Places › Oklahoma › Stillwater

Living in Stillwater, OK

College town in Oklahoma

Stillwater is a college town in Oklahoma, home to about 49,000 people, with 91,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Stillwater a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $255k and rents for $1,440 a month
  • Low taxes: about $1,223 state income tax per resident, 0.93% property tax
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.8× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Easy flying: OKC is 59 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Smaller job market: about 91,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Stillwater ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
49,000
91,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
51°F / 92°F
Average daily highs · 8″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$255k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,440/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
90
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,223
State income tax per resident · 0.93% property tax
Safety
0.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
14 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly cold waves, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
52%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
OKC
59 mi away

Living in Stillwater: common questions

What is the cost of living in Stillwater?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $255k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,440 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Stillwater?

Oklahoma collects about $1,223 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.93% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Stillwater safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Stillwater?

Stillwater has cool winters: winter days average around 51°F and summer days around 92°F, with roughly 8″ of snow a year.

Does Stillwater get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from cold waves, tornadoes and flooding: 14 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.34 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Stillwater?

The nearest major airport is OKC, about 59 mi away.

How Stillwater scores

Each bar compares Stillwater with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Below average
✈️Airport Good

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Is Stillwater right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.