Oakland is a somewhat small borough located in the state of New Jersey. With a population of 12,653 people and three associated neighborhoods, Oakland is the 151st largest community in New Jersey.
Housing costs in Oakland are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in New Jersey.
Also of interest is that Oakland has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.
Telecommuters are a relatively large percentage of the workforce: 16.78% of people work from home. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce it is high relative to the nation. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.
Oakland is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The borough’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Oakland’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.
One downside of living in Oakland, however, is that residents on average have to contend with a long commute, spending on average 30.99 minutes every day commuting to work. However, local public transit is widely used. For those who would prefer to avoid driving entirely and leave their car at home, it may be an option to use the transit instead.
Even though Oakland is a smaller borough, it has many people who hop on public transportation – mostly the train for their daily commute to work. Typically, these people are commuting to good jobs in the surrounding cities.
Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Oakland. 54.20% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.
The per capita income in Oakland in 2022 was $62,874, which is upper middle income relative to New Jersey, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $251,496 for a family of four.
Oakland is a somewhat ethnically-diverse borough. The people who call Oakland home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Oakland residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Oakland also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 11.71% of the borough’s residents. Important ancestries of people in Oakland include Italian, Irish, German, Polish, and English.
Foreign born people are also an important part of Oakland's cultural character, accounting for 15.12% of the borough’s population.
The most common language spoken in Oakland is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Langs. of India.