Payne County, Oklahoma

This county was established and named as the Sixth County by the Oklahoma Organic Act of 1890. It included land settled during the Land Run of 1889. The Organic Act settled a dispute between the towns of Stillwater and Perkins over which should be the county seat.[4]

Eastern Oklahoma Railway built two lines in Payne County between 1900 and 1902, then immediately leased them to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The historic civil townships of the county were abolished by 1930. One north–south line ran between Pawnee, Stillwater, Ripley and Cushing before joining another north–south line that from Newark to Shawnee. Another line was built from Guthrie along the Cimarron River to Ripley. These lines were important in getting crops from farm to market.[4]

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed into Payne County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 697 square miles (1,810 km²), of which 685 square miles (1,770 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31 km²) (1.8%) is water.[5]

Payne County is covered by rolling plains, mostly within the Sandstone Hills physiographic region, but with the western part of the county in the Red Bed plains. The county has two significant reservoirs: Lake McMurtry and Lake Carl Blackwell. The Cimarron River and Stillwater Creek drain most of the county.[4]

Age pyramid for Payne County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census of 2000,[11] there were 68,190 people, 26,680 households, and 15,314 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 inhabitants per square mile (38/km²). There were 29,326 housing units at an average density of 43 units per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.33% White, 3.63% Black or African American, 4.58% Native American, 3.00% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Since the 2000 census, its population has increased to 81,646 at the 2020 census. As of 2022, it had an estimated population of 82,794; according to census estimates in 2021, its racial makeup was 76.1% non-Hispanic white, 3.9% African American, 5.7% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.0% multiracial, and 5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[1]

As of 2000, there were 26,680 households, out of which 25.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.60% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.60% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county as of 2000, the population was spread out, with 19.60% under the age of 18, 25.90% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 17.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.

According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $28,733, and the median income for a family was $40,823. Males had a median income of $31,132 versus $21,113 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,983. About 10.80% of families and 20.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over. According to 2021 census estimates, its median household income was $43,686 with a poverty rate of 20.7%.[1]

Payne County is very conservative for a county dominated by a college town. While many such counties swung hard to the Democrats in the 1990s, Payne County has gone Republican in every election since 1968 and all but twice since 1944. Since 1968, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are the only Democrats to cross the 40 percent mark.

Agriculture was the basis of the county economy for more than fifty years. The primary crops were cotton, corn and wheat.[4]

World War II caused hundreds of students at Oklahoma A & M to leave school for military service. To offset this loss to the local economy, civic and college leaders lobbied military officials and Oklahoma Senator Mike Monroney to have the school designated as a war training center. This resulted in the establishment of twelve training programs for the Navy, with nearly 40,000 people.[4] The wartime experience showed local political leaders that it would be essential to diversify the county's economic base. They formed an Industrial Foundation to attract manufacturing plants and industrial jobs. This effort succeeded and accelerated an increase in population.[4]

"Old Central", first building constructed for Oklahoma A&M College, c. 1894

Educational entities located in Payne County include:

• Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
• Oklahoma State University-Stillwater
• Northern Oklahoma College
• Meridian Technology Center

The following sites in Payne County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Other landmarks include:

• Allen Williamson Bridge - Memorial bridge near Ripley, named after the Oklahoma Representative Allen Williamson.

• Payne County Government's website
• Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory

36.08°N 96.97°W / 36.08; -96.97