Best Counties in Oklahoma — 2026 Rankings
77 of 77 counties scored across 12 dimensions
77
77 scored
43/100
composite score
59.6/100
26.4—59.6
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Trails the National Median Livability
Oklahoma earns a state-wide average composite score of 43.0, falling significantly below the national median of 50.0. This ranking places the state in a lower-tier position nationally despite high scores in specific financial categories.
Low Taxes and High Affordability Drive Value
The Sooner State excels in fiscal metrics, posting a strong tax score of 69.2 and an impressive cost score of 64.0. These figures suggest that residents benefit from one of the most affordable living environments in the country.
Health and Income Metrics Drag Down Rankings
A low health score of 24.1 represents the state's most significant hurdle to overall livability. Coupled with an income score of 35.1 and a risk score of 44.5, these dimensions offset the gains made in affordability.
Coal, Harper, and Major Counties Lead the State
Coal County claims the top spot with a 59.8 composite score, driven by an exceptional 90.8 cost score. Harper and Major counties follow closely at 58.8 and 58.7, offering residents a more balanced quality of life than the state average.
A Haven for the Budget-Conscious Resident
Oklahoma suits families and retirees who prioritize low taxes and manageable housing costs over health infrastructure. While economic and wellness scores are lower than national averages, the financial flexibility provided by its low cost of living is a major draw.
All County Rankings in Oklahoma
Search, sort, and filter all 77 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 77 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coal County | 59.6 | 81.1 | 85.6 | 12.6 | 81 | 6.2 | 53.4 | 67.6 | 3.5 | 58.3 | 19.1 | 40.6 | |
| 2 | Harper County | 58.9 | 67.5 | 67.1 | 45.9 | 78 | 42.2 | 33.5 | 54.3 | 86 | 46.4 | 31.9 | 41.5 | |
| 3 | Major County | 58.4 | 68.5 | 83.3 | 64.6 | 48.9 | 31.5 | 56.1 | 65.8 | 1.3 | 53.1 | 34.8 | 66.5 | |
| 4 | Roger Mills County | 57.5 | 88.4 | 71.7 | 51.3 | 49.3 | 37.5 | 46.4 | 76.8 | 6.9 | 55 | 31.6 | 42 | |
| 5 | Alfalfa County | 57.4 | 74.2 | 88.6 | 47.2 | 40.5 | 48.4 | 44 | 59.4 | 8.4 | 53 | 40.6 | 58.3 | |
| 6 | Woods County | 55.7 | 75 | 59.7 | 18 | 44.6 | 45.7 | 69.5 | 71.9 | 33 | 50.5 | 31.7 | 47.3 | |
| 7 | Grant County | 54.4 | 85.4 | 74.4 | 35.9 | 39.6 | 23.8 | 59.9 | 72.3 | 3.9 | 48.2 | 48.8 | 63.2 | |
| 8 | Cimarron County | 54.3 | 93.3 | 88.7 | 40.2 | 33.8 | 44.5 | 17.3 | 52.7 | 32.4 | 47.4 | 29.2 | 50.1 | |
| 9 | Greer County | 53.6 | 84.1 | 83.3 | 32.1 | 48.4 | 25.7 | 27.9 | 82.9 | 4.2 | 52.7 | 31.9 | 37.3 | |
| 10 | Harmon County | 53.4 | 63.3 | 90.8 | 4.5 | 48.2 | 11.5 | 53.8 | 89.8 | 32.5 | 51.9 | 30.1 | 43.5 | |
| 11 | Kiowa County | 53.4 | 74.3 | 78.8 | 5.8 | 59 | 14.1 | 53.9 | 64.2 | 4.5 | 49.1 | 39.2 | 39.6 | |
| 12 | Washita County | 52.7 | 81.8 | 68.7 | 44.2 | 67.5 | 20.8 | 21.2 | 68.1 | 11.2 | 55.2 | 35.3 | 41.3 | |
| 13 | Ellis County | 52.6 | 56.3 | 76.2 | 36.7 | 52.6 | 28.7 | 45.9 | 75.2 | 26.9 | 52.5 | 25.5 | 45.5 | |
| 14 | Kingfisher County | 52.1 | 75 | 45.5 | 66.7 | 49.4 | 38.3 | 62 | 43.2 | 3 | 56 | 38.8 | 47.7 | |
| 15 | Beaver County | 51.7 | 52.1 | 69.7 | 46.4 | 63.4 | 36.5 | 32.6 | 62.2 | 21.9 | 48.9 | 27.7 | 44.2 | |
| 16 | Pushmataha County | 51.5 | 93.8 | 92 | 8.6 | 45.6 | 7.3 | 26.9 | 67.2 | 0.4 | 54.6 | 14.6 | 36 | |
| 17 | Haskell County | 50.9 | 91 | 83.4 | 11.5 | 53.4 | 10.5 | 23.4 | 69.5 | 0.5 | 48.8 | 25.5 | 33.8 | |
| 18 | Dewey County | 50.2 | 82.8 | 59.3 | 41.4 | 41.2 | 25.8 | 43.4 | 84.4 | 10.8 | 49.6 | 31.1 | 46.1 | |
| 19 | Johnston County | 49.1 | 77.5 | 84.6 | 16.6 | 49.5 | 14.6 | 19.2 | 74.6 | 7.2 | 50.8 | 39.4 | 51.3 | |
| 20 | Jefferson County | 48.8 | 68.7 | 93.5 | 9.4 | 40.8 | 15 | 30.1 | 79.1 | 1 | 38.9 | 38.6 | 38.3 | |
| 21 | Atoka County | 46.9 | 78 | 84.4 | 20.8 | 27.2 | 14.8 | 35.5 | 69.6 | 0.6 | 49.8 | 24.9 | 39.7 | |
| 22 | Choctaw County | 46.1 | 92.6 | 87.8 | 4.9 | 18.2 | 9.1 | 39.6 | 50.1 | 0.3 | 47.7 | 35.1 | 37.8 | |
| 23 | Murray County | 45.6 | 92.1 | 64.8 | 52.6 | 29.1 | 21 | 16.8 | 67.5 | 11 | 55.2 | 37.4 | 51.9 | |
| 24 | Latimer County | 45.2 | 81.4 | 92.5 | 2.9 | 34.2 | 17.7 | 3.9 | 65.4 | 1.1 | 54.1 | 18.8 | 39 | |
| 25 | Lincoln County | 45.2 | 77.1 | 67 | 40.4 | 33.8 | 28.3 | 27.4 | 28.7 | 3.3 | 60.6 | 40 | 49.9 |
Coal County
Harper County
Major County
Roger Mills County
Alfalfa County
Woods County
Grant County
Cimarron County
Greer County
Harmon County
Kiowa County
Washita County
Ellis County
Kingfisher County
Beaver County
Pushmataha County
Haskell County
Dewey County
Johnston County
Jefferson County
Atoka County
Choctaw County
Murray County
Latimer County
Lincoln County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Oklahoma
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Oklahoma.
What is the best county in Oklahoma?
Coal County is the top-ranked county in Oklahoma with a CountyScore of 59.6/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has 77 counties in total. Of those, 77 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Oklahoma?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Oklahoma is 43/100. The national average is 50/100, so Oklahoma counties score 7 points below the national average.
How does Oklahoma compare to other states?
Oklahoma's average county score of 43/100 is 7 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Oklahoma counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Oklahoma.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.