City · North Dakota
Oakes, North Dakota
Oakes, city, in Dickey County, North Dakota. Oakes had 1,765 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,798 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,858 (±224). GEOID 3858740.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,765
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,798 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,858 ±224
Median household income
$67,632
±$19,755 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $76,657
Median home value
$159,700
±$11,333 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $249,900
Median gross rent
$843
±$232 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $954
Where is Oakes and what county is it in?
Oakes is a city in Dickey County, North Dakota. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 1,150 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Oakes, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,765 people lived in Oakes on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, while North Dakota grew 2.6%. The 2020 Census counted 1,798 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,858 (±224).
| Measure | Oakes | Dickey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,858 ±224 | 4,935 | no clear change |
| Households | 768 ±107 | 1,962 | −141 |
| Average household size | 2.33 ±0.21 | 2.31 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 851 ±105 | 2,394 | no clear change |
Oakes's population since 2000
From 1,979 in 2000 to 1,765 in 2025: down 10.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Oakes as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Oakes?
The median resident of Oakes is 38.8 years old; 25.3% are under 18 and 20.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.6%. 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Oakes | Dickey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 ±2.2 | 39.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.3% ±3.3 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.3% ±4.4 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Male | 51.3% ±3.6 pts | 51.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.6% ±2.5 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.0% ±3.0 pts | 89.8% | −4.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.5 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±2.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.0% ±3.1 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.3% ±2.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.8% ±4.8 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.0% ±5.2 pts | 7.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.3% ±5.4 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.9% ±6.0 pts | 28.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±2.7 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.9% ±3.3 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Oakes earn?
Half of Oakes's 768 households earn less than $67,632 a year (±$19,755), against $68,654 in Dickey County and $76,657 in North Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $87,687 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Oakes | Dickey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,632 ±$19,755 | $68,654 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,472 ±$15,862 | $100,355 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,866 ±$6,387 | $40,579 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.1% ±4.8 pts | 11.8% | +6.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.4% ±9.0 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.7% ±3.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.7% ±1.9 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.5% ±4.9 pts | 87.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Oakes?
Owners occupy 77.1% of Oakes's occupied homes and renters 22.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $159,700 by its owner (±$11,333). The median renter pays $843 a month including utilities, and 39.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Oakes | Dickey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $159,700 ±$11,333 | $162,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $843 ±$232 | $840 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.2% ±19.4 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,313 ±$149 | $1,379 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.1% ±7.1 pts | 79.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.9% ±7.1 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Housing units | 851 ±105 | 2,394 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.3% ±10.8 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.4% ±7.0 pts | 83.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% ±3.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.2% ±9.1 pts | 28.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6% ±1.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Oakes building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Oakes in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.1 per 1,000 residents against 3.1 across North Dakota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Oakes work and get to work?
72.0% of Oakes's workers drive alone and 8.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.2 minutes.
| Measure | Oakes | Dickey County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.4% ±5.6 pts | 67.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.0% ±6.6 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.0% ±5.2 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.0% ±2.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.9% ±4.3 pts | 10.5% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.2 min ±4.3 | 15.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Oakes?
No census tract lies mostly in Oakes; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9732Dickey County | 2,282 | $80,750 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Oakes) · Census block assignment files
How does Oakes compare with other places in North Dakota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Oakes is the 8,142nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 29th-most populous of 355 in North Dakota.
Oakes ranks 39th of 64 places in North Dakota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 29th | 355 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 34th | 62 |
| Residents per square mile | 24th | 67 |
| Median household income | 39th | 64 |
| Per capita income | 37th | 67 |
| Median home value | 47th | 59 |
| Median gross rent | 30th | 56 |
| Poverty rate | 20th | 46 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47th | 65 |
| Median age | 28th | 67 |
| Owner-occupied share | 20th | 64 |
| Work from home | 10th | 32 |
| Travel time to work | 44th | 67 |
Oakes's figures with every place in North Dakota (CSV)
Every place in North Dakota, sortable · Compare Oakes with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Oakes?
15 of the 57 figures for Oakes on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Oakes are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Oakes.