of the population. The median income for a household in the region was $34,404, and the median income for a family was $40,006. Males had a median income of $27,444 versus $19,559 for females. The per capita income for the region was $16,447. Cities and towns Major communities Beaver (county seat of Beaver County) Boise City (county seat of Cimarron County) Goodwell (home to Oklahoma Panhandle State University) Guymon (county seat of Texas County and largest city in the Oklahoma Panhandle) Hooker Texhoma Other communities Adams Balko Felt Forgan Gate Hardesty Kenton Keyes Knowles Optima Turpin Tyrone Floris Economy The Panhandle is rather thinly populated (when compared to the rest of Oklahoma) making the labor force in this region very small. Farming and ranching operations occupy most of the economic activity in the region, with ranching dominating the drier western end. The region's higher educational needs are served by Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, 10 miles southwest of Guymon. Politics The Oklahoma Panhandle is one of the most universally Republican areas of what has become one of the most Republican states in the nation. Beaver and Texas counties last supported a Democrat for president in 1948, while Cimarron County last supported a Democrat in 1976. In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the three counties gave a weighted average of 85.1% of their votes to Donald Trump and 13.2% to Joe Biden, with Trump carrying the state over Biden 65.4% to 32.3%. In the 2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election, the Oklahoma Panhandle counties were the only three where the majority voted against the successfully reelected Democratic incumbent, Governor Brad Henry. In 2012, Democratic voters in the Panhandle voted for Randall Terry, an anti-abortion activist, over incumbent Democrat Barack Obama in the Democratic Presidential primary. Points of interest Black Mesa State Park features a hiking trail to the top of Oklahoma's highest point. Beaver Dunes State Park features massive sand dunes along the Beaver River – located just north of the town of Beaver. Optima Lake is home to the Optima National Wildlife Refuge. Notes References Beck, T.E. "Cimarron Territory," Chronicles of Oklahoma 7:2 (June 1929) 168–169 (retrieved August 16, 2006). Counties of the Oklahoma Panhandle United States Census Bureau Wardell, Morris L. "The History of No-Man's Land, or Old Beaver County", Chronicles of Oklahoma 1:1 (January 1921) 60–89 (retrieved August 16, 2006). Further reading Christman, Harry E. (editor-original manuscript by Jim