The Town FilesOakland, Iowa
City in Pottawattamie County · population 1,524 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,200
- Household income
- $81,354
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 39.4
Oakland is a city of 1,524 people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The median home is worth $160,200, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Iowa towns, better for young professionals than 90% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 84% of Iowa towns.
How Oakland ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oakland is worth $160,200, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $81,354, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $878 a month. 63.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oakland | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $878 | $820 |
| Median household income | $81,354 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oakland
| People | Oakland | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 88.5% |
Weather in Oakland
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 18, 1968 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 17, 2022.
Severe weather in Pottawattamie County since 1996
Pottawattamie County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pottawattamie County
Pottawattamie County had 41,403 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Oakland
2 public schools with 534 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Middle/Senior High School | 6-12 | 347 | 15.8 |
| Oakland Elementary | PK-2 | 187 | 11.0 |
Towns near Oakland
- Carson, IA5.3 mi · 766 people · home $181,400
- Treynor, IA12.0 mi · 1,032 people · home $263,500
- Avoca, IA12.3 mi · 1,683 people · home $173,800
- Minden, IA13.3 mi · 600 people · home $170,500
- Shelby, IA13.7 mi · 727 people · home $162,500
- Griswold, IA14.5 mi · 994 people · home $98,900
- Neola, IA15.0 mi · 918 people · home $205,100
- Underwood, IA15.4 mi · 954 people · home $253,500
Oakland questions
Is Oakland, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakland scores better for retirees than 58% of Iowa towns and quieter than 48%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Oakland?
The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $160,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,354, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $878 a month.
What is the weather like in Oakland?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 28.0 inches of snow.
Does Oakland get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 18, 1968. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- 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)