Perkins, Oklahoma
Perkins is a city of 3,262 people in Payne County, Oklahoma, founded in 1891.
Why visit Perkins
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 3 parks and trails and 4 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include White Cloud Lodge and Cimarron Trails.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Perkins
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Perkins
Perkins (Iowa-Oto: Pékinⁿ Chína^i) is a city in southern Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Perkins had a population of 3,205. The name is derived from Walden Perkins, a congressman who helped establish the local post office. The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma is headquartered here.
From the Wikipedia article Perkins, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
White Cloud Lodge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Building in Payne County, Oklahoma
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes4
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi
1202 North Main Street, Perkins
Mo-Th 07:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-24:00; Su 08:00-23:00
Churches and places of worship1
History
Perkins was founded during the Land Run in April 1889. Joseph Wert staked a claim for 160 acres and offered up 40 acres of his land to be established as a township. The town went through three names in its first year- Cimarron, Italy, and then Perkins. The last name was for Bishop Walden Perkins, a congressman from Kansas who pulled strings to establish the post office for the new township. The town of Perkins incorporated on August 25, 1891.
Though Perkins was settled in 1889, it celebrates Old Settlers Day around Sept 22. This is the anniversary of the Land Run of 1891. Being on the north side of the Cimarron River, it was one of the starting points for the Run of 1891.
The first wagon bridge across the Cimarron River in Oklahoma Territory was built during the summer of 1891. On September 22, 1891, the Sac and Fox and Iowa reservations officially opened. By January 1900, the Eastern Oklahoma Railway began service, establishing the town as an agricultural trade center.
From the History section of Perkins, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare1
Map of Perkins
24 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 1.9 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 31°F | 1.4 in | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 40°F | 2.6 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 48°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 71°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 70°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 62°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 50°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 38°F | 2.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 30°F | 1.7 in | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Perkins 2Nnw Mesonet (2 mi away), rain and snow from Perkins, 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
Payne County has had 29 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2025-05-21: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2025-03-15: Underwood Fire (Fire)
- 2025-03-14: Stillwater Fire (Fire)
- 2024-10-30: Euchee Creek Fire (Fire)
- 2023-07-19: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Stillwater Regional Airport (SWO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Stillwater 11 mi north, about 17 min by car
- Cushing 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Chandler 21 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Guthrie 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Luther 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Drumright 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- Stroud 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Pawnee 29 mi northeast, about 46 min by car
- Edmond 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Jones 32 mi southwest, about 51 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
- Perkins Downtown Historic District, Perkins, OK, OKJaguar, CC BY-SA 4.0
- White Cloud Lodge, Perkins, OK, OKJaguar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.