Poteau, OK Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Poteau, OK Summary

Cost of living in Poteau research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Poteau is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Oklahoma, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Poteau is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Poteau is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Poteau ranks as the #23 cheapest in Oklahoma out of 75.

  • Poteau ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Poteau is $178,680.

  • The median income in Poteau is $49,789.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Poteau's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Poteau, OK?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Poteau has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Oklahoma, Poteau has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Oklahoma's index of 87.

The standard of living in Poteau ranks as #23 most affordable out of the 75 places we measured in Oklahoma. By definition, that implies Poteau ranks as the #52 most expensive place in the Sooner State.

For more reading on life in Poteau, check out:

23 out of 75
In Oklahoma
406 out of 6,489
In America

Poteau Cost Of Living Vs. Oklahoma

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Poteau. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Poteau is 90.

  • The Groceries index in Poteau is 93.

  • The Health index in Poteau is 88.

  • The Housing index in Poteau is 65.

  • The Transportation index in Poteau is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Poteau is 101.

Living Expense Poteau Oklahoma National Average
Overall 84 87 100
Services 90 90 100
Groceries 93 96 100
Health 88 94 100
Housing 65 70 100
Transportation 89 93 100
Utilities 101 98 100
For more reading on cost of living around Oklahoma, check out:
Poteau Cost of Living Vs. OK

Poteau, OK Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Oklahoma, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Poteau is $178,680.

  • The Median Rent in Poteau is $818.

  • The Median Income in Poteau is $49,789.

  • The Home Value To Income in Poteau is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Poteau is 0.2x.

Statistic Poteau Oklahoma United States
Median Home Value $178,680 $216,291 $303,400
Median Rent $818 $980 $1,348
Median Income $49,789 $63,603 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x
$178,680
Median Home Value
$818
Median Rent
$49,789
Median Income

Poteau, OK Costs By Category

Detailed Poteau Services Costs Vs. Oklahoma

Item Poteau Oklahoma
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $10.0 $12.13
Bowling $15.33 $18
Haircut $24.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.67 $45.56

Detailed Poteau Groceries Costs Vs. Oklahoma

Item Poteau Oklahoma
Ground Beef $5.98 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.7 $4.93
Pizza $12.03 $12.09
Beer $9.9 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Poteau Health Costs Vs. Oklahoma

Item Poteau Oklahoma
Optometrist $122.21 $125.68
Doctor $146.33 $135.78
Dentist $107.18 $113.29

Detailed Poteau Transportation Costs Vs. Oklahoma

Item Poteau Oklahoma
Gasoline $3.13 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.72 $59.92

Detailed Poteau Utilities Costs Vs. Oklahoma

Item Poteau Oklahoma
All Electricity $199.95 $193.99
Phone $194.17 $192.25

Poteau SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
5
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
6
Education
5
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Poteau

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Poteau. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Fort Smith, AR has a cost of living index of 89, 1.1x Poteau.

  • Van Buren, AR has a cost of living index of 91, 1.1x Poteau.

  • Greenwood, AR has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Poteau.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Poteau
Fort Smith, AR 89,496 89 1.1x
Van Buren, AR 23,545 91 1.1x
Greenwood, AR 9,570 92 1.1x
Sallisaw, OK 8,553 83 1.0x
Alma, AR 5,879 91 1.1x
Mena, AR 5,605 84 1.0x

Articles About Oklahoma

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