Yukon is a city in eastern Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 23,630 at the 2020 census. Founded in the 1890s, the town was named in reference to a gold rush in Yukon Territory, Canada, at the time. Historically, Yukon served as an urban center for area farmers and the site of a milling operation. Currently, it is primarily a residential community for people who work in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area.

History

Yukon was founded by A.N. Spencer in 1891 and was named for the Yukon River which flows from British Columbia, across the Yukon, and into Alaska.

Spencer, a cattleman from Texas turned railroad builder, was working on a line from El Reno to Arkansas when he decided to build the town. Spencer filed the plat on the townsite on February 14, 1891. and voted to add water works, sewer, and electricity from the mill in 1910.

From a population of 830 in 1907, Yukon grew to 1,990 by 1950.

The town is traversed by Route 66 and state highways 4 and 92. It lies just north of Interstate 40. Downtown Oklahoma City is to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.21%, is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Yukon had a population of 23,630. The median age was 39.0 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.6 males age 18 and over.

There were 9,258 households in Yukon, of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.4% were married-couple households, 15.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Percent

|-

| White || 77.7%

|-

| Black or African American || 2.2%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 3.9%

|-

| Asian || 2.4%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0.1%

|-

| Some other race || 2.6%

|-

| Two or more races || 11.1%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 8.0%

|}

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 22,709 people, 8,744 households, and 6,390 families residing in the city. The population density was . Single individuals living alone accounted for 21% of households and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 9.2% of households.

All authority to set policy rests with a nonpartisan Mayor and City Council. The governing body in turn hires a nonpartisan manager who has broad authority to run the organization.

Yukon is divided into four geographical wards and one at-large ward. A representative from each Ward are the five members of the City Council. They are elected to four-year terms. The voters of each Ward elect a council member to represent them and the Mayor is elected yearly by council. The Mayor and Council appoint a City Manager to serve as the city's chief administrative official. The Mayor and Council also appoint the City Attorney and Municipal Court judges.

Education

The Yukon Public Schools district covers most of Yukon.<!--This is district UNI 33480--> It includes 11 schools, served a community of 36,938 people, and encompasses 66.10 square miles of land and 2.18 square miles of water. The school district offers pre-school through secondary school education.

Parts of Yukon are zoned to Banner Public School<!--ELM 03540--> and some other parts are zoned to Riverside Public School<!--ELM 26010--> .

  • Dan Bailey, kicker for Oklahoma State University and Dallas Cowboys

thumb|Garth Brooks water tower

  • Phil Ball, former UCO football coach.
  • Garth Brooks, country music singer; grew up in Yukon
  • Josh Shipp, motivational speaker: grew up in Yukon
  • Brad Dalke, golfer; born in Yukon
  • Max Gleason, a cappella YouTube musician "Smooth McGroove"
  • Steve Heller, writer; raised near Yukon
  • Daniel Lewis Lee, convicted murderer; born in Yukon
  • Cross Canadian Ragweed, band founded in Yukon
  • Ed Roberts, poet and author; born in Yukon
  • Dale Robertson, actor in films and television's Tales of Wells Fargo, The Iron Horse and ABC's 1981 hit Dynasty
  • Carson Benge, outfielder for the New York Mets

See also

  • Yukon Public Schools

References

<!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->

  • City of Yukon official website
  • City Council
  • Yukon Chamber of Commerce
  • Yukon Public Schools
  • Mabel C. Fry Public Library
  • Oklahoma Czech Festival
  • Stage Door Theatre of Yukon, former District School building and Historic Society
  • City-Data.com, statistical data about Yukon