Rosston, Oklahoma

Rosston, Oklahoma
Town
Location in Harper County and the state of Oklahoma.
Coordinates: 36°48′46″N 99°55′58″W
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Harper
Area
• Total	0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2)
• Land	0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	2,133 ft (650 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	52
• Density	189.78/sq mi (73.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73855
Area code	580
FIPS code	40-64050
GNIS feature ID	2412579

Rosston is a town in Harper County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 52 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

The Old Settler's Irrigation Ditch near Rosston is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaver County, Oklahoma.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	181		—
1930	185		2.2%
1940	143		−22.7%
1950	85		−40.6%
1960	58		−31.8%
1970	56		−3.4%
1980	66		17.9%
1990	54		−18.2%
2000	66		22.2%
2010	31		−53.0%
2020	52		67.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 66 people, 23 households, and 14 families residing in the town. The population density was 205.3 inhabitants per square mile (79.3/km²). There were 29 housing units at an average density of 90.2 per square mile (34.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.48% White, 1.52% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.61% of the population.

There were 23 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.73.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 39.4% under the age of 18, 3.0% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 127.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,167, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $23,000 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $7,297. There were 11.1% of families and 11.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 7.4% of under eighteens and 33.3% of those over 64.

History

Although the history is somewhat obscure, the naming of the town stems from a fight between Bella Norvig and Sarah Rosston. The two had been best friends for years, until a man came between them. This man's name has been lost in the many years since the town's founding. The girls came with the boy on the Santa Fe trail, and both fell in love with him on their journey. When they made it to the spot that is now Rosston, they got out of their wagon and had a catfight. Sarah won, and as Bella walked off in shame Sarah declared the spot Rosston town, and she and the boy lived there happily ever after.