m in Tahlequah and can’t imagine living elsewhere