Bethany, Oklahoma
Bethany is a city of 20,560 people in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, founded in July 28, 1909.
Why visit Bethany
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 25 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Southern Nazarene University, Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City, Will Rogers Gardens and Elden Lyon Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Bethany
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bethany
Bethany is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Bethany has a population of 20,831 at the 2020 census, a 9.3% increase from 2010. The community was founded in 1909 by followers of the Church of the Nazarene from Oklahoma City.
From the Wikipedia article Bethany, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Southern Nazarene University
School · 0.8 mi
Christian liberal arts college located in Bethany, Oklahoma, United States
Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City
School · 4.0 mi
Public university in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Wedgewood Village Amusement Park
Monument and historic site · 3.5 mi
Former amusement park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Museums and landmarks2
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Will Rogers Gardens
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Parks, trails and playgrounds25
Dorothy Cavener Memorial Park
Park · 1.6 mi
5301 North Hammond Avenue, Warr Acres
13 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes15
Abel's
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.7 mi
5822 Northwest 50th Street, Warr Acres
Mo-Su 11:00-11:00
Moe's Place
Diner · American · 1.6 mi
5012 North MacArthur Boulevard, Warr Acres
Mo-Sa 06:30-14:00, Su 08:00-14:00
Luigi's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.6 mi
4816 North MacArthur Boulevard, Warr Acres
Tim's Drive Inn
Restaurant · Burger, Regional, Ice Cream · 1.6 mi
5037 North MacArthur Boulevard, Warr Acres
Red Dog Saloon
Restaurant · 2.1 mi
North Peniel Avenue Northwest 10th Street, Oklahoma City
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.4 mi
4401 North MacArthur Boulevard, Warr Acres
Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-24:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.6 mi
5900 Northwest 50th Street, Warr Acres
Mo-Sa 09:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00
3 more on the map.
History
Bethany was founded July 28, 1909 as a community where members of the Church of the Nazarene, an evangelical Christian movement that developed from Holiness churches, could practice their religious beliefs without interference by non-members. The town was named after the biblical place of Bethany. The community quickly founded Oklahoma Holiness College (now known as Southern Nazarene University, SNU). Two other institutions were soon established, the Oklahoma Orphanage (now the Children's Center, a medical facility) operated by Mattie Mallory, and the Nazarene Rescue Home for unwed mothers.
Bethany incorporated on August 8, 1910 as a rural town; its economy depended on the surrounding farmlands. It gained a post office on March 11, 1913. With a relatively large population of conservative Nazarenes, the town council soon enacted strict blue laws that banned alcohol, tobacco, gambling, dancing, movies, swearing, and working on Sundays. After Bethany reorganized as a first class city in 1931, it relaxed these laws to some extent.
From the History section of Bethany, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship55
Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.9 mi
5024 North Grove Avenue, Oklahoma City
Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses Oakglen
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.4 mi
5749 Northwest 37th Street, Oklahoma City
Saint David's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 2.2 mi
3333 North Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City
Fresh Oil Praise Center
Place of worship · 1.1 mi
7827 Northwest 23rd Street, Bethany
Shopping4
Schools, colleges and libraries54
Healthcare3
The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital
Hospital · 0.5 mi
6800 Northwest 39th Expressway, Bethany
Map of Bethany
163 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 28°F | 0.8 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 31°F | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 40°F | 2.0 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 49°F | 3.0 in |
| May | 80°F | 59°F | 4.3 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 73°F | 2.9 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.5 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 63°F | 3.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 2.7 in |
| Nov | 62°F | 39°F | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 30°F | 1.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Oklahoma City Post Ap (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Oklahoma County has had 43 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-08-13: Train Trestle Fire (Fire)
- 2025-05-21: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2025-03-18: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-03-14: Luther Fire (Fire)
- 2023-03-31: Hefner Fire, Oklahoma Fmag (Fire)
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wiley Post Airport (PWA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Warr Acres 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- Yukon 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- Oklahoma City 8 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Mustang 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Del City 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Midwest City 15 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Moore 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Edmond 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- El Reno 17 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Newcastle 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bethany, Oklahoma, H.L.I.T. (flickr.com), CC BY 2.0
- Oklahoma City, OK - USA - Will Rogers Park - panoramio (8), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Aerial Shot from LRCC, Kandace6, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Diospyros virginiana 446616471, Gaudaceous Cress, CC BY 4.0
- A Bull with Goats in a Meadow by a Tree label QS:Lfr,"Un taureau avec des chèvres dans un pré près d'un arbre" label QS:Len,"A Bull with Goats in a Meadow by a Tree" label QS:Lpl,"Byk z kozami na..., Albert Klomp, Public domain
- Diospyros virginiana 446657636, Gaudaceous Cress, CC BY 4.0
- Lake Overholser Dam, Matt Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Overholser3, Jmjohnson426, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Overholser dam 2 copy, Jmjohnson426, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OverholserDam, MisterBadmoon, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 05, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 03, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 04, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 01, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 02, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 06, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
- Fifi Wiley Post Airport 07, Balon Greyjoy, CC0
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