Davis is an active, outdoorsy city in the Arbuckle Mountains
The little city of Davis offers an active, outdoorsy vibe in mountainous southern Murray County, over 70 miles from Oklahoma City. “It’s for people who like nature, fishing, hiking, that kind of thing,” says Realtor Joshua Franklin of Spirit Realty Group, a lifelong Oklahoman with over five years of experience in the local real estate market. “Probably the main draw to the area is Turner Falls Park. It’s very, very popular in the summertime. People come in from out of state just to visit.” Davis is also close to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, another popular spot for hiking, fishing and other outdoor recreation.
Turner Falls Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area and more
Turner Falls Park, in the Arbuckle Mountains south of the Washita River, has swimming holes, a zip line, miles of wooded hiking trails and Turner Falls, the largest waterfall in Oklahoma. The park is also home to Collings Castle, a 1930s-era stone castle with maze-like rooms open for self-guided tours. Admission pricing information is available on the park’s website. The city owns two parks: Turner Falls Park and Fullerton Park, the latter of which has a playground and a splash pad, along with picnic areas and walking trails.
Swimming, fishing and boating are permitted on Lake of the Arbuckles, in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. The sprawling park also has campgrounds, shady hiking trails and attractions like the Chickasaw Cultural Center, which features interactive exhibits and a historically accurate recreation of a 1700s-era Chickasaw village. Cross Bar Ranch Off-Road Park, southwest of Davis, is the largest off-roading park in the state. “It has over 6,000 acres of trails. People camp there, and they have RV hookups. It’s very cool,” Franklin says.
A variety of home styles selling for under $400,000
Cottages, Craftsmans and ranch-style homes are common on the wide, gridded streets close to downtown. New Traditionals and farmhouses are prevalent on the outskirts. Prices range from under $100,000 to nearly $400,000. Large homes with about an acre of land can sell for between $525,000 and $625,000, while tracts of more than 100 acres can go for about $1 million.
Murray County is vulnerable to tornadoes. In April 2024, an EF3 tornado struck Sulphur, less than 10 miles east of Davis, causing widespread devastation. “I won’t pretend to be a fortune-teller, but the tornado weather tends to travel diagonally across the state, southwest to northeast, so we very rarely get tornadoes in Davis,” Franklin says. While the Washita River is prone to flooding, Davis’s elevation usually keeps high water at bay.
Highly rated Davis Public Schools
Davis Public Schools earns an A-minus from Niche. The small district, which serves nearly 900 students across three schools, allows controlled interdistrict open enrollment. Davis Elementary and Davis Middle earn A-minus grades. Davis High gets a B. The high school offers dual enrollment classes at Murray State College, a public community college with campuses in Ardmore and Tishomingo. “It’s not uncommon for people to move to Davis because they want their kids to do sports there,” Franklin says. The high school’s boys’ basketball team won its ninth state championship in 2025.
Shopping and dining on Main Street
The low-slung buildings along Main Street have shopping options, such as Sharpe’s, a department store, All About Flowers, a florist, and T.H. Rogers Lumber Company, a hardware store. Grocery stores, like Sooner Foods and Washita Valley Produce, are nearby. “There are also a couple of Mexican restaurants, a couple of burger places and a few little fast-food places,” Franklin says of the dining scene in downtown Davis. His favorite restaurant is Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch, a few miles south of Main Street. “It’s actually some of the best barbecue in the state. But you have to get there early. They have a little whiteboard where they write what they’re out of, and chances are good that if you get there at six, they’ll already be out of brisket.”
Healthcare facilities close by and access to OKC via Interstate 35
The Davis Health medical clinic and Washita Medical Center are within about 3 miles of most homes. Sulphur is under 10 miles away, a quick drive east on State Road 7. “A lot of people live in Davis and work in Sulphur and vice versa. They’re so close together,” Franklin says. Top employers in the neighboring city include Arbuckle Memorial Hospital and The Artesian Hotel, Casino & Spa. Interstate 35 runs south toward Dallas and north to Oklahoma City. OKC’s Will Rogers International Airport is more than 75 miles from Davis. JAMM Transit provides public transportation services in Johnston, Atoka, Marshall and Murray counties.
