ZIP Code 74953 — Poteau city, OK Demographics & Data

ZIP code 74953 covers Poteau, OK in Le Flore County with a population of about 12,284.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 36.3 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 539, 918; U.S. House district OK-2; the FT. SMITH - FAY - SPRNGDL - RGRS media market.

Poteau, OK sits in a university / college context (near carl albert state college (1.4 mi)). Expect stronger interest in student housing, rentals, walkability, transit, and a younger adult age mix versus typical suburban ZIPs.

Median household income in ZIP 74953 is about $54,625 — about 27% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 16.8%; unemployment rate near 5.5%; 19.3% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 14.4 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Retail trade, Healthcare, and Education; about 3.7% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 11.5 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $174,400 — about 50% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $556 (about 52% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 67.8% (about 2.4 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 74953 in Poteau, OK, a household would need roughly $48,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,120. That sits below the local median household income ($54,625), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Poteau city, OK as Relatively Moderate (composite score 82.7), which is elevated versus much of the country. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (96.1) and flood (84.3). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Poteau city, OK show little to no average snow.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 492 for ZIP 74953 (Poteau city, OK) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.