Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,454.[1] Its county seat is Shawnee.[2]
Pottawatomie County is part of the Shawnee, OK micropolitan statistical area, which is Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Government in the Oklahoma City–Shawnee, OK combined statistical area.
History
[edit]Pottawatomie County was carved out of land originally given to the Creek and Seminole after their forced removal from Georgia and Florida. After the Civil War, the Creek and Seminole were forced to cede their lands back to the federal government, and the area of Pottawatomie County was used to resettle the Iowa, Sac and Fox, Absentee Shawnee, Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes.[3]
Non-Indian settlement began on September 22, 1891, when all the tribes except the Kickapoo agreed to land allotment, where communal reservation land was divided and allotted to individual members of the tribes. The remaining land was opened to settlement.[3]
During the land run, Pottawatomie County was organized as County "B" with Tecumseh as the county seat. In 1892, the voters of the county elected to rename County "B" as Pottawatomie County after the Potawatomi Indians.
In 1895, the Kickapoo gave up their land rights and their land was given away to white settlers in the last land run in Oklahoma.
In 1930, Shawnee, now bigger in size than Tecumseh, was approved by the voters to become the new county seat. The Pottawatomie County Court House was built in 1934 by the Public Works Administration. The court house project cost $250,000 to complete.[3]
On May 19, 2013, during an outbreak of tornadoes, a mobile home park was nearly destroyed, killing a 79-year-old man and injuring at least six others as well as damaging at least 35 structures. Frame and brick homes west of Shawnee were also affected.[4]
Geography
[edit]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 793 square miles (2,050 km2), of which 788 square miles (2,040 km2) is land and 5.7 square miles (15 km2) (0.7%) is water.[5]
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Lincoln County (north)
- Okfuskee County (northeast)
- Seminole County (east)
- Pontotoc County (southeast)
- McClain County (southwest)
- Cleveland County (west)
- Oklahoma County (northwest)
Demographics
[edit]2021 estimates
[edit]According to 2021 census estimates, its median household income was $54,896 and the county had a poverty rate of 14.4%.[1]
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 72,454. Of the residents, 23.4% were under the age of 18 and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.8 males.[6][7]
The racial makeup of the county was 69.7% White, 3.1% Black or African American, 12.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 2.0% from some other race, and 11.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.9% of the population.[7]
There were 26,817 households in the county, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[6]
There were 29,973 housing units, of which 10.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.0% were owner-occupied and 32.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.[6]
2010 census
[edit]As of the 2010 census,[8] there were 69,442 people, 25,911 households, and 18,227 families residing in the county. The population density was 34/km2 (88/sq mi). There were 29,139 housing units at an average density of 14/km2 (36/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 76.3% white, 2.9% black or African American, 12.9% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 6.3% from two or more races. About 4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, while 9% were of American, 17% German, 14% Irish and 10% English ancestry. About 90.6% spoke English and 4.2% Spanish as their first language.
As of 2010, there were 25,911 households, out of which 34.5% included children under the age of 18, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. About a quarter of households consisted of a single individual and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88 males.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $41,332, and the median income for a family was $50,399. Males had a median income of $39,580 versus $27,495 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,700. About 14% of families and 18% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
[edit]The Pioneer Library System operates branch libraries in nine cities in Pottawatomie, Cleveland, and McClain counties.[9]
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections operates the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in an unincorporated area in the county, near McLoud.[10]
Politics
[edit]| Voter registration and party enrollment as of June 30, 2023[11] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Template:Party color cell | Republican | 22,585 | 55.94% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Democratic | 10,447 | 25.88% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Others | 7,341 | 18.18% | ||
| Total | 40,373 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 2,609 | 38.79% | 3,551 | 52.80% | 566 | 8.42% |
| 1912 | 2,107 | 33.75% | 3,082 | 49.37% | 1,054 | 16.88% |
| 1916 | 2,042 | 31.55% | 3,276 | 50.61% | 1,155 | 17.84% |
| 1920 | 5,355 | 47.56% | 5,310 | 47.16% | 595 | 5.28% |
| 1924 | 4,040 | 38.81% | 5,072 | 48.73% | 1,297 | 12.46% |
| 1928 | 8,478 | 68.57% | 3,797 | 30.71% | 89 | 0.72% |
| 1932 | 4,063 | 25.27% | 12,013 | 74.73% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 4,703 | 27.72% | 12,187 | 71.82% | 78 | 0.46% |
| 1940 | 6,776 | 35.83% | 12,058 | 63.76% | 78 | 0.41% |
| 1944 | 6,486 | 41.42% | 9,130 | 58.31% | 43 | 0.27% |
| 1948 | 4,760 | 31.78% | 10,220 | 68.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 10,099 | 51.65% | 9,455 | 48.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 8,496 | 48.85% | 8,895 | 51.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 9,421 | 53.87% | 8,067 | 46.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 6,841 | 38.60% | 10,884 | 61.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 6,899 | 39.44% | 6,721 | 38.42% | 3,873 | 22.14% |
| 1972 | 13,308 | 71.30% | 4,822 | 25.84% | 534 | 2.86% |
| 1976 | 9,090 | 44.19% | 11,255 | 54.71% | 226 | 1.10% |
| 1980 | 12,466 | 57.05% | 8,526 | 39.02% | 858 | 3.93% |
| 1984 | 16,143 | 69.40% | 6,966 | 29.95% | 152 | 0.65% |
| 1988 | 12,099 | 57.15% | 8,873 | 41.92% | 197 | 0.93% |
| 1992 | 10,350 | 40.47% | 8,616 | 33.69% | 6,606 | 25.83% |
| 1996 | 9,802 | 45.06% | 9,141 | 42.02% | 2,810 | 12.92% |
| 2000 | 13,235 | 59.31% | 8,763 | 39.27% | 318 | 1.42% |
| 2004 | 17,215 | 66.59% | 8,638 | 33.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 17,753 | 69.18% | 7,910 | 30.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 16,250 | 69.33% | 7,188 | 30.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 17,848 | 70.12% | 6,015 | 23.63% | 1,589 | 6.24% |
| 2020 | 20,240 | 71.81% | 7,275 | 25.81% | 670 | 2.38% |
| 2024 | 20,915 | 72.69% | 7,266 | 25.25% | 593 | 2.06% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Transportation
[edit]Major highways
[edit]- File:I-40 (OK).svg Interstate 40
- File:US 177.svg U.S. Highway 177
- File:US 270.svg U.S. Highway 270
- Error creating thumbnail: U.S. Highway 377
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 3.svg State Highway 3
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 3E.svg State Highway 3E
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 3W.svg State Highway 3W
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 9.svg State Highway 9
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 9A.svg State Highway 9A
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 18.svg State Highway 18
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 39.svg State Highway 39
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 59.svg State Highway 59
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 59B.svg State Highway 59B
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 99.svg State Highway 99
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 99A.svg State Highway 99A
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 102.svg State Highway 102
- File:Oklahoma State Highway 270.svg State Highway 270
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Airport
[edit]The Shawnee Regional Airport is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) northwest from the central business district of Shawnee. It is classified as a general aviation airport.
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]- Oklahoma City (mostly in Oklahoma County)
- Shawnee (county seat)
- Tecumseh
Towns
[edit]Census-designated place
[edit]Other unincorporated communities
[edit]Education
[edit]Higher Education:
School districts include:[13]
K-12:
- Asher Public Schools
- Bethel Public Schools
- Dale Public Schools
- Earlsboro Public Schools
- Harrah Public Schools
- Konawa Public Schools
- Little Axe Public Schools
- Macomb Public Schools
- Maud Public Schools
- McLoud Public Schools
- Meeker Public Schools
- North Rock Creek Public School
- Prague Public Schools
- Shawnee Public Schools
- Strother Public Schools
- Tecumseh Public Schools
- Wanette Public Schools
Elementary only:
NRHP Sites
[edit]The following sites in Pottawatomie County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
|
|
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcensus - ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Willam H. Mullins, "Pottawatomie County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Accessed April 4, 2015.
- ↑ Lackey, Katharine; Welch, William M. (May 19, 2013). "Tornadoes hit Plains, Midwest; 1 dead in Okla". USA Today. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ↑ "Pioneer Library System to buy Borders bookstore building in Norman". NewsOK. The Oklahoman. September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- ↑ "Mabel Bassett Correctional Center Archived December 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Retrieved on November 22, 2010.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County". OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
- ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pottawatomie County, OK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022. - Text list
External links
[edit]- Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
- Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Government
- Charles W. Mooney Jr., Localized History of Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma to 1907, 1971
Template:Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Template:Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Template:Oklahoma Coordinates: 35°12′N 96°56′W / 35.20°N 96.94°W