Rock Island is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rock Island had a population of 717.
History
The Fort Smith and Southern Railway built a north–south line through what is now Le Flore County in 1886; the line was sold the next year to the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad ("the Frisco"). In 1903–04 the Midland Valley Railroad laid an east-west line. The settlement originally known as Maney Junction developed at the crossing of these railroads.
A post office was established as Rock Island, Indian Territory on February 1, 1905. It was presumably named for Rock Island, Illinois. At the time of its founding, the community was located in Skullyville County, part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.
Rock Island started the process of incorporation in 1989, but the County Commissioners did not approve the incorporation until 2004.
Geography
Rock Island is northeast of Poteau.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.66%) is water.
Economy
Rock Island's economy has depended on agriculture since its founding. Many residents now commute to work in nearby towns such as Poteau and Fort Smith. Now used by the Canadian Pacific Kansas City, it was built by Frisco Railway in 1885 and is approximately 1,180 feet long.
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2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Rock Island had a population of 717. The median age was 44.4 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.8 males age 18 and over.
There were 272 households in Rock Island, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 57.0% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 595 || 83.0%
|-
| Black or African American || 4 || 0.6%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 51 || 7.1%
|-
| Asian || 3 || 0.4%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 8 || 1.1%
|-
| Two or more races || 56 || 7.8%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 18 || 2.5%
|}
2000 census
As of the census