The Town FilesOakland, New Jersey
Borough in Bergen County · population 12,748 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $591,300
- Household income
- $162,019
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.7
Oakland is a borough of 12,748 people in Bergen County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $591,300, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for families than 93% of New Jersey towns, better for cycling than 88% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 76% of New Jersey towns.
How Oakland ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oakland is worth $591,300, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $162,019, which is more affordable than 58% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,383 a month. 92.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oakland | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $591,300 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,383 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $162,019 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 92.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oakland
| People | Oakland | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.8% | — |
| Work from home | 21.8% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 94.6% |
Weather in Oakland
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 6, 1956 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 11, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Bergen County since 1996
Bergen County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bergen County
Bergen County had 438,240 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,639 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Oakland
5 public schools with 2,014 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Hills High School | 9-12 | 694 | 8.8 |
| Valley Middle School | 6-8 | 446 | 9.1 |
| Heights Elementary School | PK-5 | 376 | 12.5 |
| Manito Elementary School | K-5 | 257 | 9.9 |
| Dogwood Hill Elementary School | K-5 | 241 | 10.5 |
Towns near Oakland
- Franklin Lakes, NJ2.4 mi · 11,079 people · home $1,264,000
- Pines Lake, NJ2.5 mi · 3,033 people · home $626,500
- Wanaque, NJ2.6 mi · 11,317 people · home $400,700
- Pompton Lakes, NJ3.1 mi · 11,127 people · home $442,400
- Wyckoff, NJ4.3 mi · 16,585 people · home $925,700
- Riverdale, NJ4.6 mi · 4,107 people · home $395,900
- Mahwah, NJ4.6 mi · 25,487 people · home $606,000
- Bloomingdale, NJ5.0 mi · 7,777 people · home $432,000
Oakland questions
Is Oakland, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakland scores better for retirees than 53% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 52%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Oakland?
The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $591,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $162,019, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,383 a month.
What is the weather like in Oakland?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Oakland get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 6, 1956. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- 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)