Jobs, pay and daily life in Altus, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Altus is a city in Oklahoma with 18,646 residents. The median household earns $55,295 a year and the median rent is $854 a month, which is 18.5% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Altus compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oklahoma, Altus is #28 by population, #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #48 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Jackson County, is #19 of 77 counties for average pay ($52,785).
Altus has 18,646 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Oklahoma. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,023 people per square mile. The median age is 33.7, 9% younger than the state median (33.7 against 37.0).
The median gross rent is $854 a month (rent plus utilities), 16% below the state median ($854 against $1,014). Over a year that is 18.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $152,200, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($55,295); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 53.7% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (53.7% against 65.8%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jackson County was 3.2%. 58.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jackson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.3% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.1% walk, 4.8% work from home. 3.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 66% below the state average (3.5% against 10.4%).
23.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16% below the state share (23.9% against 28.4%). 7.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 16% above the state share (7.4% against 6.4%). The poverty rate is 17.4%, 13% above the state rate (17.4% against 15.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 86°F (30.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 40°F (4.3°C). About 674 mm (27 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (99 mm) and Jan the driest (25 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lawton (51 miles, rent 13% higher); Elk City (51 miles, rent 10% higher); Clinton (62 miles, rent 3% higher); Wichita Falls (68 miles, rent 20% higher). Rent differences are against Altus; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oklahoma (915) →State guide: OklahomaCountry guideJackson CountyOklahoma rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 915 federal postings open in Oklahoma (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% |
| Retail trade | 12.1% |
| Public administration | 11.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.3% |
| Manufacturing | 10.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 6.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.4% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Construction | 3.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Altus lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 24,678 | $1,482 million | $60,058 | 9,599 | 672 | $52,785 | +0.5% | 3.2% | 12,051 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 1,159 | 26.8% | $19,174 | 1.33 |
| Retail trade | 1,149 | 26.6% | $36,602 | 1.20 |
| Health care and social assistance | 509 | 11.8% | $38,633 | 0.37 |
| Educational services | 434 | 10.0% | $138,150 | 2.19 |
| Wholesale trade | 359 | 8.3% | $79,592 | 0.95 |
| Finance and insurance | 248 | 5.7% | $65,437 | 0.64 |
| Administrative and waste services | 213 | 4.9% | $40,075 | 0.38 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 110 | 2.5% | $30,137 | 0.38 |
| Real estate and rental | 77 | 1.8% | $39,078 | 0.52 |
| Information | 44 | 1.0% | $46,470 | 0.24 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 21 | 0.5% | $16,884 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 81.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.1% |
| Work from home | 4.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,295 |
| Income per person | $31,337 |
| Median gross rent per month | $854 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.5% |
| Median home value | $152,200 |
| Homeowners | 53.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.9% |
| Born abroad | 7.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.3 | 40 | 25 |
| Feb | 6.2 | 43 | 27 |
| Mar | 12.2 | 54 | 44 |
| Apr | 17.5 | 64 | 67 |
| May | 22.6 | 73 | 99 |
| Jun | 27.8 | 82 | 86 |
| Jul | 30.0 | 86 | 62 |
| Aug | 29.4 | 85 | 67 |
| Sep | 24.5 | 76 | 70 |
| Oct | 17.4 | 63 | 66 |
| Nov | 10.7 | 51 | 34 |
| Dec | 4.9 | 41 | 27 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawton | OK | 51 mi | 90,595 | $54,433 | $967 |
| Elk City | OK | 51 mi | 11,361 | $51,272 | $943 |
| Clinton | OK | 62 mi | 8,388 | $58,207 | $883 |
| Wichita Falls | TX | 68 mi | 102,581 | $60,177 | $1,022 |
| Weatherford | OK | 70 mi | 12,004 | $54,704 | $804 |
| Duncan | OK | 78 mi | 22,958 | $58,054 | $896 |
| Chickasha | OK | 82 mi | 16,539 | $54,111 | $888 |
| El Reno | OK | 98 mi | 18,557 | $56,219 | $968 |
| Tuttle | OK | 99 mi | 8,040 | $103,994 | $1,016 |
| Blanchard | OK | 99 mi | 9,215 | $91,473 | $962 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
18,646 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$854 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.5% of the median household income.
$55,295 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Jackson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oklahoma. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.