Oakdale, LA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Louisiana·Oakdale

Allen Parish · Alexandria · population 6,490

AffordabilityShrinkingSmall-town feel
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
25
Declining
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Oakdale stands

Home values down 8.3% in the last year. population shrinking 0.8% per year.

Median home $91,704
1-year -8.3%
5-yr CAGR -2.5%
vs 5-yr peak -12.0%
Population -0.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2021-04$92k$79k$89k$99k$108k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
32/100
Poor remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
12 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
20 · w22%
Distance from peak
39 · w18%
Population growth
34 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
25 · w10%
Long thesis

Oakdale has held up across the cycle: home values at $91,704 with -2.5% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Oakdale is down 8.3% over the last 12 months and the trend isn't flattening. Falling knife rule applies: you don't catch one with your hands, you wait for it to hit the floor and stop moving.

About Oakdale

Oakdale is a city in Allen Parish, Louisiana, with an estimated population of 6,490. It anchors the Alexandria metro area. The population has contracted 0.8% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Oakdale is $91,704 as of 2026-04, down 8.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged -2.5% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 12% below its 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 25 of 100 (Declining). The market is well off recent highs — patient long-term buyers may find opportunities, but resale liquidity is reduced.

▲ Bull case

●Cheap entry point: $91,704 median home is well below the US median of $355k — room to grow without overpaying.
○The data is the data: Oakdale has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

●Prices actively falling: down 8.3% in the last 12 months — buyer sentiment has flipped. Sellers competing on price.
●12% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
●Flat or shrinking population: -0.8% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
●Stagnant long-run trend: -0.5% 10-year CAGR plus flat population — appreciation case is weak.
○Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

Make sure you're not catching a falling knife. Verify local fundamentals — jobs, population trend, school enrollment — before assuming the bottom is in. Negotiate hard and walk away from anything that doesn't pencil.

Seller

Be realistic. Below-list pricing may be required; time is not your friend. If you can wait 2-3 years for the cycle to turn, consider holding.

Investor

Cap rates can look great in Declining markets, but verify tenant pool, income stability, and exit liquidity before committing. A 10% cap on a vacant property is 0%.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Allen Parish right now.

NWS active alerts (LA)Louisiana Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Allen Parish routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Oakdale

Minden, LA18 · DecliningOpelousas, LA18 · DecliningHouma, LA31 · DecliningEunice, LA29 · Declining

Run the numbers for Oakdale

ToolCan I afford Oakdale?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Oakdale rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Oakdale to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolOakdale cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
61° / 43°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 74°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
217
~59% of year
Annual precip
60″ rain
0″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very high
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Very high

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Oakdale listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Alexandria area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$57,800
Louisiana state median
Top industries (state-level)
Oil & GasTourismShipping/Petrochemicals

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Oakdale

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Louisiana cities →    Browse best-of lists →