Oakdale receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oakdale
Ceres
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 14%
vs32 · Bottom 8%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs19 · Bottom 7%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Oakdale | Ceres | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,194 | 49,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,091 | $79,025 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,315 | $27,716 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,726/sq mi | 5,194/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $457,900 | $424,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,559 | $1,639 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.6% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 8.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 92 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 206.7% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.3" | 12.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 33.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.11 | 23.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.6% | 84.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Oakdale
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Ceres
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Oakdale, CA · Ceres, CA · How this is calculated: methodology