Tahlequah is a city located in Cherokee County Oklahoma. Tahlequah has a 2024 population of 17,031. It is also the county seat of Cherokee County. Tahlequah is currently growing at a rate of 1.18% annually and its population has increased by 4.88% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 16,238 in 2020.
The average household income in Tahlequah is $67,684 with a poverty rate of 20.74%. The median age in Tahlequah is 30.5 years: 28.3 years for males, and 33.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Tahlequah was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 7,960 | 48.57% |
| Native American | 4,920 | 30.02% |
| Two or more races | 2,618 | 15.97% |
| Black or African American | 385 | 2.35% |
| Other race | 321 | 1.96% |
| Asian | 185 | 1.13% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Native American
Two or more races
Black or African American
Other race
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,274 | 2.34 | 42.5 | 57.5 |
| Non Family | 2,855 | 1.35 | 21.9 | 78.1 |
| Married | 2,343 | 3.19 | 70.2 | 29.8 |
| Female | 793 | 3.02 | 37.6 | 62.4 |
| Male | 283 | 3.32 | 33.9 | 66.1 |
3.06
Average Family Size
2.34
Average Household Size
42.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 638 | 6.78% |
| Associates Degree | 476 | 5.06% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,070 | 21.99% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,311 | 13.92% |
| High School Graduate | 2,421 | 25.71% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 466 | 4.95% |
| Some College | 2,033 | 21.59% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 4,973 | 4,548 | 1,910 |
| Native American | 2,742 | 2,417 | 853 |
| 2+ Races | 1,060 | 947 | 447 |
| Hispanic | 567 | 354 | 131 |
| Black | 158 | 85 | 9 |
| Other Race | 148 | 37 | 6 |
| Asian | 137 | 137 | 85 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 62.04%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $42,189 | $49,583 | $39,611 |
| Graduate Degree | $60,994 | $60,509 | $62,083 |
| High School Graduate | $30,647 | $32,296 | $26,471 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $31,645 | $35,256 | $27,684 |
| Overall | $38,575 | $40,672 | $36,969 |
| Some College | $35,792 | $36,144 | $35,156 |
$38,575
Average Earnings
$40,672
Average Male
$36,969
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
91.46% of Tahlequah residents speak only English, while 8.54% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.3% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 6,515 | 1,237 | 18.99% |
| Native | 4,549 | 1,199 | 26.36% |
| Multiple | 2,490 | 469 | 18.84% |
| Hispanic | 1,378 | 158 | 11.47% |
| Black | 141 | 37 | 26.24% |
20.74%
Overall Poverty Rate
20.38%
Male Poverty Rate
21.07%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Tahlequah is Native, with 26.36% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Tahlequah is Hispanic, with 11.47% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.66%. Among those working part-time, it was 32.45%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 38.17%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 31.23% |
| Some College | 20.79% |
| High School | 18.51% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.71% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 70.49% |
| Female Unemployed | 17.12% |
| Female Employed | 14.83% |
| Male Employed | 8.21% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $68,194 | $91,686 |
| Households | $49,444 | $67,684 |
| Married Families | $83,224 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $26,771 | $36,921 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
36.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
38.6%
Male Marriage Rate
35.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
731
Number of Veterans
650
Male Veterans
81
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 229 |
| Second Gulf War | 158 |
| First Gulf War | 123 |
| Korea | 47 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 231 |
| 35 to 54 | 199 |
| 65 to 74 | 150 |
| 55 to 64 | 108 |
| 18 to 34 | 43 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 491 | 7.09% |
| Native American | 182 | 4.97% |
| 2+ Races | 31 | 1.76% |
| Asian | 27 | 15.98% |
| Hispanic | 27 | 3.25% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.62%
Veteran Poverty Rate
48.89%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
60.2%
Labor Force Participation
55.7%
Employment Rate
7.1%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
65.58%
Born in Tahlequah
96.6%
Native Born
3.4%
Foreign Born
3.06%
Non Citizen
0.34%
Naturalized
96.6% of Tahlequah residents were born in the United States, with 65.58% having been born in Oklahoma. 3.06% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 18,022 | 198 | 1.11% |
| 2028 | 17,824 | 198 | 1.12% |
| 2027 | 17,626 | 199 | 1.14% |
| 2026 | 17,427 | 198 | 1.15% |
| 2025 | 17,229 | 198 | 1.16% |
| 2024 | 17,031 | 198 | 1.18% |
| 2023 | 16,833 | 16 | 0.1% |
| 2022 | 16,817 | 282 | 1.71% |
| 2021 | 16,535 | 297 | 1.83% |
| 2020 | 16,238 | -596 | -3.54% |
| 2019 | 16,834 | 139 | 0.83% |
| 2018 | 16,695 | -17 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 16,712 | 94 | 0.57% |
| 2016 | 16,618 | 191 | 1.16% |
| 2015 | 16,427 | 88 | 0.54% |
| 2014 | 16,339 | 168 | 1.04% |
| 2013 | 16,171 | -32 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 16,203 | 240 | 1.5% |
| 2011 | 15,963 | 192 | 1.22% |
| 2010 | 15,771 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 14,458 | 4,060 | 39.05% |
| 1990 | 10,398 | 690 | 7.11% |
| 1980 | 9,708 | 454 | 4.91% |
| 1970 | 9,254 | 3,414 | 58.46% |
| 1960 | 5,840 | 1,090 | 22.95% |
| 1950 | 4,750 | 1,723 | 56.92% |
| 1940 | 3,027 | 136 | 4.7% |
| 1910 | 2,891 | -15,131 | -83.96% |