Riverbank receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oakdale
Riverbank
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 14%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs58 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Oakdale | Riverbank | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,194 | 25,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,091 | $87,966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,315 | $35,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,726/sq mi | 5,343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $457,900 | $463,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,559 | $1,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.6% | 72.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 8.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 92 | 204 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 8.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 206.7% | 0.5% | 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 | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.11 | 21.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.6% | 74.1% | 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.
Riverbank
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Oakdale, CA · Riverbank, CA · How this is calculated: methodology