CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

32.51° N · 96.85° W · GEOID 4853115

Oak Leaf

Ellis County, Texas · part of the Dallas, TX metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_gross_rent

TexasOak Leaf, TXOak LeafOak Leaf

The short answer

Oak Leaf is home to 1,827 people. Median household income is $131,806 a year and median rent is $1,594 a month, 14.5% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $411,300, about 3.1x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,594
17% above the median place
Median household income
$131,806
64% above the median place
Median home value
$411,300
29% above the median place
Unemployment
4.5%
9% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Oak Leaf

  • Between the 2019 and 2021 surveys, rent rose 28.8% a year while household income rose 3.3%, so rent outran pay by more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 415 Texas places.
  • 97% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 98% of places its size.
  • Households average 3.21 people, larger than in 93% of places its size.
  • The median household earns $131,806 a year, more than in 86% of places its size.
  • The median rent takes only 14.5% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 86% of places its size.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 82 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

People are moving in and rent is pulling away from pay. The population grew faster than in 83% of places since 2020, and rent outran income more than in 99% of them.

01

Moving to Oak Leaf

Ellis County gains about 36.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in17,849
Moved out11,240
Net+6,609

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Texas, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within TexasOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$70K
Leavers$61K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Ellis County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Ellis County report $69,900 a year in income on average; those leaving, $61,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$63,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,594 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,648 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $411,300.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 17.9% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Mercerville, NJ matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7
36.5
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out7
$61,382
13% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.7%16% above
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure36.5above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$69,9431% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$61,38213% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeownership is 96.7%, 46% above the median place.

Oak Leaf14.5%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$63,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
14.5%
29% below the median place
Home price to income
3.1x
18% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
14%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$112,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Oak Leaf, $1,594 a month, and local prices for everything else (100.1 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Oak Leaf, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Tichigan, WI11.4% vs 14.5%n/aCompare
Springdale, MD11.5% vs 14.5%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Oak Leaf.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Oak Leaf? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
96.7%
46% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,648
41% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$4,906
50% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$1,59417% above
Rent to income114.5%29% below
Property tax rate11.2%31% above
Home price to income13.1x18% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.12% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,80712% above
Property tax paid (median)1$4,90650% above
Median home value1$411,30029% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure-0.3%below (median 3.2%)
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure49.5%4% below
Homeownership196.7%46% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure50.5%0% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,64841% above
Vacant homes1County figure4.9%31% below
Median year built119860% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$131,806
64% above the median place
Income per person1
$56,653
41% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$131,80664% above
Income per person1$56,65341% above
Unemployment1County figure4.5%9% below
Average annual pay5County figure$59,28410% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure2.4%35% below
Jobs5County figure64,68657% below
Poverty rate1County figure6.9%36% below
Mean commute125 min2% above
Works from home117.9%44% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Household size is 3.2, 28% above the median place.

Household size1
3.2
28% above the median place
Median age1
46.8
20% above the median place
Population change since 20206
8.9%
above the median place (median 1.1%)

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher95.9% +4%
Bachelor's or higher41.6% +30%
No health insurance7.8% +22%
Born abroad7.0% −21%
Homes with broadband92.4% +0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population11,8276646th largest
Population change since 202068.9%above (median 1.1%)
Median age146.820% above
Bachelor's or higher141.6%30% above
High school or higher195.9%4% above
Household size13.228% above
Born abroad17.0%21% below
No health insurance17.8%22% above
Homes with broadband192.4%0% above
05

Life in Oak Leaf

122 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.8 −24%
Shops20.5 −32%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.1 −24%
Doctors' offices and clinics11.5 −43%
Child care centers1.7 −26%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Shops per 10k8
20.5
32% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8
11.5
43% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k8
15.8
24% below the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure76above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure46,344above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure15.61% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure15.824% below
Shops per 10k8County figure20.532% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure3.124% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure11.543% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.726% below
Parks per 10k90.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure122above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 95°F, 10% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Oak Leaf. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high12
95°F
10% above the median place
Median air quality index14
35
19% below the median place
Good air days14
89.2%
30% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureOak LeafAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure95°F10% above
January average low12County figure36°F44% above
Average temperature12County figure66°F21% above
Annual precipitation12County figure40.1 in8% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure81.612% below
Hurricane risk13County figure52.226% below
Tornado risk13County figure87.88% above
Wildfire risk13County figure86.141% above
Heat wave risk13County figure90.61% above
Median air quality index14County figure3519% below
Good air days14County figure89.2%30% above
08

Oak Leaf in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 23% of the median income in 2030, up from 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,044/mo (2021)$3,250/mo$2,550 to $4,140/mo+5.3%
Median household income$131,806 (2024)$167,000$141,000 to $197,500+4.0%
Median home value$411,300 (2024)$605,000$439,000 to $833,000+6.6%
Population1,684 (2025)1,7601,690 to 1,840+0.9%

The median home would be worth 3.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.1 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Oak Leaf

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Mercerville, NJ$1,621$128,277Compare
North Haven, CT$1,720$132,689Compare
New Freedom, PA$1,640$120,037Compare
Stokesdale, NC$1,450$121,071Compare
Stokesdale, NCNew Freedom, PANorth Haven, CTMercerville, NJOak Leaf, TXOak LeafNorth HavenNew FreedomStokesdaleOak LeafNorth HavenNew FreedomStokesdale

Common questions

Is Oak Leaf a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2021 surveys, rent rose 28.8% a year while household income rose 3.3%, so rent outran pay by more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 415 Texas places. 97% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 98% of places its size. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Oak Leaf expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 14.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $411,300.

What salary do you need to live in Oak Leaf?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $63,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Oak Leaf?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Mercerville, NJ, North Haven, CT, New Freedom, PA and Stokesdale, NC.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Oak Leaf with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Oak Leaf itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/oak-leaf-texas

Citytistics. “Oak Leaf, Texas.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/oak-leaf-texas/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.