Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Oakdale grades C− overall, 504th among California's 841 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $551K, 6.8 years of the Modesto metro’s $81K median household income. It also does better than most on schools: its schools outperform 68% of the state's. Its lowest everyday mark is in safety: its police reported 100 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 69% of U.S. towns. Oakdale’s typical July afternoon high is 95°F, above both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Only 8 of California’s 1,064 towns score higher on hazard risk. First National Bank of Oakdale Building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Oakdale beats most towns.
20,675 counted in 2010 and 23,181 in 2020; an estimated 23,246 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 12.1% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Oakdale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 376 in 1880, 23,181 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 5 maps from 1915 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oakdale, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Oakdale.
Oakdale carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of California (mostly inland flooding) and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns.
Among working residents in Oakdale, 16% work locally. Jobs based in Oakdale grew to 6,505 in 2023, 1,178 more than in 2013. For Oakdale, the mean commuting time is 35 minutes. The top destinations are Modesto (15%), Stockton (5%) and San Jose (2%).
| Oakdale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Oakdale Joint Unified school district runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Oakdale High, with 1,563 students. Two of the 9 schools are below, and why each made the list.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Oaks ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 785 | B |
| Oakdale HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,563 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
In Oakdale, the midpoint rent is $1,559 a month. A typical home in the town is worth about $551,000, up 1.4% in a year, 28% below the California typical home. A home in Oakdale typically sold within 41 days of listing.
| Oakdale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,559 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 63% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Within California, it does better than 56% of towns. Oakdale’s level of violent crime comes in at 4.3 per 1,000 residents.
| Oakdale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.3 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.1 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 99% of California towns, with expected losses of about $204 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
FEMA puts 56% of Oakdale’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 34% to earthquakes. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2022.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 95.2°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.9°.
Snow is a rarity. The town’s January low stands at 39°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For adults in Oakdale, the share who report frequent mental distress is 19%. Among adults in the town, 18% binge drink and 72% had a checkup this year.
| Oakdale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 72% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Oakdale | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.7% | 5.1% |
| More adults with obesity | 35.2% | 27.8% |
| More smokers | 13.5% | 10.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The trail density in Oakdale is 0.2 miles per square mile. Count the trails in 9 parks and preserves and they come to 1.1 miles.
| Oakdale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burchell park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
| 2. Valley View Community Park | 0.3 mi | 3 |
| 3. Kerr Park | — | 18 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Oakdale
About 9 of every 100 Oakdale residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
Where Oakdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 notable people were born in Oakdale.
City in California, United States
Oakdale is a city in the San Joaquin Valley and Stanislaus County, California, United States. As of 2020 census, its population was 23,181. It goes by the slogan "Cowboy Capital of the World."
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Oakdale.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale | #504 | C− | D | C | B+ | C+ |
| East Oakdale | — | — | D− | — | B+ | B |
East Oakdale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. East Oakdale reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Oakdale with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Oakdale grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #504 of 841 in California. It grades C+ for health, C for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Within California, it does better than 56% of towns.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
6 notable people were born here, including Jane Swagerty and March Fong Eu.
