The first Osage Nation census results are in with a report on 3,604 Osage Nation citizens who responded out of the tribe’s total 25,902 constituents. By comparison, 2,030 Osages voted in the last tribal election. The results provide critical data on 15 percent of the tribe’s population, from in-depth info on demographics, housing and income to Osage citizens’ interests.
In addition to the Osage Nation citizens who completed the survey, the results also include partial info on 318 respondents, raising the total number of those surveyed to 3,922. The sovereign census will be cross-compared with data from the 2020 United States census, and the Osage Nation has created a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize that agreement which is now awaiting signing by both parties.
KJRH Channel 2 interviewed Susan Bayro, ON Secretary of Administration, who worked to design and administer the census for the tribe. “I’ve never had to do anything like [a television interview] before,” said Bayro, who is also Pawhuska’s first Osage mayor. “So I was pretty nervous, but excited … just creating this has been a tremendous effort.”
Other tribes have since contacted the Osage Nation to find out how the tribe did the census and how they can follow suit.
Congresswoman Whitney Redcorn lamented that more did not respond, especially younger people, “who are not great at filling out these things. Everything we do … is online, and it gets overwhelming,” she said.
But Osage Nation Congresswoman Alice Goodfox felt that the number of census responses was “mind-blowing.” In comments on how many more Osages completed the survey than voted, she noted that the survey had “1,57[4] more people than voted in our last election. … And that is 1,129 more people … than [voted] in the chief’s [election] year. We’re never going to have 100 percent participation, but more people filled this out than voted in the last two elections.”
“We actually have data,” marveled Congresswoman Brandy Lemon, who called the sovereign census “a giant leap forward.”
Census results
On July 30, Bayro presented the census results to Congress, going in-depth and mostly page by page. She opened by noting that most respondents were women, with 61 percent identifying as female. A total of 14 citizens or 1 percent identified as neither male or female, but “other.” There were 38.7 percent who identified as male.
Most respondents lived inside of the country, in Oklahoma, Bayro noted. Less than one percent of Osage citizens live in a foreign country, with the highest number of foreign nationals—six—located in Canada. The lowest numbers of foreign-residing Osage citizens were located in Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Sweden.
Within the United States, there were 1,925 Osage Nation citizens living in Oklahoma as of 2023, with the next-most populated states being Texas and California—both of which held Osages in the 300-plus range.
Following the two most sizable states were Kansas, Missouri and Colorado, each of which held at least one hundred Osage residents. Congresspersons noted that in visiting Association meetings of Osages who gather outside of Oklahoma, they were struck with how few people attend.
Higher incomes were more numerous overall than low incomes, which also surprised Congress. But at the same time, almost 20 percent (717) received social security benefits or disability income of some kind.
The most common income range for Osage constituents was between $10,000 and $49,999, with 37.1 percent or 1,348 falling in this category. The next most common income level was the $50,000 to $99,999 range, with 29.4 percent or 1,071 responses.
Who are they?
Most respondents said they are either the head of their household or a spouse—but 290 children also responded. Congresswoman Redcorn was curious to know more about the heads of households, and hoped to see info on debt alongside income at some point in the future.
Over half the citizens surveyed reported they were married, while over a quarter are single and 11 percent are divorced. There were 8 percent, or 292, who had served in the military.
Just over half of the Osage citizens surveyed – 2,106 – said they currently live in a home occupied by two adults. On the other hand, about a quarter (or 784 citizens) live in a single adult home, followed by 15 percent who live in a home populated by three adults.
In the multi-adult Osage homes, the non-Osages were mostly not members of other tribes, although there were 576 adults who did have a citizen of another tribe living with them. Of those non-Osage tribal members of various tribes, 311 were Cherokees, 32 were Choctaw, 24 were Quapaw, 21 were Creek and 18 were Kaw, and 244 were from “other” tribes. The tribes noted in “other,” Bayro explained, were only one per tribe.
Age & education
The great majority of respondents (3,068) were over fifty years of age, and the second-highest category were 18- to 28-year-olds. Redcorn noted that among millennials, “We’re so much about the ‘why [are we doing this survey?].’ And unfortunately, we have to get the what and the why multiple times.”
The most common education level among Osage constituents is high school, with 2,456 holding diplomas followed by a close second of 2,097 who hold bachelor’s degrees. Those with graduate or professional degrees were the third most common education level, numbering 1,011.
Most Osages surveyed work full-time compared to 1,203 who were retired as of 2023, and 475 who said they worked part-time only.
Osages who work for themselves numbered 563, while 853 said they were unemployed. Additionally, 287 identified as disabled.
Children
The census found 1,410 Osages with children who are under 18 and living at home; and 43 percent of that group only had one child, while slightly fewer had two children. There were only 16 percent that had three children at home. As for Osage citizens who have four, five or six children in their home? They are fewer than a hundred, according to the census findings.
Osage children at home were most often between 15 and 17 years of age. After that, the most common age ranges were 12 to 14 and then 9 to 11. Less than half a percent of those children identified as “other,” while 1,279 were said to be female and 1,307 noted as male. Of all of the children in Osage homes, 2,128 were enrolled members of the Osage Nation and 455 were not. A minority of the non-Osage-enrolled children do belong to another tribe. The highest number of 151 non-Osage children enrolled in other tribes were enrolled Cherokee, as of the 2023 results.
About 400 children receive disability accommodations, the census found – either via an Individual Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan. More than 500 responders indicated that their child’s school does not offer the specific services for their child’s needs, however.
In at least 237 instances, Osage citizens needed childcare and did not have it.
Education goals
In a section on furthering education, the Osage census found that 14.2 percent of respondents were currently pursuing a degree in higher education. The majority of those were working toward a bachelor’s degree and an additional 833 citizens planned to pursue further education.
Many were uncertain, however, when it came to pursuing further education – a total of 31.1 percent or 1,001 said they weren’t sure about going further academically. The barriers for these prospective students were cited as “cost” and “lack of time” due to work.
When it comes to higher education bills, most said they pay through a combination of personal or family savings (1,861), federal student aid (1,788) and tribal scholarships (1,748). There were at least 45 who said they use a trust fund. A total of 1,646 said they plan to utilize tribal scholarships for education in their future.
At the office
Osage members work, most commonly, in health care, with a total of 570 or 11.7 percent reporting this profession. The second most common profession reported was education, numbering 500 workers or 10.3 percent. Other concentrations are tribal, local or federal government workers (9.9 percent) followed by sales, marketing or customer service reps (9 percent).
Many said they’ve held their current position for more than six years, a total of 1,129 or 35.3 percent. In terms of training interests, 700 (10 percent) said they would be interested in government training for tribal, local or federal jobs, and 8.3 percent or 584 were interested in management or supervisory skill training.
Among Osage citizens who own or aspire to own a business, 823 were interested in starting or expanding their business. Their greatest obstacle to doing so, they said, was lack of sufficient funds, followed by a lack of understanding.
Multiple Congress members remarked on the high number of Osages who either owned or wanted to own a business.
Transportation
Osages traveling via car or personal vehicle as of 2023 clocked in at 3,504, with 655 opting to walk and 228 commuting via bicycle. A low number of 185 managed to carpool while 167 made good use of public transportation.
Some Osage citizens noted difficulties in getting where they need to go. One hundred cited physical or other disabilities preventing them from easy navigation, and 165 said a lack of public transit has limited their movements.
Another 684 Osage citizens don’t have access to a personal vehicle, but want one.
Congress did not address or make any remarks on the state of transportation among constituents.
Health and wellbeing
For the most part, Osage citizens have access to quality fitness services but they don’t tend to utilize them, mostly due to lack of time, high costs and a lack of motivation as well as energy.
Only about a third of Osage constituents surveyed said they currently use a fitness center.
Over 90 percent of those surveyed have access to quality health services. Of the remaining 5.6 percent, or 207, who do not, high costs or a lack of insurance are the most common issues separating them from care. A small grouping said that wait times are too long or it is too hard for them to get an appointment (49 responses).
By far, the greatest health concern for Osage constituents was weight management, then dental issues, and behavioral health, mental health, or addiction. Pain management was the fourth most common problem, which was followed by diabetes management. Issues stemming from service in the armed forces affected between .07 and 3.2 percent of respondents.
Those who had health insurance most often received it through their employer or else Indian Health Service, and they received care at either a non-tribally operated clinic or an urgent care walk-in health clinic. Just over 700 go to IHS and only 539 receive care at the Wahzhazhe Health Center. There were some 489 who said they go to the ER.
Congresspersons Billy Keene and Brandy Lemon expressed interest in offering better dental support for constituents. Additionally, Lemon said she hoped to learn more about potential plans for a weight loss clinic from the Wahzhazhe Health Center.
Caregiving
Those caring for an Osage elder made up only 7 percent of those surveyed, but 13.6 percent said they care for an Osage 54 years old or younger.
Of the caregivers for elders, 94 responders indicated the cost of elder care has prevented them from meeting caregiving needs, while 69 attested to a lack of aging-in-place services. Forty-three said there was a lack of transportation to elder services while 24 percent said there were no vacancies at elder care facilities.
More caregivers said there was no need for long-term care from the Nation than those who indicated they would like to have the option. The breakdown revealed that 33 percent were interested (1,218 responses); 38 percent (or 1,404) were uninterested; and 29 percent (or 1,072) were unsure as of 2023.
Housing
Twice as many Osage constituents own a home as there are renters, which number under 1,000. Separately, 500 said they live with family or friends, while just five respondents indicated they were living in a motel. Three lived outdoors as of 2023 and two were living in a vehicle.
The housing category “Other” also received 69 responses.
Congresswoman Pam Shaw was shocked by the high home ownership percentages. “Now, I’m curious to see how our results for our census … align with the results of the U.S. Census,” she said. Bayro replied that, regrettably, the U.S. Census had not yet published or shared tribal data from their 2020 census, so there was no data yet available for cross-comparison.
The census also noted that, while most Osage constituents have serviceable exteriors, one hundred still said that their siding, roof or foundation was broken, non-existent, or that it does not even work at all. Eighty-five had the same problem with their interiors.
Regarding monthly housing payments, mortgages that cost less than $300 per month prevailed 29.3 percent of the time, while a smaller group paid $1,500 or more. Renters most commonly paid $500 to $799 per month. Otherwise, rent costs were fairly evenly split between the ranges of $1,000 to $1,499, or $1,500-plus.
Most Osage citizens surveyed said they do have active cell phone service (3,500 responses) and also high-speed internet (3,198 responses), but 48 respondents had neither.
Adequate home sizes were a concern for 13.8 percent or 509 respondents.
Language and culture
Of the nearly 4,000 Osage members surveyed, only 1.1 percent (39 citizens) indicated they have good speaking proficiency of the Osage language. Ten identified as fluent and 8 percent said they have basic proficiency. Most indicated they either have no proficiency (74.5 percent or 2,698) or very little (18.8 percent or 681).
More Osage citizens were interested in learning about Osage history and culture than in taking language classes, although the reverse was true when it came to mild interest, with 40.4 percent or 1,464 being “somewhat interested” in language, compared to only 28.1 percent or 1,019 who were mildly interested in Osage history and culture.
Those who knew their clan clocked in at 35.1 percent, or 1,272 citizens, while 26.8 percent or 969 had their Osage name.
The most common Osage village among the survey was Pawhuska District, with 46.8 or 1,695 responses, drawing skeptical remarks from Congressman Keene. Hominy village had 10.8 percent or 391 responses and Grayhorse had 13.2 percent or 479; meanwhile, more than a quarter didn’t know what village their family identified with as of 2023.
Keene said he was surprised and interested to learn the majority of respondents identified with Pawhuska District. “You’d just assume they would say they don’t identify with anyone, because all the other culture markers – there’s a huge sect that just doesn’t do anything. But then, when it says, ‘where do you identify?’ they said, ‘Pawhuska.’ That was really eye-opening to me. Logically, it would follow [that] you wouldn’t know. You’re not participating in anything.”
Over half the citizens surveyed don’t attend community or cultural activities (52.7 percent or 1,909), compared to 7.3 percent or 265 who said they attend all or most community and cultural events. The reason many do not attend, the census found, is that they don’t live in the area, a response category which was chosen 2,122 times.
Bayro said this made sense, because most Osages live outside of the reservation.
The census found that obligations prevented cultural and community participation, too, including work and school commitments, as well as general unawareness of event times.
Additionally, 263 respondents or 7.6 percent cited the reason they do not attend cultural or community events as “other.”
Only one percent of Osage constituents indicated they were uninterested in cultural or community events. Congress members made comments the number was likely higher, because of the amount of people who neither voted nor responded to the census.
Civic awareness
Respondents commonly said they “don’t know” about the performance of Congress, Executive, Judicial and Minerals Council. In fact, they said so more frequently than responses rating these leadership bodies as “good,” (or any other category, from “poor” to “excellent”).
During the presentation of census results to Congress, Bayro gave the room a moment to read over the responses. As they read, some members of Congress were in disbelief of the survey data stating that the majority of the tribe, overall, did not know how its programs were doing.
The same, “I don’t know,” was also a common response in regard to various Osage Nation programs, from Education to Elder Nutrition, Language and Culture, and more. Those surveyed repeatedly said they “don’t know” about most services the Nation has to offer.
Of those who did feel they had the information to rate Osage Nation programs; most marked them as “good” or “excellent” rather than “fair” or “poor.”
Congresswoman Goodfox questioned the prevalent response of “I don’t know,” whether if it was because they didn’t need the services or because they didn’t know about the services. “If they don’t know, I want them to know, because everything in this branch is about appropriating money … either way, it helps us to address funding for program services.”
A ‘reclaimed narrative’
The survey conducted by the Nation ended with the assertion the census is a “reclamation” of Osage narratives.
The census is a tool empowering the Nation to “shape our own future,” the census reads, in its ending pages: “In embracing the results of this census, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving our cultural heritage, promoting equity, and fostering unity among our people.”
“This is a phase one report,” said Bayro. “With phase two going more in-depth with the data by state, county and zip code. We can target areas that do need assistance,” she said. “How can we use the data to help those demographic areas to get to a point where they don’t need assistance?”
Congresswoman Jodi Revard agreed, emphasizing the importance of “self-sufficiency” for both individuals and business owners. “Where do you see these results, and how they’re going to tie into our budget requests this year?” Revard asked Bayro.
Bayro responded by saying the data will be used to enhance the programs of the Osage Nation.
“And this was a pilot,” Bayro said during her presentation to Congress. “This is the first one. … once [citizens] see a result, they’re more likely to respond. … I’m pretty sure the next time we do this, there will be an influx of [more] people.”
Redcorn said she hopes her colleagues will keep the census results on them at all times, just like they do the Osage Constitution.
To read the census results in full, visit https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/media/1153/download?attachment. Those with any questions about the census can write to sgsp@osagenation-nsn.gov.
