1st Advantage MortgageIn Le Flore County, Oklahoma, the typical household earns $51,565 a year and the typical rent is $798. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Oklahoma before sharing details.
On this page
- Le Flore County by the numbers
- Income in Le Flore County compared with Oklahoma
- Jobs and commutes in Le Flore County
- What it costs to live in Le Flore County
- Towns and communities in Le Flore County
- Le Flore County next to its neighbors
- What a median Le Flore County budget can carry
- Local borrowing considerations for Le Flore County
- Who lives in Le Flore County, in numbers
- Oklahoma rules that apply in Le Flore County
- Four steps for Le Flore County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Le Flore County by the numbers
With an estimated 49,053 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Le Flore County ranks 16th of 77 in Oklahoma for population. Spread over 1,589 square miles, that works out to roughly 30.9 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Le Flore County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Poteau is the biggest of its 20 Census places, at roughly 8,959 people (18% of the county total).
Income in Le Flore County compared with Oklahoma
At $51,565, the typical Le Flore County household income is 21% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Le Flore County | Compared with Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.4% | +8.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.7% | +2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 16.9% | -6.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.0% | -4.2 pts |
Some 34% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 20% have six-figure incomes. 19.4% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 15.3%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.447 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Le Flore County median.
Jobs and commutes in Le Flore County
The biggest employer of Le Flore County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). Averaged over the five survey years, 5.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home. 6.3% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Le Flore County workers | vs Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% | +1.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.2% | +1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.5% | +1.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.4% | +1.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.9% | -1.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.1% | +1.0 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Le Flore County
A typical Le Flore County rental runs $798 a month including utilities, which is 21% below Oklahoma. By the Census definition, 45% of Le Flore County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $135,700, a typical Le Flore County house costs 2.6 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 73% of homes. Median construction year: 1985.
| Cost | Le Flore County | Oklahoma figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $798/mo | $1,014/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $135,700 | $199,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 16.7% | 8.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 15% | 12% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Le Flore County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Towns and communities in Le Flore County
The table lists the 14 largest of 20 Census places in Le Flore County, by population. Together all 20 hold about 28,370 people, so roughly 42% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $52,375 at the median in Shady Point, $34,408 in Heavener. Rent is cheapest in Talihina ($364) and steepest in Poteau ($853). Live in one of these Le Flore County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poteau | city | 8,959 | $50,511 | $853 | 13 mi |
| Pocola | town | 4,423 | $50,545 | $826 | 28 mi |
| Heavener | city | 3,012 | $34,408 | $688 | 5 mi |
| Spiro | town | 2,269 | $41,848 | $830 | 24 mi |
| Arkoma | town | 1,976 | $43,929 | $748 | 33 mi |
| Panama | town | 1,415 | $47,136 | $776 | 19 mi |
| Wister | town | 1,105 | $36,607 | $788 | 5 mi |
| Shady Point | town | 900 | $52,375 | $618 | 16 mi |
| Talihina | town | 864 | $40,500 | $364 | 22 mi |
| Howe | town | 791 | $52,031 | $754 | 5 mi |
| Rock Island | town | 684 | $45,114 | $772 | 23 mi |
| Bokoshe | town | 388 | $33,646 | $592 | 21 mi |
| Fanshawe | town | 357 | $47,500 | $750 | 13 mi |
| Cameron | town | 292 | $53,125 | $717 | 19 mi |
Le Flore County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Le Flore County's, from 32 to 42 miles away. Sebastian County leads the group on income ($57,790), Latimer County trails ($41,405), and Le Flore County out-earns 5 of the six. Some neighbors are in Arkansas. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Le Flore County resident follows Oklahoma rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Flore County | - | $51,565 | $798/mo | 73% |
| Sebastian County, AR | 32 mi | $57,790 | $886/mo | 61% |
| Latimer County, OK | 33 mi | $41,405 | $646/mo | 72% |
| Haskell County, OK | 33 mi | $49,806 | $770/mo | 78% |
| Scott County, AR | 36 mi | $43,270 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Polk County, AR | 39 mi | $49,191 | $711/mo | 79% |
| Sequoyah County, OK | 42 mi | $51,093 | $811/mo | 71% |
What a median Le Flore County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Le Flore County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,297 before taxes
- Median rent: $798, or 19 cents of every gross dollar
- At 35%, room after rent is $706 a month
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,136 a month
If your rent is above $798, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Local borrowing considerations for Le Flore County
What the Le Flore County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Uninsured care. 17% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Manufactured homes. 17% of Le Flore County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Free help first. 19% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
- Tight rental budgets. With 45% of Le Flore County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Who lives in Le Flore County, in numbers
Degree holders: 15% of adults over 25. 17.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Le Flore County | Oklahoma statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 37.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.4% | 28.3% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 14.5% | 10.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 17.4% | 12.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.3% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 9.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 15.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.2% | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.6% |
| 60+ min | 6.8% |
Oklahoma rules that apply in Le Flore County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Le Flore County borrowers answers to the Oklahoma State Banking Department. Oklahoma also has the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit for consumer credit. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Oklahoma guide.
Four steps for Le Flore County borrowers
A short checklist for Le Flore County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Oklahoma guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Le Flore County?
$51,565 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $65,039 for Oklahoma. It ranks 61st of 77 in the state.
How much is rent in Le Flore County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $798 a month; 45% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Le Flore County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 73% of Le Flore County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Le Flore County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Poteau, Pocola, Heavener, Spiro, Arkoma and 15 more.
Will a Le Flore County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Oklahoma as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.