7 Best Towns In Oklahoma For Retirees

Choosing a retirement location can be a hit or miss. However, the Sooner State has several advantages to hook a prospective empty nester. For example, a new report from the senior care platform Caring.com ranks Oklahoma third in affordability for solo retirees. Also, Oklahoma winters are far from brutal; you mostly don't have to deal with crazy traffic, and a nearby shimmering lake can be your oyster. The best part? Oklahoma exempts Social Security retirement benefits from taxation. It also provides a $10,000 deduction toward other types of retirement income. Keep reading to discover the 7 best towns in Oklahoma for retirees.

Marlow

Marlow is a small but vibrant town with a wonderful school district, small home-style shops, and beautiful neighborhoods. One of the things that draws retirees to Marlow is its proximity to Oklahoma City, which is just an hour north of town. This means you are close to big-city amenities and conveniences, while enjoying the restful rhythm of a small, laid-back location. Marlow is also affordable, especially considering it has a median price listing of $288,000. Lake Humphrey, one of Oklahoma's top 40 fishing lakes, and Clear Creek Lake, which boasts 11 miles of shoreline, are to the immediate east of town and offer a delicious variety of outdoor adventure opportunities. Moreover, a retiree can play 18 holes at Generations Golf Course, a fun, scenic place with challenging greens. If your knees are starting to act funny, Duncan Regional Hospital is next door and is a 2024 recipient of the Joint Replacement Excellence Award.

Grove

Although the median house listing price in Grove ($349,500 as of May 2025) is slightly above the statewide median of roughly $306,900, it is among a select number of Oklahoma locations that provide excellent value for money. This is especially true if the prospect of retiring on the lake is something that warms your heart. You can grab a front-row seat to nature’s calm, unhurried beauty at places such as Grand Lake, Neosho River, and the nearby Lake Eucha. INTEGRIS Grove Hospital, a proven leader in the healthcare field, has won numerous national awards for clinical excellence. It is right in town. Grove bills itself as Where to Live the Grand Life and has been rated among the top retirement areas in the nation by publications such as the Wall Street Journal.

Sulphur

Even by Oklahoma standards, a median listing home price of $243,500 will prove quite tempting. But it is not just affordability. Sulphur is the gateway to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, which offers retirees cool, spring-fed creeks, sparkling waterfalls, and quiet forest trails. Travertine Creek, Turner Falls, the calm waters of Arbuckle Lake, and the hiking trails around Arbuckle Mountain are some fantastic outdoor pleasure spots to explore around the town. If worried about healthcare access, Arbuckle Memorial Hospital has been serving area residents since 1959, meaning it has been in business for more than 60 years. There are several other options nearby: Ada, Ardmore, Pauls Valley, and Healdton.

Bartlesville

Bartlesville is a chic retirement venue with landmarks such as the Price Tower, a Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper with an art gallery (the Price Tower Arts Center) and a beautiful boutique hotel. Bartsville also hosts the renowned OK Mozart music festival, a carnival of Classical music that lights up the town each June. Moreover, the town has a community center that offers theater, ballet, and orchestral productions. Lovely outdoor spaces to explore include the trail-laden Osage Hills, the 3,700-acre Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, which boasts picturesque hiking trails, exotic animals, and a Native American Heritage Center, and the Pathfinder Parkway, a beautiful 11-mile trail that runs throughout the city. Golden Opportunities is a local senior group that meets to take exercise classes, tour places, and attend wine tastings together. In June 2025, the median listing home price in Bartlesville was $239,000, a dirt-cheap price point that comes with access to the Ascension St. John Jane Phillips, a highly rated medical facility with specialty and round-the-clock emergency care.

Alva

If short on cash, or you just want to buy some decent property and remain with a tidy sum for adventure, few Oklahoma towns will provide the level of affordability that Alva is loved for. The median listing home price in Alva is $159,900, a price point that is increasingly becoming difficult to come across even in the Sooner State. A retiree can spend her free time watching birds at the nearby Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, teeing off a lazy afternoon at the well-maintained Alva Golf and Country Club, or riding camels and longhorns at the Menagerie - Bradt's Mammals, the largest petting zoo in Oklahoma and the the go-to location for fun in the region. To cap it off, Alva hosts the Share Medical Center, which has been providing medical services to area residents since 1970. Alternatively, Kiowa District Hospital is right next door.

Checotah

You may not believe this, but the median listing home price in Checotah was just $226,000 in May 2025. For a location that is just 20 minutes from Muskogee, one of eastern Oklahoma's largest towns, a retiree is heartbeat away from big-city amenities and cultural attractions. These include the Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee, which has been serving area residents since the 1960s. Although small, Checotah has a 12-lane bowling alley, one of the best small-town libraries in Oklahoma, and a nice little casino that adds a bit of nightlife flair to an otherwise laid-back environment. A retiree can enjoy a delicious range of outdoor recreational activities at the Lake Eufaula State Park, float down the nearby Arkansas River, or reel in a yummy catch at the Canadian River, the largest of the Arkansas River's tributaries.

Weatherford

The experience of retiring in a small but vibrant college town where you mingle with free-minded young people and enjoy a modicum of diversity is something few retirees can pass up. Weatherford hosts Southwestern Oklahoma State University, which has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the nation. You can boat or fish at the beautiful Foss State Park, which also has a swim beach with crystal-clear waters. Other nearby outdoor spots include the Washita National Wildlife Refuge, Sportsman Lake (to the east of town), and Ol’ Fishin’ Hole, where a lovely trail runs around a pond and provides opportunities for a nice scenic walk or evening jog. Keep in mind that Weatherford Regional Hospital is in town and has been serving area residents for over 70 years. The best part is that the median listing home price in Weatherford is $199,000.

The Takeaway

Ready to finally log out of the rat race, Oklahoma should be on your radar. The Sooner State boasts one of the lowest costs of living in the United States, does not tax Social Security benefits, has enough space and room to roam, and offers a laid-back lifestyle steeped in Southern hospitality. Neighbors don't wave from the porch ( although this is possible in some places), but you will find folks who are quick to lend a hand, share a story, or point you toward the best local diner. The trick is to pick a spot that also has desirable amenities and conveniences, such as the ones we highlight.