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Compare towns

Jay vs Arkoma

78 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (9.3× in Jay) and property tax bill (+54% in Jay).

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Jay, OKHomes around $243KOklahoma · 2,731 people
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Arkoma, OKOne of the healthiest townsOklahoma · 1,976 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

JayHomes around $243K
Housing$243K typical home9% above the OK typical home Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 6%of U.S. towns we grade All about Jay →
ArkomaOne of the healthiest towns
Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$101K typical home55% below the OK typical home SafetySafer than 11%of U.S. towns we grade All about Arkoma →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker9.3×
Jay is more of a job hub
Jay 2.23Arkoma 0.24
Property tax bill+54%
Tax bills are bigger in Jay
Jay $611Arkoma $397
Average commute10 min
Arkoma has the shorter commute
Jay 28 minArkoma 18 min
Growth since 2010+8.3 pts
Jay has grown faster since 2010
Jay -0.9%Arkoma -9.2%
Work in town+14.2 pts
More of Jay’s workers stay in town
Jay 19.4%Arkoma 5.2%
Street grid+51%
Jay has the more walkable street grid
Jay 52.5Arkoma 34.8
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $820 more a month in Jay

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Jay$1,390/mo
Typical home $243K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $765/mo · Housing →
Arkoma$570/mo
Typical home $101K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →

The difference: $820 a month, about $9,800 a year, between Jay and Arkoma.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Oklahoma ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
DJaySafer than 6% of U.S. towns DArkomaSafer than 11% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−JayBetter than 45% of districts in the state C−ArkomaBetter than 16% of districts in the state
Health
D−JayHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns D−ArkomaHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
JayArkoma
Snow a year6″3″
January low26°F30°F
July high91°F94°F
Growing season (days)209d224d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)64th52nd
Outdoors & history
JayArkoma
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—2%
Settled—1911
National Register places—1
Archive photos21
Famous people born here2—
Community
JayArkoma
Library hours a week50 hrs37 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

78 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JayOKArkomaOK
Jay ↔ Arkoma78 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

JayArkoma
People
Population 2,731Highest 1,976Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.9%Highest OK: +5.5% -9.2%Lowest OK: +5.5%
Median age 34.6±1.3Lowest 6% below OK 35.3±1.3Highest 5% below OK
Arkoma and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.4%±2.1Lowest OK: 24% 26.1%±3.5Highest OK: 24%
Arkoma and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.6%±2.1Lowest OK: 16.3% 17.2%±3.8Highest OK: 16.3%
Arkoma and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.3%Highest OK: 28.3% 10.6%Lowest OK: 28.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.3%±1.4Highest OK: 5.8% 2.1%±0.9Lowest OK: 5.8%
Jay and Arkoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $38,094±$4kLowest 41% below OK $43,929±$13kHighest 32% below OK
Arkoma and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $107,900±$17kHighest 46% below OK $83,600±$15kLowest 58% below OK
Jay and Arkoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $765±$142Highest 25% below OK $748±$70Lowest 26% below OK
Jay and Arkoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $611Highest 62% below OK $397Lowest 75% below OK
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61%±16.2Highest OK: 46.3% 44.4%±9.1Lowest OK: 46.3%
Jay and Arkoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 23.5%Highest OK: 15.3% 22.1%Lowest OK: 15.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 61.3%Lowest OK: 65.8% 62.4%Highest OK: 65.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 4 yrs older than OK 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than OK
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 23% above OK 18 minLowest 22% below OK
Work from home 5.2%±3.5Lowest OK: 9.4% 5.4%±2.8Highest OK: 9.4%
Arkoma and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.4%Highest 5.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 4.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.23Highest 0.24Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Grove (8%)Fort Smith (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ArkomaFew work in Jay
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.5Highest 34.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #103 of 128 in OK—
School district JAYARKOMA
High school in town Jay HSArkoma HS
Students per teacherat that high school 16.2Highest 13.4Lowest
Oklahoma average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Jay neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jay’s Town Square.

Arkoma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arkoma’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Jay

B
+ Compare
Brush Creek101 people
N
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New Eucha185 people

Towns like Jay

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Spiro2,269 people · $101K homes
C
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Chandler2,899 people · $111K homes
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Nowata3,542 people · $90K homes
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Krebs2,119 people · $106K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Oklahoma towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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