Oklahoma Population 2023

Oklaoma's growth rate is currently 0.84%, which ranks 24th in the country. Over the years, its population has grown steadily to the point where it is edging toward a landmark of 4 million residents in the present day.

As with all states within the US, the nationwide Census of 2010 provides Oklahoma's last confirmed set of population figures. The census revealed that the population of Oklahoma was 3,751,351, which represented an increase of 8.7% on the figures released in 2000.

Oklahoma Area and Population Density

The southern central state of Oklahoma is the 20th largest in the US by area and was the 46th to enter the Union.

Oklahoma has a fairly low population density that keeps with its ranking in terms of size and population numbers. The total surface area measures 69,898 square miles (181,195 square kilometers) and for every square mile of Oklahoma territory, there is an average of 54.7 people per square mile. This makes Oklahoma the 35th most densely populated state in the country and 20th in terms of size.

Oklahoma has a total of 598 incorporated places, but only four cities with a population over 100,000. 65% of Oklahomans live within the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas, with both being two of the sixty largest cities in the country. Oklahoma City is the largest city in the state with a population of 631,346, while Tulsa follows with 403,505. In these two areas, the population density exceeds 5,000 people per square mile, while the remainder of the state is mostly under 55 people per square mile. When it comes to the most populated counties in Oklahoma, the two at the top of the list are Oklahoma county with 787,958 individuals and Tulsa county with 646,266 residents.

Oklahoma Gender and Religion Statistics

The median age of the population residing in Oklahoma is approximately 36.3 years of age. The ratio of females to males is currently around 50.5% females and 49.5% males across the population.

In terms of preferred religions across the state, the population of Oklahoma is 79% Christian based faiths, 2% non-Christian based faiths, and 18% of the population is non-affiliated with any faith.

Oklahoma Boundary, Census, and Statehood History

Oklahoma was acquired by the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. It soon became an area of settlement for various Indian tribes displaced from States farther east, and was known as the Indian Territory although it had various tribal governments rather than a central administration. Many non-Indians also settled in the area. Oklahoma Territory was established from a part of the Indian Territory in 1890 and expanded in 1893; the tribal jurisdictions continued in the remainder. On November 16, 1907 the two parts were admitted as the State of Oklahoma, with substantially the current boundaries. A dispute about the western boundary was settled in Texas' favor by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1930.

Census coverage did not systematically include any of present-day Oklahoma until 1890; some Indian areas were first enumerated in 1900. In 1860 non-Indians were enumerated but not included in official population totals; non-Indians in the area in 1870 and 1880 were not enumerated. The 1890 total is for Oklahoma Territory (78,475) and Indian Territory (180,182); and the 1900 total is for Oklahoma Territory (398,331) and Indian Territory (392,060). Just prior to statehood, the U.S. Census Bureau took a special census on July 1, 1907, showing a total population of 1,414,177 (Oklahoma Territory, 733,062; Indian Territory, 681,115); results of this special census are included in the Oklahoma table.

Oklahoma Population History

In 1890, Oklahoma had a population that stood at an already healthy 258,657, but substantial increases on those numbers were to follow. Ten years later at the beginning of the 20th century, the figure had climbed by just over 200% to 790,391 and a further significant rise took the Oklahoma population to 1,657,155 in 1910.

That pattern continued, but in the mid 1900s, censuses recorded two falls in population for 1940 and 1950. The drops were modest in terms of percentages, but they took the numbers down from 2,396,040 in 1930 to 2,233,351 twenty years later.

Oklahoma Population Growth

Since then, however, the overall trend has been one of modest growth, and the Oklahoma population in 2016 has progressed to the point where it is poised to pass the 4 million mark at the 2020 Census

Oklahoma Population Projections

The US Census of 2020 is likely to indicate further growth within Oklahoma, and it will be interesting to see whether the state can reach its next milestone of 4 million people by that time. According to state projections, Oklahoma's population will reach the milestone of 4 million by 2020, and top 5.5 million by 2075, although projections past 2050 can, at this point, be very inaccurate.

Historically, Oklahoma was home to many American tribes, and this remains a Government sanctioned territory for Native Americans. That fact is reflected in further demographics with a sizeable proportion of Oklahoma residents claiming Native American ethnicity. Oklahoma is home to the second-highest number and percentage of Native Americans among all states in the country.

As far as other races, Oklahoma tends to fall right around the middle when compared to other states. Its population of blacks and African Americans, both in terms of total number and percentage when compared to total population, is ranked 26th in the nation. The state is also ranked 28th for its total number of Asian inhabitants when compared to the other 49 states, and percentage-wise, the state ranks 30th with is a lower percentage than the nation as a whole.

• Almost one-quarter of Oklahoma residents are under the age of 18.
• A French trading post in Salina in Mayes County was the first permanent white settlement back in 1769.
• Oklahoma has one of the largest American Indian populations in the country.
• Oklahoma was originally called "Indian Territory" and was reserved for Native Americans. However, the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush resulted in 50,000 people swarming the area on its opening day.
• Guthrie was the original capital of Oklahoma.
• Oklahoma is in the top three states that have more tornadoes per square mile.
• The state is known for being the capital of the Bible Belt.
• The Port of Catoosa is the country's largest inland port.
• Oklahoma has a palindromic place called Harrah. This means its name can be reversed— spelled either from left to right or right to left— and it would be spelled or read identically.