Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,337, settled in 1868.
The best of Oakland’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and walkability and an A− for schools; the weakest is a C for incomes. Only 5 of Nebraska’s 132 towns score higher on walkability. Oakland's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 87% of U.S. towns. Oakland City Auditorium is on the National Register of Historic Places. Oakland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Oakland beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Craig Elementary | PK–6 | 237 |
| Oakland Craig Junior-Senior High | 7–12 | 185 |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far Oakland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 345 in 1880, 1,369 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1920 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oakland, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Oakland.
Its public schools are run by the Oakland Craig Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Craig ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 237 | B− |
| Oakland Craig Junior-Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 185 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Oakland for work: only 19% work in town. At 22 minutes, Oakland’s average trip to work is against 17 minutes in Nebraska’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Oakland fell to 430 in 2023, 63 fewer than in 2013.
| Oakland | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Oakland home is worth about $200,000, up 1.8% in a year, 28% below the Nebraska typical home. At $720 a month, Oakland’s median rent is below both the Nebraska town median ($914 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Oakland | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $720 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 67% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Oakland has cold winters and warm summers. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 5 have a lower July high than Oakland.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (17% statewide). The median age in Oakland is 45.6 years. Oakland has lost 2.8% of its people since 2020, down to 1,337 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Oakland | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.6 years | 37.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 22% | 24% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 28% | 29% |
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6 points. Across Nebraska, 49.7% of residents are women.
| Oakland | NE | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.8% | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.4% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.6% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.7% | 13.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.8% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29% | 25% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.9% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 11% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.1% | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
Oakland beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 17% of Oakland adults have been diagnosed with depression. Only 3 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Oakland.
| Oakland | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 16% |
| What stands out | Oakland | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.2% | 77.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Oakland’s property crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents. Among 46 Nebraska towns, just 2 have a lower violent crime rate than Oakland. Oakland's reported crime rate is well below Nebraska's.
| Oakland | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.3 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Four Trees Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Oakland; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Oakland residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
1,244 counted in 2010 and 1,369 in 2020; an estimated 1,337 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
9 notable people were born in Oakland.
City in Nebraska, United States
Oakland is a city in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Oakland had a population of 1,369. The city considers itself "the Swedish capital of Nebraska"
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
9 notable people were born here, including Jon Kyl and Val Peterson.
