Jobs, pay and daily life in Oakes, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Oakes is a city in North Dakota with 1,858 residents. The median household earns $67,632 a year and the median rent is $843 a month, which is 15.0% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Oakes compares. Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Oakes is #29 by population, #4 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #5 for remote work (#1 = most), #8 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Dickey County, is #29 of 53 counties for average pay ($54,233).
Oakes has 1,858 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Dakota. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,188 people per square mile. The median age is 38.8, 8% older than the state median (38.8 against 35.9).
The median gross rent is $843 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($843 against $954). Over a year that is 15.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $159,700, which is 2.4 times the median household income ($67,632); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 77.1% of households own their home, 23% above the state average (77.1% against 62.9%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dickey County was 0.9%. 70.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dickey County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 4.0% walk, 8.9% work from home. 4.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 47% below the state average (4.1% against 7.8%).
22.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 30% below the state share (22.9% against 32.7%). 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 4% below the state share (4.5% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 12.1%, 12% above the state rate (12.1% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 13°F (-10.3°C). About 611 mm (24 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (107 mm) and Jan the driest (14 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lisbon (28 miles, rent 23% lower); Aberdeen (50 miles, rent 10% lower); Valley City (54 miles, rent 7% lower); Jamestown (60 miles, rent 8% lower). Rent differences are against Oakes; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Dakota (255) →State guide: North DakotaCountry guideDickey CountyNorth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 255 federal postings open in North Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.1% |
| Manufacturing | 25.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 7.5% |
| Retail trade | 7.4% |
| Other services | 7.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.2% |
| Construction | 4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.3% |
| Information | 0.4% |
| Public administration | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Oakes lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickey County | 4,935 | $519 million | $105,119 | 1,979 | 274 | $54,233 | +15.5% | 0.9% | 3,983 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 287 | 23.6% | $87,910 | 2.76 |
| Retail trade | 256 | 21.1% | $30,073 | 1.30 |
| Wholesale trade | 198 | 16.3% | $70,698 | 2.54 |
| Manufacturing | 142 | 11.7% | $56,909 | 0.87 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 140 | 11.5% | $44,167 | 8.74 |
| Accommodation and food services | 89 | 7.3% | $13,563 | 0.49 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 56 | 4.6% | $60,723 | 0.94 |
| Professional and technical services | 26 | 2.1% | $73,429 | 0.19 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 21 | 1.7% | $11,704 | 0.63 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 4.0% |
| Work from home | 8.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,632 |
| Income per person | $38,866 |
| Median gross rent per month | $843 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.0% |
| Median home value | $159,700 |
| Homeowners | 77.1% |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 2.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.9% |
| Born abroad | 4.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -10.3 | 13 | 14 |
| Feb | -8.7 | 16 | 17 |
| Mar | -0.5 | 31 | 27 |
| Apr | 6.9 | 44 | 50 |
| May | 13.9 | 57 | 86 |
| Jun | 20.0 | 68 | 107 |
| Jul | 23.5 | 74 | 82 |
| Aug | 21.8 | 71 | 68 |
| Sep | 16.6 | 62 | 65 |
| Oct | 7.4 | 45 | 55 |
| Nov | -0.1 | 32 | 16 |
| Dec | -7.6 | 18 | 24 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | ND | 28 mi | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 |
| Aberdeen | SD | 50 mi | 28,189 | $64,405 | $762 |
| Valley City | ND | 54 mi | 6,541 | $60,339 | $780 |
| Jamestown | ND | 60 mi | 15,787 | $56,554 | $773 |
| Casselton | ND | 67 mi | 2,953 | $73,259 | $814 |
| Horace | ND | 70 mi | 4,588 | $138,578 | $2,146 |
| Wahpeton | ND | 71 mi | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| West Fargo | ND | 75 mi | 40,094 | $90,665 | $1,111 |
| Fargo | ND | 78 mi | 131,627 | $66,998 | $946 |
| Moorhead | MN | 81 mi | 45,036 | $72,761 | $1,033 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
1,858 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$843 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.0% of the median household income.
$67,632 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
0.9% (BLS county, Dickey County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.