The Town FilesOakland, Michigan
Charter township in Oakland County · population 20,067 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $588,900
- Household income
- $166,538
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 42.9
Oakland is a charter township of 20,067 people in Oakland County, Michigan. The median home is worth $588,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 99% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 99% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Michigan towns.
How Oakland ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oakland is worth $588,900, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $166,538, which is more affordable than 19% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $2,189 a month. 94.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oakland | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $588,900 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $2,189 | $955 |
| Median household income | $166,538 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Oakland
| People | Oakland | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.4% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.4% | — |
| Work from home | 27.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 88.8% |
Weather in Oakland
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1964 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 21, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 5, 2003.
Severe weather in Oakland County since 1996
Oakland County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 15, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 25, 2014 | Flood | DR-4195: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Oakland County
Oakland County had 723,862 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,917 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Oakland
2 public schools with 1,073 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Kelly Elementary School | PK-5 | 620 | 18.8 |
| Oakview Middle School | 6-8 | 453 | 14.2 |
Towns near Oakland
- Rochester, MI4.9 mi · 13,035 people · home $473,200
- Lake Orion, MI5.0 mi · 2,876 people · home $376,600
- Orion, MI5.5 mi · 38,206 people · home $369,900
- Washington, MI5.5 mi · 28,165 people · home $408,400
- Rochester Hills, MI6.2 mi · 76,300 people · home $409,800
- Addison, MI6.5 mi · 6,256 people · home $416,700
- Oxford, MI6.9 mi · 3,492 people · home $347,800
- Auburn Hills, MI7.1 mi · 24,360 people · home $245,000
Oakland questions
Is Oakland, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakland scores better for retirees than 52% of Michigan towns and quieter than 19%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Oakland?
The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $588,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $166,538, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $2,189 a month.
What is the weather like in Oakland?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.6 inches of snow.
Does Oakland get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1964. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- 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)