Poteau, OK Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Poteau. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Poteau compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Poteau, Oklahoma

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:

84 Cost of living index 0.8x lower vs US
#15 Cheapest in Oklahoma (of 74)
#251 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$186,457 Median home value
$853 Median rent
$50,511 Median income
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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 88.

The standard of living in Poteau ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 74 places we measured in Oklahoma. By definition, that implies Poteau ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Sooner State.

For more reading on life in Poteau, check out:

Poteau Cost Of Living Vs. Oklahoma

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

  • The Services index in Poteau is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Poteau is 95.

  • The Health index in Poteau is 65.

  • The Housing index in Poteau is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Poteau is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Poteau is 97.

Living Expense Poteau Oklahoma National Average
Overall 84 88 100
Services 94 96 100
Groceries 95 95 100
Health 65 69 100
Housing 97 98 100
Transportation 89 96 100
Utilities 97 92 100

Poteau Cost Of Living Compared To Oklahoma Averages

Services
Poteau 94
Oklahoma avg 96
Groceries
Poteau 95
Oklahoma avg 95
Health
Poteau 65
Oklahoma avg 69
Housing
Poteau 97
Oklahoma avg 98
Transportation
Poteau 89
Oklahoma avg 96
Utilities
Poteau 97
Oklahoma avg 92

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Oklahoma, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Poteau, OK Housing Cost Breakdown

$186,457Median Home Value
$853Median Rent
$50,511Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Poteau is $186,457.

  • The Median Rent in Poteau is $853.

  • The Median Income in Poteau is $50,511.

  • The Home Value To Income in Poteau is 3.7x.

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

Statistic Poteau Oklahoma United States
Median Home Value $186,457 $220,467 $332,700
Median Rent $853 $1,014 $1,413
Median Income $50,511 $65,039 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.19x 0.21x

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

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

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 86, 1.0x Poteau.

  • Van Buren, AR has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Poteau.

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

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Poteau
Fort Smith, AR 89,805 86 1.0x
Van Buren, AR 23,763 85 1.0x
Greenwood, AR 9,616 89 1.1x
Sallisaw, OK 8,605 83 1.0x
Alma, AR 5,906 89 1.1x
Mena, AR 5,582 83 1.0x