Rents are right about where Oakland's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,080 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Oakland is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in November 2022.
Rent in Oakland changed +3.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 51 Tennessee cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.0%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($97,798) is $2,445 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,200); a 4-bedroom is $2,560.
Lakeland, 12 miles away, rents for 18% less ($1,709/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Oakland. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Oakland, TN is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 33.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Oakland, TN has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Oakland, TN paid around $1,880 a month. That figure now sits near $2,080, up 10.6% from the 2023 baseline. Median household income climbed from $78,125 to $97,798 between 2021 and 2024, a 25.2% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Oakland, TN adding about 1,174 residents over the five-year window, up 13.3% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 26.8% to 33.2% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Oakland, TN reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about Oakland
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Can you afford rent in Oakland on your salary?
At $2,080/mo, how Oakland rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Oakland rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Oakland. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Oakland
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Oakland is $2,080/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,330/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,670/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,470/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,200/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($97,798/yr), Oakland ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Oakland?
Is rent going up or down in Oakland?
How does Oakland rent compare to other cities in Tennessee?
At $2,080/mo, rent takes ~26% of Oakland's median household income ($97,798/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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