Ponca City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ponca City
Bartlesville
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs63 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 11%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Ponca City | Bartlesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,326 | 37,878 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,941 | $58,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,992 | $34,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,324/sq mi | 1,680/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,800 | $167,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.5% | 68.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 33.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 17.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 78 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.8% | 178.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.6" | 40.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.39 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.6% | 24.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.3% | 27.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.9% | 61.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ponca City
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, wildfire, drought.
Bartlesville
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Ponca City
57
Your Score
57
Area Score
Bartlesville
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Ponca City, OK · Bartlesville, OK · How this is calculated: methodology