Garfield County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 62,846 at the 2020 census and covers 1,060 square miles (2,700 km2) centred near 36°23′N 97°47′W.
Enid is the county seat, and its postal code is 73701. The county has 2 cities, 12 towns, one census-designated place, and several unincorporated communities. Garfield County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Garfield County
Garfield County contains 15 incorporated places plus a handful of unincorporated crossroads communities carried over from historic township-era maps. Enid, the seat, is by far the largest; Garber is the county’s second city. The rest are towns of a few hundred residents or fewer, and Bison is the county’s only census-designated place.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enid | City · seat | — | 73701 |
| Garber | City | — | 73738 |
| Bison | CDP | — | 73720 |
| Breckinridge | Town | — | 73701 |
| Carrier | Town | — | 73727 |
| Covington | Town | — | 73730 |
| Douglas | Town | — | 73733 |
| Drummond | Town | — | 73735 |
| Fairmont | Town | — | 73736 |
| Hillsdale | Town | — | 73743 |
| Hunter | Town | — | 74640 |
| Kremlin | Town | — | 73753 |
| Lahoma | Town | — | 73754 |
| North Enid | Town | — | 73701 |
| Waukomis | Town | — | 73773 |
| Barr | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Callahan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cropper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Etna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hayward | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Imo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ituna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jonah | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shea | Unincorp. | — | — |
North Enid sits immediately north of Enid along US-81 and is often mistaken for an Enid neighborhood rather than its own incorporated town; the two have kept separate governments since the 1900s.
ZIP Codes
- 73701 — Enid (also serves North Enid and Breckinridge)
- 73702 — Enid (PO Box only)
- 73703 — Enid
- 73705 — Enid
- 73706 — Enid (PO Box only)
- 73720 — Bison
- 73727 — Carrier
- 73730 — Covington
- 73733 — Douglas
- 73735 — Drummond
- 73736 — Fairmont
- 73738 — Garber
- 73743 — Hillsdale (PO Box only)
- 73753 — Kremlin
- 73754 — Lahoma
- 73773 — Waukomis
- 74640 — Hunter
The smaller unincorporated communities, such as Barr, Blanton, Cropper, Etna, Hayward, Imo, Ituna, Jonah, and Shea, have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest listed ZIP code.
Geography
Garfield County lies on the gently rolling wheat plains of north-central Oklahoma, part of the Red Bed Plains region. Of its 1,060 square miles, 1,058 square miles are land and 1.6 square miles are water — a 0.2% water share typical of the state’s interior counties. The Cimarron River crosses the county’s southern edge, and Boggy Creek and Skeleton Creek drain much of the interior toward the Cimarron.
Garfield County borders six other Oklahoma counties: Grant County to the north, Alfalfa County to the northwest, Noble County to the east, Logan County to the southeast, Kingfisher County to the south, and Major County to the west.
Demographics
Garfield County had 62,846 residents at the 2020 census. Enid is by far the largest community, followed by Garber. Median household income statewide runs at the Oklahoma median of $62,138; Garfield County, anchored by Enid’s oil-services and grain-industry jobs, tracks close to that figure rather than the lower averages typical of the state’s more rural wheat counties. Population density across the county’s 1,058 land square miles works out to roughly 59 people per square mile, concentrated overwhelmingly in and around Enid.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, especially wheat, has defined Garfield County’s economy since the 1893 land run, and Enid holds some of the largest grain storage capacity of any city in the United States, with elevators lining its rail yards. Vance Air Force Base, a U.S. Air Force pilot training installation just south of Enid, is one of the county’s largest employers alongside the grain and oil-field services sectors. Enid also hosts Autry Technology Center and Northern Oklahoma College’s Enid campus. The county fairgrounds and Enid’s annual events draw visitors from across north-central Oklahoma.
History
Garfield County was organized in 1893, formed from land opened in the Cherokee Outlet portion of the Land Run of September 16, 1893. Before the run, the area was informally known as “O County.” It was renamed for President James A. Garfield, assassinated in 1881. Enid grew quickly as a railroad town on the Rock Island line and became the seat almost immediately after the run, later fighting off a rival townsite dispute known locally as the “Battle of Skeleton Cave” during the county’s earliest years.
Getting There
US Routes 60, 64, 81, and 412 all cross Garfield County, along with State Highways 15 and 45, giving Enid direct road links in every direction.
- Oklahoma City — about 90 miles south
- Wichita, Kansas — about 90 miles north
- Stillwater — about 55 miles southeast
- Woodward — about 75 miles west
Enid Woodring Regional Airport serves general aviation locally; the nearest major commercial airport is Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Garfield County, Oklahoma?
It is in the north-central part of the state, about 90 miles north of Oklahoma City, centred near 36°23′N 97°47′W.
What is the population of Garfield County?
62,846 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Garfield County?
1,060 square miles (2,700 km2), of which 1,058 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Garfield County?
Enid is the county seat.
How many towns are in Garfield County?
The county has 2 cities and 12 incorporated towns, plus the census-designated place of Bison and several smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Garfield County?
ZIP codes range from Enid’s 73701–73706 to smaller-town codes like 73738 (Garber), 73753 (Kremlin), and 74640 (Hunter).
Why is it called Garfield County?
It was named for President James A. Garfield, following its 1893 organization out of the Cherokee Outlet.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.