McAlester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Woodward
McAlester
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs21 · Bottom 8%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 22%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
53 · Bottom 5%
vs50 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 25%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Woodward | McAlester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,882 | 18,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,463 | $51,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,644 | $27,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 906/sq mi | 1,017/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,800 | $151,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $839 | $915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.2% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.3% | -28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.4" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 76 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Woodward
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, wildfire, drought.
McAlester
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Full profiles: Woodward, OK · McAlester, OK · How this is calculated: methodology