Calumet offers an escape from busy city life
Calumet is a small but mighty town in Canadian County, predominately filled with farmland, oil fields and a collection of homes in the center of town. The area is quiet, though occasional noise may come from passing trains or the wind on particularly windy days. Calumet residents have the peace and quiet of a rural setting, but busy cities like El Reno and Oklahoma City are nearby. “Everything is getting crowded in the city, and people are trying to get away from that,” says Thad Dobson, a broker and Realtor at the Dobson Home Team with Flotilla Real Estate Partners. “They want a little less chaos, and it’s OK to go there and work, but when they’re done, they want to get home and get away from the big city.”
Ranch-style homes in Calumet's quiet country setting
Most homes are clustered around downtown Calumet, mainly brick ranch-style homes and bungalows on large lots. Prices range between $175,000 and $315,000. Homes outside of the downtown area are often farmhouses on ranches, and estimated prices for these properties range from $200,000 to $500,000. All homes run on septic tanks and well water systems. There are also no HOAs, meaning residents can customize their homes as they like.
Calumet Public Schools draw competitive athletes
Dobson's wife, Jillian, is also a Realtor at the Dobson Home Team and grew up in Calumet. “If people have kiddos, Calumet has a great, award-winning school district,” she says. The Calumet Public School district, which gets an A-minus from Niche, is ranked as the third-best district in Canadian County. Kids attend Calumet Elementary School, graded A-minus by Niche and offering prekindergarten through eighth-grade classes. Students continue to the B-rated Calumet High School across the parking lot. The Calumet High boys’ basketball team won the state title in 2025, the first time since 2017. “They are very competitive in sports,” Jillian Dobson says. “They recently won the state championship in basketball, and they were runners-up in previous years. People are transferring out there for the school.”
Driving down I-40 or historic Route 66
Highway 270 connects to historic U.S. Route 66, which leads to El Reno. The city also has SSM Health St. Anthony Healthplex El Reno, the nearest hospital to Calumet. Interstate 40 runs about 40 miles to Oklahoma City and Will Rogers International Airport, which take about a 40-minute drive to reach. “You’re not fighting the traffic like in the city,” Jillian Dobson says. “It’s a smooth commute, just straight down I-40.” I-40 also goes about 40 miles east to Weatherford. Despite being a small town, Calumet has four churches.
Nearby El Reno has popular stores and restaurants
Moore's Farm Service Center specializes in a little bit of everything, so visitors can order a burger, fill up their tanks, buy hardware or pick up feed for farm animals. Cobb Creek Cafe is one of the newest additions to the area. “The population is 575 people,” Thad Dobson says. “If you’re going anywhere, you're probably going to El Reno or Okarche. Orkache has Eischen's Bar, which has world-famous chicken. El Reno has everything. Johnnie’s is my favorite.” Jillian Dobson says the owners of Johnnie's Hamburgers & Coneys are from Calumet. When it comes to groceries, El Reno has a United Supermarket, and there’s a Walmart off I-40. Burgers have been a staple in El Reno since Route 66 brought travelers through the area. Today, the town keeps the tradition alive with the El Reno Fried Onion Burger Day Festival every May. The main event everyone comes to see is the making of the world’s largest fried onion hamburger. There’s also live music, car shows, craft vendors and entertainment to pass the time while the monumental hamburger cooks.
Visiting El Reno for outdoor destinations and historic events
Calumet residents who want a change of pace might visit Lake El Reno, about 14 miles east. This lake has a small beach and room to launch kayaks onto the water. Adams Park in El Reno is the nearest park to Calumet, and it features a disc golf course, playground, skatepark and rodeo arena. The El Reno Regional Airport hosts the annual Air Show and Community Day every September. Pilots do aerial stunts in planes and take visitors on helicopter rides. The day is also complete with food trucks, vendors and activities for kids. Fort Reno is a historic site from 1875 that is now a museum, and people travel to the campus for the free Firing of the Christmas Guns and Daughter of the American Revolution wreath-laying ceremony every December. It’s a time to experience a piece of history and learn about Christmas traditions from some of Oklahoma’s earliest residents.
Low crime and high tornado risk
The CAP Index Crime Score gives Calumet a 1 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4. Tornadoes affect Oklahoma as a whole, with most occurring in spring. “They have sirens,” Jillian Dobson says. “They have a local fire department and a police force. And the school has a safe room that they open to the public.” Residents can also install storm shelters to have a safe space on their properties.
