Kingfisher County is a county in Oklahoma, United States, on the Cimarron River between Oklahoma City and Enid. It had a population of 15,184 at the 2020 census and covers 898 square miles (2,330 km2) of land centred near 35°56′N 97°56′W.
Kingfisher is the county seat, and its postal code is 73750. The county has six incorporated cities and towns plus a handful of unincorporated communities, no civil townships (Oklahoma counties do not use townships), and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Kingfisher County
Ten named places from the county’s Land Run-era settlement pattern appear on current maps: six incorporated cities and towns and four unincorporated communities. Type key: City · seat, City, Town, Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingfisher | City · seat | 4,903 | 73750 |
| Hennessey | City | 2,151 | 73742 |
| Cashion | Town | — | 73016 |
| Okarche | Town | — | 73762 |
| Dover | Town | — | 73734 |
| Loyal | Town | — | 73756 |
| Omega | Unincorp. | — | 73764 |
| Alpha | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lacey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Four Counties Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
Cashion and Okarche both straddle the Kingfisher–Canadian County line, with most of each town’s built-up area on the Kingfisher County side. Four Counties Corner marks the meeting point of Kingfisher, Blaine, Canadian, and Caddo counties, though Caddo does not actually touch the corner — the name is historical rather than geographically exact.
ZIP Codes
- 73750 — Kingfisher (also serves Alpha)
- 73742 — Hennessey
- 73016 — Cashion
- 73762 — Okarche
- 73734 — Dover
- 73756 — Loyal
- 73764 — Omega
Lacey and Four Counties Corner have no dedicated post office and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest incorporated town.
Geography
Kingfisher County lies on the gently rolling wheat plains of central Oklahoma, drained west to east by the Cimarron River, which forms part of the county’s northern boundary before crossing through its northeast corner. Cottonwood Creek and Kingfisher Creek are the county’s other principal streams. The terrain is mostly prairie and cropland, with sandy bottomland along the Cimarron.
Kingfisher County borders Garfield County to the north, Logan County to the east, Oklahoma County to the southeast, Canadian County to the south, Blaine County to the west, and Major County to the northwest.
Demographics
The county’s population was 15,184 at the 2020 census, spread across a density of about 17 people per square mile. Kingfisher (4,903) and Hennessey (2,151) are the two largest communities, together holding about half the county’s residents. Kingfisher County’s median household income runs above the Oklahoma median of $62,138, reflecting the county’s mix of grain farming, oil-field work, and commuters into the Oklahoma City metro.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat and rye farming has been the backbone of the county’s economy since the 1889 Land Run, and Kingfisher County remains one of Oklahoma’s leading wheat-producing counties. Oil and gas development, concentrated around Hennessey, Cashion, and Dover, became a major second industry starting in the 1920s and continues today. Kingfisher itself functions increasingly as a bedroom community for workers commuting to Oklahoma City and Enid; Kingfisher Public Schools and the Chisholm Trail Museum, which houses the restored Governor Abraham Jefferson Seay Mansion, anchor the county seat’s civic life.
History
Kingfisher County was organized on May 2, 1890, from land opened to settlement in the Land Run of April 22, 1889. The origin of the county’s name is not firmly established: local tradition variously credits early rancher David Lewis Payne’s associate King Fisher, a blending of two settlers’ surnames King and Fisher, or a trader named John Fisher who camped along a nearby creek. Kingfisher briefly served as a contender for the Oklahoma Territory capital before Guthrie was chosen. The federal government initially set aside the area for the Creek Nation under Reconstruction-era treaty terms before reassigning it for non-Native settlement ahead of the 1889 run.
Getting There
U.S. Route 81 runs north–south through Kingfisher and Hennessey, and State Highways 3, 33, 51, and 132 cross the county east–west and diagonally.
- Oklahoma City — 40 miles southeast
- Enid — 30 miles north
- Guthrie — 25 miles east
- Watonga — 30 miles west
Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kingfisher County, Oklahoma?
It sits in central Oklahoma, on the Cimarron River between Oklahoma City and Enid.
What is the population of Kingfisher County?
15,184 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Kingfisher County?
898 square miles (2,330 km2) of land, plus about 8 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Kingfisher County?
Kingfisher is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kingfisher County?
Six incorporated cities and towns — Kingfisher, Hennessey, Cashion, Okarche, Dover, and Loyal — plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Kingfisher County?
73750, 73742, 73016, 73762, 73734, 73756, and 73764.
What is Kingfisher County’s main industry?
Wheat farming and oil and gas production, with growing commuter ties to Oklahoma City.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oklahoma.