Panama is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Panama had a population of 1,269.
History
A post office was established at Panama, Indian Territory on January 14, 1898. At the time of its founding, Panama was located in Skullyville County, part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.
This town began as a coal mining community named Red Town because all of the miners' shacks were painted red. The origin of the town name of "Panama" is uncertain. Some historians claim that the name was inspired by the building of the Panama Canal. But since the town was already called Panama by 1898, the inspiration would have to have been based on the unsuccessful French effort at building the canal which started 1881 and ended in 1889, and not the successful American effort which did not start until 1904 and was not completed until 1914. In 1896 the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (trackage acquired by the Kansas City Southern Railway in 1900) built a north–south line through the region. The Midland Valley Railroad built an east–west line through the region in 1903–1904. The town of Panama moved to the crossing of the two railroads. The Panama post office first opened January 14, 1898, but the order was rescinded for some unknown reason on February 23, 1898. The post office reopened February 21, 1899.
Panama was still supported by coal mining in 1930. The Ozark Coal and Mining Company had established itself there in 1898, however the coal mines began to close in the 1930s. A creosote plant, established in 1937, provided some jobs for the former miners. The Panama Coal Company, which had engaged in strip mining, went bankrupt in 1977.
| align = right
| align-fn = center
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Panama had a population of 1,269. The median age was 37.9 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.8 males age 18 and over.
There were 520 households in Panama, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.7% were married-couple households, 20.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 868 || 68.4%
|-
| Black or African American || 14 || 1.1%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 172 || 13.6%
|-
| Asian || 11 || 0.9%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 13 || 1.0%
|-
| Two or more races || 191 || 15.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 66 || 5.2%
|}
2010 census
As of the census