Cleveland County, Oklahoma

Cleveland County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, immediately south of downtown Oklahoma City. It had a population of 295,528 at the 2020 census and covers 558 square miles (1,450 km2) centred near 35°10′N 97°16′W.

Norman is the county seat, and its postal code is 73069. The county has four cities, two towns, and several unincorporated communities, sits in the Central time zone, and forms the southern edge of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Towns & Villages in Cleveland County

Cleveland County holds four incorporated cities, two incorporated towns, and a handful of unincorporated communities. “City · seat” marks the county seat; “CDP” is a census-designated place with no city government of its own.

Newalla straddles the Cleveland–Oklahoma county line, with most of its built-up area on the Oklahoma County side; only its southern edge falls in Cleveland County. Moore also crosses a county line, with a small share of the city reaching into Oklahoma County to the north.

ZIP Codes

• 73069 — Norman (downtown and southwest Norman)
• 73071 — Norman (east Norman, also serves Etowah)
• 73072 — Norman (west Norman, also serves Slaughterville)
• 73019 — Norman (University of Oklahoma campus, unique ZIP)
• 73026 — Norman (south Norman, also serves Little Axe)
• 73068 — Noble
• 73051 — Lexington
• 73160, 73170 — Moore
• 74857 — Newalla

A handful of Oklahoma City-addressed ZIPs (73153, 73165, 73189) also reach into the county’s northern strip, since post office boundaries don’t follow the county line exactly.

Geography

Cleveland County sits on the boundary between the Central Redbed Plains and the Sandstone Hills, with the South Canadian River crossing the county’s western half and Lake Thunderbird impounded on the Little River in the east. Terrain is gently rolling prairie and post-oak savanna, with the flattest, most-farmed ground in the south around Lexington.

The county borders Oklahoma County to the north, Pottawatomie County to the east, McClain County to the southwest, and Canadian County at its northwest corner.

Demographics

Cleveland County’s 295,528 residents at the 2020 census made it Oklahoma’s third-most populous county, behind only Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Norman (128,026) and Moore’s Cleveland County share are the two largest communities by far, together holding roughly two-thirds of the county’s population. Density works out to about 548 people per square mile of land. The county’s 2021-estimate median household income of about $67,000 runs close to the Oklahoma median of $62,138, reflecting a mix of university, government, and suburban commuter households.

Economy & Local Life

The University of Oklahoma, headquartered in Norman with roughly 30,000 students, is the county’s largest single employer and shapes much of local life — OU Sooners football Saturdays fill Norman’s downtown and campus-adjacent businesses each fall. Beyond the university, the county’s economy leans on state and county government offices, health care (Norman Regional Health System), and retail and light manufacturing along the Interstate 35 corridor shared with Moore. Norman’s Main Street and Campus Corner districts anchor a growing arts and restaurant scene; the annual Norman Music Festival draws visitors from across the metro.

History

Cleveland County was organized in 1890, in the first wave of counties created after the 1889 Land Run that opened the Unassigned Lands to settlement, and was named for then-U.S. President Grover Cleveland. Norman grew up around a Santa Fe Railway survey camp and became the county seat and, later, the site of the University of Oklahoma, chartered in 1890. Moore developed as a farming depot on the same rail line and has since grown into the county’s second city, though it is better known nationally for the string of destructive tornadoes — including EF5 storms in 1999, 2003, and 2013 — that have struck the Moore – south Oklahoma City corridor.

Getting There

Interstate 35 runs north–south through Norman and Moore, linking the county to downtown Oklahoma City; Interstate 44 clips the county’s northwest corner. U.S. Routes 62 and 77 and State Highways 9, 37, and 39 connect the smaller towns.

• Oklahoma City — 20 miles north
• Shawnee — 25 miles east
• Purcell — 15 miles south
• Chickasha — 30 miles southwest

Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, about 20 miles north of Norman, is the county’s nearest commercial airport; the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport in Norman serves general aviation only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Cleveland County, Oklahoma?
It sits in central Oklahoma, immediately south of downtown Oklahoma City, and forms part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

What is the population of Cleveland County?
295,528 at the 2020 census, making it Oklahoma’s third-most populous county.

How big is Cleveland County?
558 square miles (1,450 km2), of which 539 square miles is land and 19 square miles is water.

What is the county seat of Cleveland County?
Norman is the county seat and largest city.

How many towns and cities are in Cleveland County?
Four cities (Norman, Moore, Noble, and part of Moore’s Cleveland County share) and two towns (Lexington and Slaughterville), plus unincorporated Etowah, Little Axe, and part of Newalla.

What ZIP codes are in Cleveland County?
Norman uses 73019, 73026, 73069, 73071, and 73072; Moore uses 73160 and 73170; Noble is 73068, Lexington is 73051, and Newalla is 74857.

Why is Cleveland County named that?
It was named for Grover Cleveland, the U.S. president in office when the county was organized in 1890.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.