What it's like to live in Oakdale
Oakdale is a small city in Minnesota with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a growing population, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Oakdale deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 40" per year
How Oakdale compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Oakdale
Based on Oakdale's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,962
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,240 a year
- 53% of Oakdale renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$63,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,810
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,481/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,481 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $318,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $318,100 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 57% below US
142 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1418/100k · Oakdale Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 12°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (7 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Oakdale's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,481/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Oakdale
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