The Town Files

Oakland, Tennessee

Town in Fayette County · population 8,936 (2020 Census)

Map: where Oakland is in TennesseeOakland
Median home
$319,100
Household income
$97,798
Jan low / Jul high
29° / 91°
Snow a year
2 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
11
Median age
40.3

Oakland is a town of 8,936 people in Fayette County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $319,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more upscale than 83% of Tennessee towns, better for families than 79% of Tennessee towns.

Oakland in our rankings:

How Oakland ranks

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

Oakland lifestyle rankings vs other Tennessee townsRetirement55th pctFamilies79th pctQuiet56th pctWalkability5th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals51st pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy9th pctCollege town64th pctUpscale83rd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving9th 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 $319,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $97,798, which is more affordable than 68% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,992 a month. 87.0% of households own their home.

Oakland vs Fayette County vs typical Tennessee townOaklandFayette CountyTypical Tennessee townHome value$319,100$340,800$204,650Household income$97,798$88,456$57,917Monthly rent$1,992$902$863
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Tennessee towns with 500+ people.
HousingOaklandTypical Tennessee town
Median home value$319,100$204,650
Median rent$1,992$863
Median household income$97,798$57,917
Home value ÷ income3.3×3.7×
Homeownership87.0%69.7%
Median year built20071980
Seasonal / vacation homes0.4%—

Who lives in Oakland

PeopleOaklandTypical Tennessee town
Median age40.340.8
Age 65 and over17.2%18.4%
Under 1820.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher33.2%18.2%
Below the poverty line5.8%14.2%
Veterans10.7%—
Born outside the U.S.3.1%—
Work from home12.6%8.2%
Average commute35.0 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband95.1%88.2%

Weather in Oakland

July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 29.1°F. About 57.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.

Oakland monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing50°29°Jan55°32°Feb64°40°Mar73°49°Apr82°59°May88°67°Jun91°70°Jul91°68°Aug85°61°Sep75°49°Oct63°39°Nov54°33°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.40.85.00.85.60.45.75.84.24.93.43.74.24.35.80.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Collierville station (12.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 27, 1994 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 50 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 11, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Oakland by decade01950s11960s11970s01980s31990s42000s02010s22020s
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 44 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 7, 2006.

Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996

Storm events in Fayette County since 1996 by typeHail92Heat82Flood6Drought21Tornado10Heavy Snow6Flash Flood26Winter Storm25
NOAA Storm Events Database, Fayette County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Fayette County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, biological, severe storm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 6, 2026Winter StormDR-4898: Severe Winter Storm
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3635: Severe Winter Storm
June 19, 2025Severe StormDR-4878: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 2, 2025Severe StormEM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
September 4, 2023Severe StormDR-4735: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds

Jobs and pay in Fayette County

Fayette County had 8,093 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,079 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Oakland itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.

Largest industries in Fayette CountyManufacturing1,450 jobs · $67,106Retail1,003 jobs · $34,773Construction743 jobs · $78,632Hotels & restaurants609 jobs · $28,217Administrative & support567 jobs · $56,089Wholesale trade488 jobs · $75,998
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Fayette County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Fayette 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Oakland

2 public schools with 1,047 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Oakland ElementaryPK-567425.9
West Junior High School6-837318.7

Towns near Oakland

Oakland questions

Is Oakland, Tennessee a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oakland scores better for retirees than 55% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 56%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).

How much does a house cost in Oakland?

The median owner-occupied home in Oakland is valued at $319,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,798, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,992 a month.

What is the weather like in Oakland?

July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 29.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.1 inches of snow.

Does Oakland get tornadoes?

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oakland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 27, 1994. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Oakland's Census boundary (GEOID 4754920). Comparisons use the median of Tennessee 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.