Places › Minnesota › Oakdale

Living in Oakdale, MN

Suburb in Minnesota

Oakdale is a suburb in Minnesota, home to about 28,000 people, with 3.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Oakdale a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 12 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 80°F
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,443 state income tax per resident, 0.99% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Oakdale ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
28,000
3.0 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
26°F / 80°F
Average daily highs · 40″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$358k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,260/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
105
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,443
State income tax per resident · 0.99% property tax
Safety
0.3× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
3 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
12
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 18 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
34%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MSP
15 mi away

Living in Oakdale: common questions

What is the cost of living in Oakdale?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $358k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,260 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 105, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Oakdale?

Minnesota collects about $2,443 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.99% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Oakdale safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Oakdale?

Public schools in Oakdale test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Oakdale?

Oakdale has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 26°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 40″ of snow a year.

Does Oakdale get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.85 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Oakdale?

The nearest major airport is MSP, about 15 mi away.

How Oakdale scores

Each bar compares Oakdale with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeMid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureStrong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketAverage
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationAverage
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CultureGood
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Oakdale

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Inver Grove Heights, MNSuburb61 $359k$2,260/moVery safe Maplewood, MNSuburb60 $332k$2,260/moModerate crime Blaine, MNSuburb64 $357k$2,260/moVery safe Shoreview, MNSuburb68 $399k$2,260/moNo crime data Romeoville, ILSuburb64 $313k$2,290/moVery safe Fridley, MNSuburb59 $323k$2,260/moSafe

Nearby

Maplewood, MNSuburb · 4 mi away60 $332k$2,260/moModerate crime Woodbury, MNSuburb · 6 mi away66 $400k$2,260/moVery safe St. Paul, MNBig city · 7 mi away58 $296k$2,260/moModerate crime Roseville, MNSuburb · 9 mi away62 $369k$2,260/moSafe Shoreview, MNSuburb · 11 mi away68 $399k$2,260/moNo crime data Inver Grove Heights, MNSuburb · 12 mi away61 $359k$2,260/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Minnesota.

Is Oakdale right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.