Kay County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, on the Kansas border in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 43,700 at the 2020 census and covers 945 square miles (2,450 km2), of which 920 square miles (2,400 km2) is land, centred near 36°49′N 97°08′W.
Newkirk is the county seat, and its postal code is 74647. The county has five incorporated cities, two incorporated towns, and a number of unincorporated communities. Kay County observes Central time and carries FIPS code 40071.
Towns & Villages in Kay County
Kay County has seven incorporated municipalities plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, several of them former railroad sidings or agency sites tied to the Ponca and Tonkawa reservations. The table below covers the incorporated places with verified 2020 census figures; unincorporated places follow with no reliable population count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponca City | City | 24,424 | 74601 / 74604 |
| Blackwell | City | 6,085 | 74631 |
| Newkirk | City · seat | 2,172 | 74647 |
| Tonkawa | City | 3,015 | 74653 |
| Kaw City | City | — | 74641 |
| Braman | Town | — | 74632 |
| Kildare | Town | — | — |
| Nardin | Unincorp. | — | 74646 |
| White Eagle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chilocco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Washunga | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middleton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peckham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Uncas | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tyner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eddy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hardy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bender | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dilworth | Unincorp. | — | — |
Kaw City sits on the shore of Kaw Lake, having been relocated in the 1970s when the reservoir was built; the original townsite is now underwater. White Eagle and Washunga are Ponca and Kaw agency communities south of Ponca City, and Chilocco is the site of the former Chilocco Indian Agricultural School near the Kansas line.
ZIP Codes
- 74601 — Ponca City
- 74604 — Ponca City
- 74602 — Ponca City (PO box only)
- 74631 — Blackwell
- 74647 — Newkirk
- 74653 — Tonkawa
- 74641 — Kaw City
- 74632 — Braman
- 74646 — Nardin
Kildare and the smaller unincorporated communities use a neighboring town’s ZIP code rather than one of their own.
Geography
Kay County lies in the Cherokee Outlet country of north-central Oklahoma, a rolling mix of prairie and cross-timbers cut by the Arkansas and Salt Fork Arkansas rivers. Kaw Lake, formed by a dam on the Arkansas River near Ponca City, is the county’s largest body of water and a regional recreation draw. Interstate 35 runs north–south through the county’s west side, linking Blackwell, Tonkawa, and Newkirk toward Wichita and Oklahoma City.
Kay County borders Osage County to the east, Noble County to the south, Grant County to the west, and Garfield County to the southwest. Cowley County and Sumner County, Kansas, lie across the state line to the north.
Demographics
Kay County had 43,700 residents at the 2020 census. Ponca City, with 24,424 people, is by far the largest community, followed by Blackwell at 6,085. Median household income in the county runs below the Oklahoma median of $62,138, reflecting the area’s industrial and agricultural economic base. Population density is roughly 47 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Ponca City has long been a company town for the petroleum industry: Conoco (now ConocoPhillips) was founded there and the company’s research and pipeline operations remain major employers alongside a large petrochemical refining complex. Agriculture, mainly wheat and cattle, dominates the rural townships, and Tonkawa is home to Northern Oklahoma College. Kay County and Ponca City were jointly designated a World War II Heritage City by the National Park Service in September 2024, recognizing the wartime aviation and refining industries based there.
History
Kay County was organized in 1893, opened to settlers in the Cherokee Strip Land Run of that year. Its name comes from the letter “K,” the county’s original designation among the alphabetically lettered Cherokee Outlet counties before permanent names were assigned. The county overlaps parts of the former Ponca, Tonkawa, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria reservations, and all four tribes maintain headquarters or trust land within its borders today.
Getting There
Interstate 35 crosses the county north–south; U.S. Routes 60, 77, and 177 and State Highways 11 and 156 provide the remaining connections.
- Wichita, Kansas — 65 miles north
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 95 miles south
- Stillwater, Oklahoma — 45 miles southeast
- Enid, Oklahoma — 35 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport; Ponca City Regional Airport handles general aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kay County, Oklahoma?
It sits in north-central Oklahoma on the Kansas border, about 95 miles north of Oklahoma City.
What is the population of Kay County?
43,700 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Kay County?
945 square miles (2,450 km2), including 25 square miles of water — mostly Kaw Lake.
What is the county seat of Kay County?
Newkirk. Ponca City is the largest city.
How many towns are in Kay County?
Seven incorporated cities and towns — Ponca City, Blackwell, Newkirk, Tonkawa, Kaw City, Braman, and Kildare — plus a number of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Kay County?
74601, 74602, and 74604 (Ponca City), 74631 (Blackwell), 74647 (Newkirk), 74653 (Tonkawa), 74641 (Kaw City), 74632 (Braman), and 74646 (Nardin).
What is Kay County known for?
Its Conoco petroleum heritage in Ponca City and its overlap with the Ponca, Tonkawa, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria tribal lands.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.