Holdenville offers a small-town vibe and a robust healthcare system
Winter wheat and soybean fields surround Holdenville, the seat of Hughes County. This community of nearly 6,000 has over a dozen churches representing a variety of Christian denominations, including Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist and United Methodist. Holdenville’s healthcare system is also a draw. Realtor Nancy Sherry of Jack Sherry Real Estate, a lifelong Holdenville local, says a lot of people move to the area for its hospitals and nursing homes. “It’s like this – you’re a farmer and you live in the country, you get old and you move into town,” she says. “It’s been this way for 100 years.”
A mix of housing styles selling for under $300,000
Cottages, Craftsmans, farmhouses and ranch-style homes are common in Holdenville. Gridded streets lined with sweetgums, elms and blackjack oaks and broad, grassy front lawns close to downtown give way to row crops and cattle grazing fields on the outskirts. Home prices typically range from under $100,000 to about $275,000. Large homes with dozens of acres of land can sell for more than $600,000. According to the National Association of Realtors, Holdenville’s median sale price, just over $70,000, is well below the Oklahoma state median of about $300,000. “If you drive even 20 miles away, property taxes, houses, everything is much higher,” Sherry says.
Summers here are hot, while winters are chilly with some snowfall. Hughes County is vulnerable to tornadoes.
Above average Holdenville Public Schools
The Holdenville Public Schools district serves under 1,000 students across three schools and earns a B from Niche. The schools are Ethel Reed Elementary (A-minus), Thomas Intermediate (B-plus) and Holdenville High (B-minus). Holdenville High offers dual enrollment classes at Seminole State College. The community college’s campus is in Seminole, more than 20 miles away.
Outdoor recreation at Stroup Park, Holdenville Lake
Stroup Park has an outdoor pool and a playground, along with tennis courts and a skateboard park. The Grace M. Pickens Public Library, nearby, hosts an annual summer reading program. Holdenville Lake, about 5 miles from downtown, is a popular spot for swimming, fishing and boating. Seasonal duck and deer hunting is permitted in the area.
Shopping and dining along Holdenville’s Main Street
Holdenville’s Main Street has small businesses like Home Hardware, Cobblestone Flowers & Gifts and Sister Act III, a home décor and gifts shop. Restaurants in and around downtown include Pat’s Café and June’s, both longstanding local favorites for American fare. More eateries, and retailers like Pruett’s Food and Walmart, are scattered along U.S. Route 270 Business. “This is a small town,” Sherry says. “Folks are not going to come here and be entertained. There are no giant parties or clubs or any of that, and if you need to go to a mall, you drive 50 miles.”
Getting around rural Hughes County
While there are several healthcare employers nearby, including Holdenville General Hospital, Heritage Village Nursing Center, Boyce Manor Nursing Home and Traditions Health Home Health, most people commute to work. “I’m not exaggerating when I say this: I have friends and family who drive more than 80 miles a day, one-way, to Oklahoma City to work at the Tinker Air Force Base, because they want to live where it’s small and don’t mind commuting,” Sherry says.
Downtown Oklahoma City is almost 90 miles away via Route 270 and Interstate 40. Will Rogers International Airport, on OKC’s southwest side, is more than 90 miles from Holdenville. Ki Bois Area Transit System, or KATS, provides transportation services in Hughes County.
