1st Advantage MortgageWoods County households have a median income of $53,275 and median rent of $850 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Oklahoma license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Woods County
- Household income in Woods County
- The Woods County job picture
- Rent, home values and ownership in Woods County
- Where Woods County differs from the rest of Oklahoma
- Places inside Woods County
- The counties around Woods County
- What a median Woods County budget can carry
- Reading the Woods County data as a borrower
- Woods County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Who licenses lenders for Woods County residents
- Four steps for Woods County borrowers
- More guides for Woods County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Woods County
Roughly 8,596 residents live in Woods County, Oklahoma, 60th by population among the state's 77 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 1,286 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 7 per square mile. Woods County is classed as nonmetropolitan in the OMB's July 2023 list. Alva (4,982 people) heads the county's list of 7 Census places, 5 incorporated and 2 census-designated. With so few households sampled, Woods County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Household income in Woods County
Half of Woods County households take in less than $53,275 a year and half take in more, 18% below the Oklahoma median of $65,039. In the state ranking that is 55th of 77.
| Households earning | Woods County | +/- vs Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.4% | +8.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.0% | -2.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.1% | -3.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.5% | -2.8 pts |
The spread is wide: 25% of Woods County households make $100,000 or more, and 34% make less than $35,000. 19.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 15.3%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.446 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Woods County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
The Woods County job picture
Education and health care employs 28% of working residents, the largest share; agriculture, forestry and mining is next with 16%. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 16% locally and 4% for Oklahoma. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.6% in Woods County. About 80% drive to work alone and 5% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry | Share of Woods County workers | vs Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.2% | +5.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 16.4% | +12.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.9% | -0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | -0.2 pts |
| Public administration | 7.5% | +1.3 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.4% | +0.9 pts |
Seasonal work is common in many Woods County industries; if that is you, show a full year of income rather than one strong month.
Rent, home values and ownership in Woods County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $850 in Woods County versus $1,014 statewide. 57% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 31% spend half or more. Woods County homes are worth $139,600 at the median, a 2.6-to-1 ratio to income. Owners occupy 65% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1960. Nationally, Woods County's $850 rent is 3% below the middle county.
| Measure | Woods County | Oklahoma | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 57% | 46% | +11.1 pts |
| Vacant units | 19% | 12% | +7.4 pts |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 24% | -6.4 pts |
| Median home value | $139,600 | $199,800 | 30% lower |
| Median gross rent | $850/mo | $1,014/mo | 16% lower |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% | 8.2% | -1.5 pts |
| Owners | 65% | 66% | -0.5 pts |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Where Woods County differs from the rest of Oklahoma
- Woods County ranks 2nd lowest of 77 Oklahoma counties for the share of workers who work from home: 1.4%, against 9.4% statewide. Few remote jobs means most pay stubs come from local employers.
- Woods County ranks 2nd highest of 77 Oklahoma counties for the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 57%, against 46% statewide. Make sure a consolidation loan lowers what you pay each month.
- Woods County ranks 3rd lowest of 77 Oklahoma counties for the uninsured rate: 7.6%, against 12.9% statewide. Even insured households face deductibles; ask the provider about a payment plan.
Places inside Woods County
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in Woods County, by population. Together all 7 hold about 6,157 people, so roughly 28% of residents live outside any named place. Alva and every other Woods County community use this county guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alva | city | 4,982 | $40,709 | $877 | 12 mi |
| Waynoka | city | 926 | $52,431 | $752 | 10 mi |
| Freedom | town | 132 | n/a | $725 | 14 mi |
| Dacoma | town | 90 | $59,167 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Avard | CDP | 18 | $81,000 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Hopeton | CDP | 9 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Capron | town | 0 | n/a | n/a | 20 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
The counties around Woods County
Alfalfa County is closest, 30 miles from center to center; the sixth, Harper County, is 45 miles off. Woods County's $53,275 median trails 6 of the six and beats 0; the range runs $54,545 (Comanche County) to $71,266 (Major County). The list crosses into Kansas, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woods County | - | $53,275 | $850/mo | 65% |
| Alfalfa County, OK | 30 mi | $64,615 | $705/mo | 78% |
| Woodward County, OK | 31 mi | $61,417 | $838/mo | 73% |
| Major County, OK | 34 mi | $71,266 | $696/mo | 82% |
| Barber County, KS | 36 mi | $61,926 | $830/mo | 81% |
| Comanche County, KS | 38 mi | $54,545 | $692/mo | 73% |
| Harper County, OK | 45 mi | $64,053 | $828/mo | 84% |
What a median Woods County budget can carry
Woods County's $53,275 median income, run through a debt-to-income check:
- $4,440 a month: gross income for a household at the Woods County median
- Housing at the median rent of $850 uses 19%
- $748: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,059 a month
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Reading the Woods County data as a borrower
Woods County-specific points to check:
- Help that costs nothing. About 1,709 Woods County residents live in poverty; see free options before a loan.
- Rent at $850. With 57% burdened, a short term and small amount keep risk down.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Woods County residents: age, schooling, coverage
In Woods County, 33% of adults have at least a four-year degree (28% in Oklahoma). Health coverage gaps: 7.6% of Woods County residents are uninsured.
| Indicator | Woods County | +/- Oklahoma | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 1.4% | -8.0 pts | -7.2 pts |
| No health insurance | 7.6% | -5.3 pts | -0.3 pts |
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | +4.5 pts | +6.7 pts |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.5% | +4.2 pts | +10.4 pts |
| Median age | 34.3 | -2.7 yrs | -7.2 yrs |
| No vehicle | 7.9% | +2.3 pts | +2.4 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | -0.3 pts | +0.2 pts |
| No high school diploma | 10.3% | -0.3 pts | n/a |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 69.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 13.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.7% |
| 60+ min | 3.8% |
Who licenses lenders for Woods County residents
Woods County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Oklahoma State Banking Department. Oklahoma also has the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit for consumer credit. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Oklahoma guide covers state rules in more detail.
Four steps for Woods County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Woods County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Oklahoma license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
More guides for Woods County
For statewide rules and data, see the Oklahoma guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Woods County rank on income in Oklahoma?
55th of 77, with a median of $53,275. The state median is $65,039.
Is Woods County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $850 against $1,014 statewide, and 57% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Is Capron covered?
Yes. Capron is one of 7 Census places in Woods County, and this guide covers all of them.
Is the fit check different in Woods County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Woods County residents?
The Oklahoma State Banking Department licenses consumer lenders in Oklahoma; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.