Okmulgee County is a county in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,706. The county seat is Okmulgee. Located within the Muscogee Nation Reservation, the county was created at statehood in 1907. The name Okmulgee is derived from the Hitchita (Lower Creek) word okimulgi, meaning "boiling waters".

Okmulgee County is included in the Tulsa, OK metropolitan statistical area.

History

The Creek Nation was removed into this part of Indian Territory along the Trail of Tears after signing treaties exchanging their land in Georgia and Alabama in 1826 and 1832. The actual move occurred over the period from 1827 to 1836. The Creek Nation government, led by chief Samuel Checote, revised its constitution in 1867 and designated Okmulgee as its capital in 1868. The U.S. Post Office opened in Okmulgee on April 29, 1869. The Creek Nation built its capitol, a log building, in 1869. The building was rebuilt of stone in 1878. and Hoffman from McIntosh into Okmulgee County.

The Creek Council House still stands today. While ownership of the building changed over the years, the City of Okmulgee in November 2010 sold the building back to the tribe for $3.2 million. The building currently houses the Creek Council House Museum, with artifacts and exhibits about the history of the Muscogee tribe and the arts and crafts of other Native American tribes.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water. Lake Henryetta, Okmulgee Lake, Nichols Lake, most of Dripping Springs Lake, and the tip of Oklahoma's largest lake, Lake Eufaula, lie within the county. The Deep Fork of the North Canadian River is the principal waterway in the county.

Adjacent counties

  • Tulsa County (north)
  • Wagoner County (northeast)
  • Muskogee County (east)
  • McIntosh County (southeast)
  • Okfuskee County (southwest)
  • Creek County (northwest)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 36,706. Of the residents, 23.1% were under the age of 18 and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.8 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 60.2% White, 7.5% Black or African American, 16.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 1.7% from some other race, and 13.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.7% of the population.

There were 15,300 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.06. County services, including the District Court, Assessor, County Clerk, Jail, and Sheriff's office, are all located between 6th and 8th St, and Alabama and Seminole Avenues, in the City of Okmulgee.

Politics

Despite a wide Democratic registration advantage as recently as the late 2010s, the county—like every Oklahoma county since 2000—has favored the Republican candidate for president in every election since 2000, with the Republican margin of victory increasing with every election.

{| class=wikitable

! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023

|-

! colspan = 2 | Party

! Number of Voters

! Percentage

|-

|

| Democratic

| align = center | 7,282

| align = center | 35.20%

|-

|

| Republican

| align = center | 9,870

| align = center | 47.69%

|-

|

| Others

| align = center | 3,542

| align = center | 17.12%

|-

! colspan = 2 | Total

! align = center | 20,694

! align = center | 100%

|}

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Communities

  • Beggs
  • Bryant
  • Dewar
  • Dighton
  • Eram
  • Grayson
  • Henryetta
  • Hoffman
  • Liberty
  • Morris
  • Okmulgee
  • Preston
  • Pumpkin Center
  • Schulter
  • Winchester
  • Nuyaka

Former communities

  • Browning
  • Hoardsville
  • Kusa
  • Mundell