Stephens County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 42,848 at the 2020 census and covers 891 square miles (2,308 km2), centred near 34°29′N 97°52′W.
Duncan is the county seat, and its postal code is 73533. The county contains three cities, five towns, one census-designated place and 13 unincorporated communities. Stephens County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Stephens County
Stephens County has 23 named places on record: three incorporated cities (including the county seat), five incorporated towns, one census-designated place (CDP), and 13 small unincorporated communities that have no municipal government of their own. Population and ZIP figures below are shown only where a source confirms them; unverified cells read —.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan | City · seat | 22,692 | 73533 |
| Marlow | City | 4,385 | 73055 |
| Comanche | City | 1,378 | 73529 |
| Bray | Town | — | — |
| Central High | Town | — | — |
| Empire City | Town | — | — |
| Loco | Town | — | — |
| Velma | Town | — | — |
| Sunray | CDP | — | — |
| Alma | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Countyline | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Denton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dixie Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gas City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harrisburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meridian | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nellie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oil City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oklahoma Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Santa Fe | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 73533 — Duncan (post office town)
- 73055 — Marlow (post office town)
- 73529 — Comanche (post office town)
The smaller towns and unincorporated communities of Stephens County generally share a ZIP code with the nearest post office town rather than carrying one of their own; no confirmed ZIP is published for Bray, Central High, Empire City, Loco, Velma, Sunray, or the unincorporated places listed above.
Geography
Stephens County sits on the Red Bed Plains of south-central Oklahoma, rolling terrain cut by Cache Creek and Beaver Creek. Water covers about 21 of the county’s 891 square miles. Oklahoma has no civil townships, so land here is not subdivided into township units the way it is in much of the Midwest.
Stephens County borders Grady County to the north, Garvin County to the northeast, Carter County to the east, Jefferson County to the southeast, Cotton County to the south, and Comanche County to the west.
Demographics
Stephens County had 42,848 residents at the 2020 census. Duncan, the county seat, is by far its largest community at 22,692 people, followed by Marlow at 4,385. Median household income in the county runs below the Oklahoma median of $62,138, reflecting the county’s mix of oil-field and agricultural employment. Population density works out to roughly 48 people per square mile countywide.
Economy & Local Life
Oil and gas has driven the local economy since drilling began around 1910, and Duncan is the birthplace of Halliburton, the oil-field services company Erle P. Halliburton founded there in 1919 to cement well casings. Halliburton keeps a major presence in Duncan today alongside farming and ranching that continue across the county’s rural townships and Simmons Center, Duncan’s civic and events venue, anchors much of the county’s public life.
History
Stephens County was organized in 1907 at Oklahoma statehood, formed partly from the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory and partly from Comanche County in Oklahoma Territory. It is named for John Hall Stephens, a Texas congressman who had no direct tie to the area but was honored in the naming convention used for several new Oklahoma counties. The discovery of oil around Duncan in the 1910s, capped by the county’s first producing well in 1918, transformed a farming community into an oil-services hub within a decade.
Getting There
U.S. Route 81 and U.S. Route 277 both run through Duncan, with State Highway 7 crossing the county east-west.
- Lawton, Oklahoma — about 30 miles west
- Chickasha, Oklahoma — about 30 miles north
- Ardmore, Oklahoma — about 45 miles east
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — about 80 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport; Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City offers a wider range of flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stephens County, Oklahoma?
It sits in the south-central part of the state, centered on Duncan, roughly 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
What is the population of Stephens County?
42,848 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Stephens County?
891 square miles, including about 21 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Stephens County?
Duncan, the county’s largest city and the birthplace of Halliburton.
How many towns are in Stephens County?
Three cities, five towns, one CDP, and 13 unincorporated communities are recorded across the county.
What ZIP codes are in Stephens County?
The main confirmed codes are 73533 (Duncan), 73055 (Marlow), and 73529 (Comanche).
What company was founded in Stephens County?
Halliburton, the oil-field services company, was founded in Duncan in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.