Cookson, Oklahoma Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 921, Cookson's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cookson is a small community located in Oklahoma, within Cherokee County. The total population is 921. It ranks as the 252nd most populous out of 834 Census-designated places in Oklahoma.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cookson is 57.3 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 37.0 years. Only 7.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 15.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cookson is $49,983. This is 23% lower than the state median of $65,039. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.6%. This is 57% lower than the state poverty rate of 15.3%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Cookson, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $110,700. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $199,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Cookson is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 94.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 65.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cookson is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.8% of the population.

Education

38.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Cookson in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 34% higher than the state rate of 28.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.6%. Notably, 20.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cookson, Oklahoma is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Oklahoma state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 834 Census-designated places in Oklahoma. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.