Ardmore was named after the affluent Philadelphia suburb and historic Pennsylvania Main Line stop Ardmore, Pennsylvania, which was named after Ardmore, Ireland by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1873. The name Ardmore is Gaelic signifying high grounds or hills.
On April 22, 1966 Ardmore was the site of the worst plane crash in Oklahoma history, which killed 83 people.
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,711 people, 9,646 households, and 6,308 families residing in the city. The population density was 482.7 people per square mile (186.4/km²). There were 10,926 housing units at an average density of 222.4/sq mi (85.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.02% White, 11.27% African American, 8.78% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 4.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.70% of the population.
There were 9,646 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,046, and the median income for a family was $37,758. Males had a median income of $28,685 versus $23,070 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,502. About 13.6% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
Interstate 35 is located within the city limits of Ardmore, as it traverses the United States from Duluth, Minnesota to Laredo, Texas.
Ardmore has four exits off I-35:
In addition to Interstate 35, Ardmore is also home to the junction of US-70 and US-77, SH-142, and SH-199. Ardmore is connected to Lake Murray via SH-77S.
Ardmore has two general aviation airports, Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport and Ardmore Industrial Airpark. The nearest scheduled air service occurs at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, both 90 miles (140 km) from Ardmore. Ardmore is linked by rail with the DFW Airport via the Heartland Flyer to Trinity Railway Express connection.
Ardmore has one principal rail line, that being one of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainlines running from Fort Worth, Texas to Oklahoma City (also connecting with Kansas City and Chicago), formerly part of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail network before the merger with Burlington Northern. The line dates back to 1887, and the first train arrived on July 28 in that year. The company has multiple parallel tracks (5+) running through central Ardmore (MP 450.5), added concomitantly with the rise of the trading status of the city and region throughout the early 1900s. There is also a lightly-used transverse rail spur from the BNSF line to the Michelin Tire Plant in west Ardmore, mainly intended for the transport of raw materials to the factory.
The historic Santa Fe depot in downtown Ardmore is also a stop on Amtrak's Heartland Flyer train route, with daily service to and from Oklahoma City and Fort Worth.
Ardmore also has a scheduled stop on the Greyhound/Jefferson Bus Lines system.
Southern Oklahoma Rural Transit System (SORTS) provides transit services for the public in Ardmore and the surrounding areas.
Historically speaking, Ardmore had a fairly extensive traction (streetcar/interurban) railway system, franchised in February 1905, that linked outlying areas, such as the Dornick Hills Country Club, to the central business district. The main part of the streetcar line originally ran down the center lane of Main Street. Service ended in 1922.