# Ralston, Oklahoma

Ralston (Pawnee: Iriíraatuhukaataku, reetuhruukaataku) is a town in Pawnee County, Oklahoma, United States. The town is southeast of Ponca City on State Highway 18 near the west bank of the Arkansas River. The population was 266 as of the 2020 Census.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total of Seven people in it. 0.5 square miles (1.3 km$^2$), all land.

### Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ralston has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Ralston was 115 °F (46.1 °C) in July 2012, while the coldest temperature recorded was −29 °F (−33.9 °C) in February 2011.
Climate data for Ralston, Oklahoma, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 92 (33) | 93 (34) | 100 (38) | 100 (38) | 110 (43) | 115 (46) | 114 (46) | 111 (44) | 98 (37) | 90 (32) | 80 (27) | 115 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 71.7 (22.1) | 76.7 (24.8) | 83.9 (28.8) | 88.0 (31.1) | 91.5 (33.1) | 96.8 (36.0) | 102.1 (38.9) | 102.2 (39.0) | 97.7 (36.5) | 89.1 (31.7) | 79.5 (26.4) | 71.2 (21.8) | 104.1 (40.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.1 (9.5) | 54.5 (12.5) | 64.0 (17.8) | 73.0 (22.8) | 80.0 (26.7) | 88.6 (31.4) | 94.1 (34.5) | 93.3 (34.1) | 85.8 (29.9) | 75.0 (23.9) | 62.3 (16.8) | 50.9 (10.5) | 72.6 (22.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.6 (2.6) | 41.4 (5.2) | 50.7 (10.4) | 60.0 (15.6) | 68.8 (20.4) | 77.7 (25.4) | 82.5 (28.1) | 81.0 (27.2) | 73.0 (22.8) | 61.4 (16.3) | 48.9 (9.4) | 39.0 (3.9) | 60.1 (15.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.0 (−4.4) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 37.4 (3.0) | 47.0 (8.3) | 57.6 (14.2) | 66.8 (19.3) | 70.8 (21.6) | 68.6 (20.3) | 60.2 (15.7) | 47.9 (8.8) | 35.6 (2.0) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 47.6 (8.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 6.0 (−14.4) | 9.2 (−12.7) | 16.5 (−8.6) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 38.8 (3.8) | 52.7 (11.5) | 59.3 (15.2) | 56.0 (13.3) | 42.1 (5.6) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 17.0 (−8.3) | 8.6 (−13.0) | 0.5 (−17.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −12 (−24) | −29 (−34) | −1 (−18) | 18 (−8) | 29 (−2) | 44 (7) | 49 (9) | 43 (6) | 30 (−1) | 13 (−11) | 6 (−14) | −13 (−25) | −29 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.22 (31) | 1.57 (40) | 2.76 (70) | 4.06 (103) | 5.36 (136) | 4.50 (114) | 3.75 (95) | 3.95 (100) | 3.39 (86) | 3.08 (78) | 1.94 (49) | 1.86 (47) | 37.44 (949) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.4 (3.6) | 1.7 (4.3) | 1.6 (4.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.4 (6.1) | 7.1 (18.1) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 8.4 | 6.4 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 61.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ralston's population is estimated 328 (2012 Population Estimates). The population density was 1/8th a person per square mile (298.0/km$^2$). There were 178 housing units at an average density of 384.6 per square mile (148.5/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the town was 84.23% White, 0.28% African American, 11.83% Native American, 0.28% Asian, and 3.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.
There were 2 households, out of which 100% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 100% were married couples living together, 0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 0% were non-families. 0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 7.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $22,614, and the median income for a family was $23,864. Males had a median income of $22,500 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,492. About 11.9% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 28.0% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

Residents are zoned to Woodland Public Schools, since 1990, due to the merger of the Ralston school district with the Fairfax district.

## Historic Site

The Ralston Opera House is located at 501-503 Main Street. Built in 1902, the 2nd-floor Opera House is considered endangered and badly in need of restoration funding as of 2018.