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

All states·Minnesota·Oakdale

Washington County · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington · population 30,441

Oakdale, MN
Image: Wikipedia · Oakdale, Minnesota
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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73
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Oakdale stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 4.2% in the last year. rents up 7.0% in the last year.

Median home $358,217
1-year +4.2%
5-yr CAGR +3.6%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +1.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$358k$194k$254k$313k$373k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
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.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,884/mo$1,577$1,787$1,99720242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10610810020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.8
Lean buy

At a 15.8 price-to-rent ratio, Oakdale is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
71 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
56 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
78 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
65 · w10%
Long thesis

Oakdale has held up across the cycle: home values at $358,217 with +3.6% 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's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Oakdale

Oakdale is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, with an estimated population of 30,441. It anchors the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area. The population grew 1.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Oakdale is $358,217 as of 2026-04, up 4.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Oakdale average $1,884 per month, up 7.0% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Quiet strength: +4.2% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.8% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 7.0% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 7.0% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Oakdale (Wikipedia)

Oakdale is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb of Saint Paul and is on the eastern side of the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. The population was 28,303 at the 2020 census. Oakdale is the 36th largest city in Minnesota by population.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Washington County right now.

NWS active alerts (MN)Minnesota Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

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

Cities like Oakdale

East Bethel, MN72 · RisingByron, MN73 · RisingHastings, MN66 · RisingHopkins, MN68 · Rising

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)
22° / 4°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 62°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
198
~54% of year
Annual precip
28″ rain
45″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

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

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

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 news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$84,300
Minnesota state median
Top industries (state-level)
Medical DevicesFinanceManufacturing

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.

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