Riffith from Price, 2018
Oakland’s story
Oakland in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2018.
Explore the history →
OaklandPA
A town of 1,627.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,627
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$99K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
48.0
years
Jobs based here
328
A commuter town
Is Oakland a good place to live?
Oakland’s concentration of trails is 3.8 miles per square mile, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. We don’t grade Oakland yet; the figures below are still real.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Oakland for work
Where Oakland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
328jobs based in Oakland
2%of working residents work in town
4 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Getting set up
Moving to Oakland: who provides what
Oakland is unincorporated, so Cambria County and regional agencies provide most services.
WaterGreater Johnstown Wa Riverside water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCambria CountyCambria County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCambria County Board of ElectionsCambria County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP codes15902, 1590415902 85% · 15904 15%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Oakland.
Natural hazards
Oakland has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
The natural-hazard score from FEMA in Oakland is 20 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 76% come from inland flooding and 7% from cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 80% of U.S. communities.
20risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Oakland is shorter than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
Oakland’s median household income is $61,000, against $81,000 in Pennsylvania’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. It had 328 jobs in 2023, up 44 from 2013. Also worth knowing: most people who work leave Oakland to do it: just 2% work in town. The top destinations are Richland Township (22%), Johnstown (18%) and Geistown (3%).
2%work in town
| Oakland | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Oakland2%
Richland Township22%
Johnstown18%
Geistown3%
Cambria Township2%
4 mi
median commute distance
328
jobs based in Oakland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Oakland’s year
Oakland’s peak summer temperature comes in at 83°F.
74″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–39°
Spring36–61°
Summer57–81°
Fall41–63°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, more of Oakland’s adults have high blood pressure
Among adults in Oakland, 83% had a checkup this year. CDC measures, 26 in all: Oakland beats Pennsylvania on 4 and trails on 11. 15% of adults locally have diabetes; 15% binge drink.
| Oakland | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 79% | 79% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
4 better11 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Oakland | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.8% | 18.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.9% | 79.2% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.8% | 7.4% |
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center
1.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
9%conserved
9%
conserved · 80 of 896 acres
5.3 mi
of trails · 3.8 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 62 attractions →Flight 93 National Memorial and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Oakland. Close and well known come first.
Big draw15 mi National MemorialFlight 93 National Memorial286K visitors a year
6 mi DamSouth Fork Dam
4 mi National Historic SiteAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site163K visitors a year
39 mi MountainMount Davis21 mi Theme parkIdlewild and Soak Zone
19 mi MuseumFort LigonierSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Flight 93 National Memorial: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · South Fork Dam: Ernest Walter Histed, Public domain · Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site: Matthew A. Lynn; Original uploader was Mosamiazaz at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Mount Davis: Wikiuser100, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Ligonier: The original uploader was Mind meal at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Oakland
16pages on Oakland
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Oakland
Commonwealth Technical InstituteCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Johnstown3.4 mi$7,714 tuitionPennsylvania Highlands Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Johnstown3.7 mi$7,110 in-state tuitionUniversity of Pittsburgh-JohnstownUniversity or college · Public · Johnstown3.7 mi$14,906 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Oakland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Oakland
Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US
Oakland is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stonycreek Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is bordered on the west by the city of Johnstown and on the south by the boroughs of Lorain and Geistown. As of the 2010 census, the population of Oakland was 1,578.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,593 ft
Oakland’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Oakland.
Stonycreek TownshipJohnstownGeistownBelmontLorainRichland TownshipOakland
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stonycreek Township | #879 | C | A | — | D | C− |
| Johnstown | #1004 | D | A | D | D | D− |
| Geistown | — | — | B | A | A | B+ |
| Belmont | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lorain | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Richland Township | #506 | B+ | B− | C− | A | B+ |
Geistown has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Stonycreek Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Oakland, Belmont and Lorain aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Oakland with a neighbor →
Questions about Oakland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Oakland, PA a good place to live?
We don’t grade Oakland yet; the figures below are still real.