The Town Files

Oakland, Pennsylvania

Township in Venango County · population 1,361 (2020 Census)

Map: where Oakland is in PennsylvaniaOakland
Median home
$166,700
Household income
$77,500
Jan low / Jul high
18° / 83°
Snow a year
54 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
51.4

Oakland is a township of 1,361 people in Venango County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $166,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 76% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 73% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers 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 townsRetirement52nd pctFamilies65th pctQuiet73rd pctWalkability6th pctFirst-time buyers73rd pctYoung professionals2nd pctVibrancy2nd pctHip & trendy10th pctCollege town51st pctUpscale19th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit43rd pctDriving76th 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 $166,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $77,500, which is more affordable than 82% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,565 a month. 90.9% of households own their home.

Oakland vs Venango County vs typical Pennsylvania townOaklandVenango CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$166,700$119,800$214,250Household income$77,500$61,522$75,278Monthly rent$1,565$795$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingOaklandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$166,700$214,250
Median rent$1,565$996
Median household income$77,500$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.2×2.8×
Homeownership90.9%81.5%
Median year built19761971
Seasonal / vacation homes7.2%—

Who lives in Oakland

PeopleOaklandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age51.444.2
Age 65 and over27.8%21.1%
Under 1822.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher17.6%23.8%
Below the poverty line8.1%8.5%
Veterans11.3%—
Born outside the U.S.0.4%—
Work from home14.5%10.6%
Average commute22.9 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband90.2%89.0%

Weather in Oakland

July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.

Oakland monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°18°Jan36°19°Feb46°25°Mar60°35°Apr71°46°May79°56°Jun83°60°Jul81°58°Aug74°52°Sep61°41°Oct49°32°Nov38°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.317.92.711.53.48.94.21.14.04.95.34.23.93.83.42.63.411.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Franklin station (7.6 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 8.9 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 16 deaths and 119 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Oakland by decade01950s01960s01970s61980s01990s12000s22010s32020s
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 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 15, 1996.

Severe weather in Venango County since 1996

Storm events in Venango County since 1996 by typeHail85Flood29Tornado7High Wind22Ice Storm10Heavy Snow36Flash Flood74Strong Wind6
NOAA Storm Events Database, Venango County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Venango County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 1, 2013Severe StormDR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 10, 2005HurricaneEM-3235: Hurricane Katrina

Jobs and pay in Venango County

Venango County had 16,232 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,299 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.

Largest industries in Venango CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,272 jobs · $53,728Manufacturing3,115 jobs · $59,483Retail2,269 jobs · $31,290Hotels & restaurants1,173 jobs · $17,651Other services704 jobs · $23,890Transportation & warehousing696 jobs · $56,713
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Venango County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Venango 4.2%
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 52% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 73%. 27.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.4).

How much does a house cost in Oakland?

The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $166,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,500, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,565 a month.

What is the weather like in Oakland?

July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 53.7 inches of snow.

Does Oakland get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 31, 1985. 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 4212156024). 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.