Like most states in our nation, some of the safest places can be found in the small rural towns. Safewise.com recently rated the safest cities in Oklahoma, and there was no shocker that many places on that list can be found in Southwest Oklahoma.

Let's see where those towns fell on the list of safest cities in Oklahoma

 

 

  • 44

    Frederick

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    Located some 45 miles Southwest of Lawton, Frederick came in at number 44 on the Top 50 Safest list. Known for their agriculture and ranching heritage, Frederick is the home of the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team Foundation.

    Boasting a low average, 4.5 per 1,000 people in violent crime. Property crime does sit a little high on the list at 20.51 per that same 1,000.

  • 30

    Lone Grove

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    Historically vetted as a village in the Chickasaw Nation back in the Indian Territory days, Lone Grove didn't become a town until a post office was established in 1885. A full 22 years before Oklahoma reached statehood.

    Lone Grove is a small town West of Ardmore, known for their impressive softball program, past oil discoveries, and a vicious tornado that ripped through the town in 2009.

    The violent crime ratio is relatively low at 2.91 per 1,000 residents. But as small town life dwindles in this ever-moderning world, property crime remains high at 19.25 per thousand.

     

  • 18

    Cordell

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    Technically, Cordell is actually New Cordell... but nobody calls it that anymore. Way back in 1900, the city of Cordell (est 1892) was moved a few mile sections over to establish New Cordell. That same year, it became the county seat in a very controversial decision that was put to a county vote.

    Cordell is known for it's historic county courthouse. Not the one that burnt to the ground in 1909, but the rebuilt courthouse designed by Solomon Andrew Layton in 1911.

    You might ask "What makes it historical?" I did too. Layton is the same architect that designed the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1914. and New Cordell's 1911 courthouse has been described as the "...godfather of all courthouses in the state of Oklahoma" by then Governor George Nigh. It's a building that still remains on the National Register of Historic Places.

    New Cordell's crime rate remain low with a violent crime ratio of 1.03 per 1,000, and a property crime rate of 16.1 per thousand.

  • 15

    Sayre

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    At the turn of the 20th century, towns tended to spring up around the transportation of the times... the railroad. This is the case for Sayre, though this town had no name until 1901 when the landowners, Choctaw Townsite & Improvement Company, started selling plots to new 'Sooners' looking to settle. As the town was created around the railroad, they named it after Rock Island Railroads local chief engineer Robert Sayre.

    Sayre then became the county seat when Oklahoma made statehood and deemed the land around it Beckham County. Route 66 came about in the 30's, and Sayre remained a popular stop as it's the halfway point between OKC and Amarillo.

    Sayre's violent crime rates are higher than Cordells, rated at 2.26 per 1,000, but their property crimes are lower at 13.56.

  • 8

    Mangum

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    Mangum might have one of the wildest stories of all the towns on this list. You see, it was established way back in 1882 and named for Captain A.S. Mangum, who fought in the Mexican War, notably in the Battle of San Jacinto.

    Mangum sprung up in Greer County. A sprawling 1.57 million acres of prime Texas plains land. Yeah, Mangum was originally another notch on the Texas belt. That was until 1896 when Texas gave the entire Greer County to Oklahoma. It was then divided up between Beckham, Jackson, Harmon, and Greer counties in the Southwest corner of our state.

    Mangum has since become an artist hub somewhat like what Medicine Park used to be. It keeps the residents there, as they're currently growing as a town, and tourists coming in.

    Mangum boasts an incredibly low violent crime ratio of 0.34 per 1,000 residents, and an unexpectedly high rate of property crime at 11.81 per.

  • 3

    Walters

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    Half an hour South of Lawton, you'll see the exits to one of the safest towns in our state. Walters, Oklahoma

    Originally, the town was known as McKnight in Indian Territory. But when the papers were filed to establish a post office, the towns name had already been claimed in Harmon County out West. Not to be discouraged, the post office was filed papers in 1901 in honor of W. R. Walters, and the town popped up around it.

    It continued to grow in population and size over the next few years until 1904, when it finally reached a size big enough to apply for township in then Comanche County. It wasn't until 1912 that a successful election was held to split the land and form Oklahoma's last remaining county of Cotton. A second election was held to determine the county seat between Walters and Temple. A vote Walters won.

    Walters supports a violent crime rate of zero per capita, and low 5.08 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

  • 2

    Hinton

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    Ranked as the #2 safest city in Oklahoma is the small town of Hinton. Located 75 miles North of Lawton in Caddo County.

    Known for Red Rock Canyon State Park, a national renowned championship caliber golf course, a fantastic landmark veterans memorial, and some rich Oklahoma history, Hinton may be one of our states best kept secrets.

    Hinton boasts a zero per capita violent crime ratio these days, along with the lowest recordable property crime rate in the state of just 3.42

     

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