Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 6,526, settled in 1896. Public schools that outperform most of Louisiana.
Oakdale gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $98K for a typical one, or 2.1 years of the county’s $46K median household income. It grades C overall, 87th among Louisiana's 161 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $43K, and 33% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 91% of the country. On the plus side, its public schools beat 82% of Louisiana towns on state tests and graduation. 33% of residents live below the poverty line in Oakdale, against 20% in Louisiana’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Among 161 Louisiana towns, just 7 have a lower share of children under 18 than Oakdale.
Where Oakdale beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
7,780 counted in 2010 and 6,692 in 2020; an estimated 6,526 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Louisiana), ordered by how far Oakdale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 4,016 in 1920, 6,692 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1863 and 5 maps from 1935 on.
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 Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Oakdale.
Oakdale pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Against the 3,200 U.S. towns with household incomes like Oakdale’s, it is less healthy than 62%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income. Within Louisiana it is healthier than 54% of the 161 graded towns: much of Louisiana scores lower on these measures.
19% of Oakdale adults binge drink. Oakdale beats the Louisiana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 14% of Oakdale adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Oakdale | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 16% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 9.8% | 8.1% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 43% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 44% | 35% |
| What stands out | Oakdale | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 13.5% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its A− for schools comes with a B for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $98K.
Its public schools are run by the Allen Parish school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 516 | C− |
| Oakdale High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 299 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduation
Homes are within reach (about $98K for the typical one, B for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 36 miles. At 2.1 years of the county’s $46K median household income, the typical home (about $98K) costs less against local pay than in 86% of Louisiana towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living.
Typical home values fell 6.6% in the year to September 2026. Oakdale’s median rent is $873 a month.
| Oakdale | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $873 a month | $992 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Oakdale for work: only 15% work in town. The average trip to work in Oakdale is 22 minutes. The top destinations are Oberlin (7%), Alexandria (5%) and Lake Charles (4%).
| Oakdale | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
243 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 33 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 243 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Oakdale.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Oakdale has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 40° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Oakdale; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Oakdale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
Where Oakdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 notable people were born in Oakdale.
City in Louisiana, United States
Oakdale is a city in Allen Parish in south Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Oakdale had a population of 6,692. Oakdale was founded as "Dunnsville" by William T. Dunn. The history of Allen Parish is preserved at the Leatherwood Museum, which reopened on September 27, 2008, in a renovated facility at 202 E. 7th Ave. in Oakdale.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Oakdale grades C overall, better than 26% of U.S. towns and #87 of 161 in Louisiana. It grades D for health and A− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
3 notable people were born here, including Joe N. Ballard and Curtis Buckley.
