McClain County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Purcell’s story
139 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1887Purcell is settled
PurcellOK
A town of 6,803, settled in 1887. Public schools that outperform most of Oklahoma.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: David Dobbs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
6,803
+13% since 2010
Typical home
$226K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
35.0
years
Jobs based here
2,252
Balanced
What makes Purcell stand out
The 3 things Purcell does most differently from other towns.
B+School Grade
Schools
#60 for schools in OK
of 128 towns
School Grade B+.
100 U.S. towns● Purcell
Health
77% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than OK on 0 measures, worse on 0.
Outdoors
#29 most trails in OK
6.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
7.2% of the town is conserved land.
A growing town
Purcell has grown 13% since 2010
5,884 people in 2010; 6,803 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Purcell’s report card
SchoolsB+Beats 71% of OK districtsHealthC−Healthier than 23% of U.S. townsCommute23 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors7 mi#29 for trails in OKHousing$226K1% above the OK typical homeSafetyC−Less crime than 20% of U.S. townsClimate94°/28°Summer high · winter low · 4″ snowHazards60/100High risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Purcell
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Purcell is #10 of 119 in OK for “Highest graduation rate”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Purcell’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Local news
All →- Purcell vs Marlow - Boys Varsity Football 10/02/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Oct 2
- Change of venue: McClain County Health Department moving to North GreenPurcell Register · Oct 1
- Middle School Boys And Girls Basketball - Part 1 Purcell High School - 11/09/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Purcell. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Purcell’s public schools outperform 71% of Oklahoma districts
The public schools Purcell’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 71% of Oklahoma’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purcell Es | PK–2 | 387 | Not graded |
| Purcell Intermediate School | 3–5 | 328 | B+ |
| Purcell JHS | 6–8 | 310 | B− |
| Purcell HS | 9–12 | 438 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Health
Healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Purcell tracks Oklahoma closely on all 32 CDC measures.
C−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Oklahoma
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Purcell Municipal Hospital
0.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
68th
percentile among OK towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Purcell
Most working residents leave Purcell for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Oklahoma City (25%), Norman (16%) and Goldsby (4%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
14%work in town
Where working residents work
In Purcell14%
Oklahoma City25%
Norman16%
Goldsby4%
Tulsa2%
23 mi
median commute distance
2,252
jobs based in Purcell
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
7.2% of Purcell is conserved land
6.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
#29for trails in OK
7.2%
conserved · 722 of 10,033 acres
6.9 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#61
most conserved land in OK
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. McClain County Fairgrounds | — | 14 |
| 2. Weaver Park | — | 5 |
| 3. McCurdy Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Purcell home is worth about $226K
The typical Purcell home is worth about $226,000, up 0.8% in a year, close to the Oklahoma typical home.
$226KZillow home value
Typical home value
Purcell$226K
Oklahoma$223K
Market temperature
18
days on market
94.7%
sale-to-list price
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 20% of U.S. towns
Purcell reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 80% report less.
C−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Purcell3.4
Oklahoma4.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Purcell17.8
Oklahoma18.4
U.S.15.5
20th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
23rd
percentile among OK towns
24
violent crimes reported in 2025
125
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Purcell has chilly winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–53°
Spring49–73°
Summer69–92°
Fall50–74°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with tornadoes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingCold waves
11
paid flood claims since 1983
14
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
3 places in Purcell on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Purcell
City in Oklahoma, US
Purcell is a city in and the county seat of McClain County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,651, a 13% increase from 2010. Founded in 1887, Purcell was a railroad town named after Edward B. Purcell, an official with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ("AT&SF"). Purcell is often called the "Quarterhorse Capital of the World", and its official motto is "Heart of Oklahoma." The city has registered trademarks on both titles.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1887
- Population
- 6,651
- Area
- 14 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,099 ft
- ZIP code
- 73080
- Area code
- 405
Purcell’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Purcell.
GoldsbySlaughtervilleLexingtonPurcell
More about Purcell
Still missing for Purcell:archive photosupcoming events