Walters, Oklahoma
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1987. It stands in the Walters census division. It lies in ZIP code area 73572. The Survey maps it on the Walters quadrangle. 2,412 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,001 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Walters
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 3 records
Cotton County Courthouselisted 1984
First United Methodist Churchlisted 1983
Walters Rock Island Depotlisted 1998
Population over time
2 figuresWalters fell from 2,551 to 2,412 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,551 | |
| 2020 | 2,412 | -139 (-5%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1955 USGS Lawton quadrangle1:250000, 5 printings
- 1962 USGS Walters quadrangle1:62500
- 1985 USGS Burkburnett quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
- 1987 USGS Walters quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
14 since 2001Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 14 fires within 5 miles of Walters between 2001 and 2020, burning about 79 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 5 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Natural | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2009 | Debris and open burning | 10 acres | Anadarko Agency | COMANCHE HOUSING |
| 26 September 2007 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Anadarko Agency | POEMOCEAH |
| 14 September 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Anadarko Agency | FODDER |
| 27 August 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Anadarko Agency | PLOW UNIT |
| 13 August 2001 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Anadarko Agency | KANITOBE |
| 4 July 2001 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Anadarko Agency | TAKOWAH |
| 25 July 2007 | Fireworks | 2.0 acres | Anadarko Agency | TOKOYERP |
| 26 June 2018 | Arson/incendiarism | 2.2 acres | Anadarko Agency | INDIAN HIGHWAY |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
6 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Walters: 6 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Shale Pit | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sand Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 156 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Walters in 156 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 73 thunderstorm wind, 67 hail, 7 flash flood, 5 tornado. The reports record 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | 3 hurt, $42,000 | Two mobile homes were destroyed, with one of them occupied by a family of 3 at the time. The 3 family members were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Power poles and trees were also downed, and several vehicles were moved slightly with their windows being broken. |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $600,000 | Five large transmission poles were downed on the north side of Walters. The high school lost about one third of its overlayment on the west side of the gym. Nine homes were destroyed, 6 severely damaged, and 15 with minor to moderate damage. Thirty homes in total were damaged, 20 of them mobile homes. |
| August 1996 | Tornado (F1) | Walters | $100,000 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $60,000 | A historic downtown store front was heavily damaged when it caved in due to the strong winds that moved through the town. The store was originally built in 1920. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Walters | $40,000 | Water was reported inside several homes and business. Monetary damages were estimated. |
| July 1998 | Lightning | Walters | $40,000 | no account filed |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $20,000 | A large barn was destroyed. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $15,000 | Roof of a large aluminum building partially removed. Several power poles blown over in the vicinity as well. Time is radar estimated. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $15,000 | Ten power poles were downed on Highway 5 due to the severe wind. Monetary damages were estimated. |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $15,000 | A semi-truck was blown over near the Walters toll booth on Interstate 44. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $10,000 | Many power lines were downed. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $5,000 | Power poles snapped. Time is radar estimated. |
| February 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $5,000 | Wind gust was measured by Oklahoma mesonet. Numerous power poles were also downed across the area. |
| April 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $5,000 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $2,000 | Four power poles were downed. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $2,000 | no account filed |
| October 2000 | Tornado (F0) | Walters | $1,500 | Damage from this tornado was very minor and confined to an area from 1 mile west of Walters to 1 mile northwest of Walters. A few swing sets were overturned. A television antenna was bent, and an empty agricultural trailer was rolled about 50 feet over a chain-link fence. In addition, south and west facing doors were blown off a sheet metal storage building at the Rodeo Expo Center on Highway 53, which is on the northwest side of Walters. A small section of the roof was also peeled back. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $1,500 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $1,000 | A roof made of tin was blown off a barn. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $20 | A section of a six-foot wood fence was blown over at a private residence. |
| November 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | $10 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Hail | Walters | - | Hail sizes increased from quarter to half dollar at this location during the event time. The report was relayed through mPING. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| March 2025 | Hail | Walters | - | Location is approximate and the event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. A heat burst was likely responsible for this event. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Walters | - | The event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Walters | - | The report was relayed through mPING. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Personal weather station observation. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Personal weather station measurement. |
| November 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| November 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Walters | - | Social media image. Time is radar estimated and location is approximate. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Personal weather station (KOKWALTE4) observation. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. |
| March 2020 | Flash Flood | Walters | - | Several county roads are flooded, including Elevator Rd, Highway 5B. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | No damage reported. Unknown recording instrument. |
| May 2017 | Flash Flood | Walters | - | Street flooding was in the city of Walters. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | No damage reported. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Walters | - | No damage was reported. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Walters | - | The hail was reported near the intersection of Highways 53 and 65. |
| August 2008 | Flash Flood | Walters | - | Three to six inches of rain in a short amount of time resulted in numerous county roads being closed. |
| August 2007 | Heavy Rain | Walters | - | A total of 8.50 inches of rainfall was recorded over a 24-hour period ending on the 19th. |
| March 2007 | Flash Flood | Walters | - | Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches over Cotton County during the morning and afternoon of March 30 produced flash flooding in the area. At 1400 CST, a Cotton County official reported that East Cache Creek was out its banks near the NS2620 County Road 1.5 miles north-northwest of Walters. |
| March 2007 | Flash Flood | Walters | - | Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches over Cotton County during the morning and afternoon of March 30 produced flash flooding in the area. At 1430 CST, a Cotton County official reported that several streets on the northern edge of the city of Walters were closed due high water. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Wind gust was measured by the Oklahoma mesonet. |
| October 2006 | Flood | Walters | - | In southwestern Oklahoma, rainfall totals of 3 to 4 inches over Cotton County generated heavy runoff and East Cache Creek experienced a crest above flood stage on October 16. A crest occurred at 8:00 am CST on October 16 as East Cache Creek reached a gage height of 22.3 feet, 1.3 feet above flood stage, and remained above flood stage from 1:30 am CST until 3:45 pm CST on October 16. Minor agricultural flooding occurred during this event. |
| June 2005 | Hail | Walters | - | Hail was observed at mile marker 22 on Interstate 44, just north of the Walters exit. |
| October 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Walters | - | Several people observed and photographed this tornado moving northeast across open country. No damage was reported. This was the second tornado produced by a mini-supercell. The same mini-supercell had produced a tornado near Burkburnett, Texas earlier. |
| April 2003 | Tornado (F0) | Walters | - | Storm chasers observed this brief tornado develop five miles south of Chattanooga and move north two miles before dissipating in open country north of Highway 5. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Walters | - | Wind was measured by the Oklahoma mesonet. |
| May 2003 | Hail | Walters | - | Hail was observed at the Walters toll booth on Interstate 44. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fivemile Corner | 4.3 miles | 10 | |
| Temple | 7.2 miles | 10 | |
| Cookietown | 9.7 miles | 9 | |
| Hulen | 11.0 miles | 12 | |
| Taylor | 12.9 miles | 10 | |
| Randlett | 15.1 miles | 10 | |
| Hooper | 15.6 miles | 10 | |
| Devol | 18.8 miles | 9 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Walters | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2039617 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1099338. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.



