The Town Files

Oakland, Pennsylvania

Community in Cambria County · population 1,481 (2020 Census)

Map: where Oakland is in PennsylvaniaOakland
Median home
$99,100
Household income
$61,483
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 79°
Snow a year
74 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
48.0

Oakland is a community of 1,481 people in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $99,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks hipper than 80% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 75% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Oakland ranks

Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.

Oakland lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement34th pctFamilies7th pctQuiet51st pctWalkability73rd pctFirst-time buyers67th pctYoung professionals64th pctVibrancy75th pctHip & trendy80th pctCollege town25th pctUpscale30th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit67th pctDriving62nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Oakland is worth $99,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $61,483, which is more affordable than 96% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $770 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.

Oakland vs Cambria County vs typical Pennsylvania townOaklandCambria CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$99,100$121,000$214,250Household income$61,483$58,418$75,278Monthly rent$770$739$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingOaklandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$99,100$214,250
Median rent$770$996
Median household income$61,483$75,278
Home value ÷ income1.6×2.8×
Homeownership81.4%81.5%
Median year built19531971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Oakland

PeopleOaklandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age48.044.2
Age 65 and over30.6%21.1%
Under 1813.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher21.8%23.8%
Below the poverty line10.7%8.5%
Veterans12.5%—
Born outside the U.S.6.2%—
Work from home12.7%10.6%
Average commute16.0 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband95.4%89.0%

Weather in Oakland

July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.

Oakland monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing33°19°Jan36°21°Feb45°28°Mar58°38°Apr68°49°May75°57°Jun79°61°Jul77°60°Aug71°53°Sep59°43°Oct47°33°Nov38°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.523.62.517.53.19.63.52.64.14.44.24.04.03.11.23.14.82.714.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Johnstown Cambria Co Ap station (2.6 mi away); snow from Dunlo (8.4 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 13, 1956 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2019.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Oakland by decade11950s01960s11970s21980s31990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 17, 1960.

Severe weather in Cambria County since 1996

Storm events in Cambria County since 1996 by typeHail33Flood13Drought7Tornado10High Wind35Ice Storm15Heavy Snow53Flash Flood38
NOAA Storm Events Database, Cambria County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Cambria County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 11, 2024Tropical StormDR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 8, 2011FloodEM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee

Jobs and pay in Cambria County

Cambria County had 47,545 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,791 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.

Largest industries in Cambria CountyHealth care & social assistan…9,974 jobs · $57,025Retail6,068 jobs · $32,295Manufacturing4,191 jobs · $61,370Hotels & restaurants3,974 jobs · $17,325Other services2,109 jobs · $32,971Administrative & support1,981 jobs · $38,123
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Cambria County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Cambria 4.1%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Oakland

Oakland questions

Is Oakland, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakland scores better for retirees than 34% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 51%. 30.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.0).

How much does a house cost in Oakland?

The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $99,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,483, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $770 a month.

What is the weather like in Oakland?

July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 74.1 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 13, 1956. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Oakland's Census boundary (GEOID 4255996). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.