Media release
STILLWATER, OK, June 2, 2026 – United Way of Payne County released the fourth volume of its annual Community Status Report on Monday. The data-based report is produced in partnership with Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business.
It presents countywide demographic information for Payne County, OK and examines trends in topics like education, economics, and health and safety, along with other issues impacting quality of life for residents. Those issues include employment and economic mobility, cost of living, housing affordability, homelessness, food insecurity, health and access to health care, childcare costs, educational attainment, crime and
safety, child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence.
“The data contained in our report is a resource for our community, the agencies we collaborate with and other stakeholders,” United Way Executive Director Ruth Cavins said. “Using a data-informed approach is the most effective way for United Way to seek out the toughest challenges impacting our service area and unite our community to solve them.”
This year’s report includes new information about people classified by United Way as Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) who live above the
federal poverty line but still struggle to cover their basic expenses.
By tracking key metrics using publicly available data sources, the Community Status Report is intended to help identify barriers and obstacles people in Payne County may be facing. It provides a way to recognize community needs and challenges and gathers data that can be used to guide decisions about initiatives and programs that provide a safety net for vulnerable residents and improve the lives of people throughout the
county.
The current Community Status Report is available at https://www.unitedwaypaynecounty.org/communitystatus, along with reports from previous years.
