Median Age
38 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 15% of Residents
Under 20
26%
Over 65
20%
Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa, IA Area Guide
Avg Rent
$740
Population
11,886
Renter Mix
37% Rent
A historic small town in southern Iowa
Historic
•
Family-Friendly
•
Peaceful
•
Affordable
•
Scenic
•
Located about an hour’s drive from Des Moines, Oskaloosa is a historic city with a charming small-town atmosphere. Oskaloosa, also known as “Osky,” was a national center for bituminous coal mining in the late 1800s. Osky maintains a strong sense of historic character to this day, from its red-brick commercial buildings and many apartments in old-fashioned homes to the Nelson Pioneer Farm, which chronicles the area’s rich agricultural past.
Osky fosters a close-knit community with an array of annual events, such as the Southern Iowa Fair, Skunk River Arts Festival, Sweet Corn Serenade, and the Lighted Christmas Parade. Numerous Osky residents work, attend, or have attended William Penn University, which also calls the community home. There are abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation as well, with the scenic Edmundson Park, Lake Keomah, and plenty of public golf courses in town.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$58,234
Average: $70,825
Education
2,356
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
6,060
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Oskaloosa has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
37%
Non-Renters
63%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
15%
Other Education
85%
Rent Trends
As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Oskaloosa, IA is $765 for a studio, $740 for one bedroom, $827 for two bedrooms, and $937 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Oskaloosa has increased by 0.8% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$740/month
640 Sq Ft
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Oskaloosa, IA is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Limited Public Transit
Transit
30
/ 100
Very Drivable
Drivability
80
/ 100
Fairly Bikeable
Bikeability
40
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades K-5
886 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
454 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
600 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- Lake Keomah State Park
Commuter Rail
Military Bases
Colleges
Top Apartments in Oskaloosa
Houses for Rent in Oskaloosa
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Nearby City Rentals
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Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.