The Town FilesOakdale, Minnesota
City in Washington County · population 28,303 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $318,100
- Household income
- $93,772
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 39.7
Oakdale is a city of 28,303 people in Washington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $318,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 94% of Minnesota towns.
How Oakdale ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oakdale is worth $318,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $93,772, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,481 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oakdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,481 | $991 |
| Median household income | $93,772 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Oakdale
| People | Oakdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.9% | — |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Oakdale
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F. About 29.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakdale since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1981 about 3.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 78 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 220 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 24, 2006.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 95,625 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,700 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Oakdale itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Oakdale
5 public schools with 4,118 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TARTAN SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,743 | 18.3 |
| SKYVIEW COMMUNITY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 990 | 15.0 |
| EAGLE POINT ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 758 | 14.9 |
| CASTLE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 620 | 17.2 |
| Therapeutic Education Collective (T | 6-12 | 7 | 7.0 |
Towns near Oakdale
- North St. Paul, MN2.6 mi · 12,364 people · home $298,500
- Lake Elmo, MN2.6 mi · 11,335 people · home $597,000
- Maplewood, MN4.0 mi · 42,088 people · home $323,200
- Mahtomedi, MN4.9 mi · 8,138 people · home $476,000
- White Bear Lake, MN5.9 mi · 24,883 people · home $331,800
- Woodbury, MN5.9 mi · 75,102 people · home $450,200
- Little Canada, MN6.4 mi · 10,819 people · home $319,800
- Vadnais Heights, MN7.0 mi · 12,912 people · home $363,100
Oakdale questions
Is Oakdale, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakdale scores better for retirees than 6% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 4%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Oakdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Oakdale is valued at $318,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,772, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,481 a month.
What is the weather like in Oakdale?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.2 inches of precipitation a year and 46.2 inches of snow.
Does Oakdale get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1981. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)