Dallas Neighborhood Guide

Oak Lawn

Photo By Catherine Downes
Dallas > Central Dallas > Oak Lawn

Between tonier Highland Park to the north and flashier Uptown to the south, Oak Lawn has long been the center of Dallas’ gay community. The neighborhood bars and clubs still draw big crowds each weekend, as does the annual Dallas Pride parade down Cedar Springs Road. But there are plenty of quieter streets of charming old duplexes, plus luxury living along Turtle Creek.

What the Locals Say About Oak Lawn

Locals Love

“There’s something about the abundance of greenery and the fusion of high-end luxuries and lowbrow dives that drew me to the neighborhood and has kept me here,” says Catherine Downes, D Magazine‘s assistant dining editor.

Locals Complain

Even with signals and flashing lights added after a couple of pedestrian fatalities, drivers can often pose a danger to anyone trying to cross Cedar Springs Road on foot, especially on a busy night when the sidewalks overflow with people.

Known For

Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Caroline Rose Hunt’s purchase of a historic home in 1979 eventually turned into 18 luxury resorts around the world, the only five-star hotel in Texas, and the creation of Southwestern cuisine.

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Why I Love Oak Lawn

By Lyndsay Knecht

Read The Story

Population

29,269

Median Owner-Occupied Home Value

$344,011

Oak Lawn Demographics

Population

The 2023 population of Oak Lawn is estimated to be 29,269.

53.9% of residents are male, 46.1% are female. The median age is 37.6.

72.5% of the Oak Lawn population are White, 10.6% are Black, 8.4% are Asian, and 2.6% identify as some other race. 8.5% are of Hispanic heritage.

Among adult residents, 15.1% have earned a master's degree, 6.8% have a professional school degree, 2.3% have a doctorate, and 39.6% have a bachelor’s degree.

The number of households is 21075. The average household size is 1.67.

Income & Employment

The median household income is $78,135.

96% of residents are employed and 4% are unemployed. 4613 are not in the labor force.

The average commute time for workers who live in this area is 22 minutes.

Housing

9.8% of Oak Lawn homes are detached, single-family houses. The median owner-occupied home value is $344,011

29% of the homes are owner-occupied. The average length of residence among residents in owner-occupied homes is 12.1 years. The average renter has been in the same home 5.9 years.

The median year the area’s housing units were built is 1992.

Crime

Oak Lawn includes portions of these police beats: 523,541, 542, 544, 543, 545, 546

Throughout those beats from 2017 to 2023, there were:

Aggravated Assaults (non-family violence) 185
Aggravated Assaults (family violence) 14
Business Burglaries 664
Home Burglaries 565
Motor-Vehicle Burglaries 3121
Auto Thefts 692
Business Robberies 133
Robberies of Individuals 211
Shoplifting Incidents 163
Murders 3

Oak Lawn Real Estate Snapshot

% Owner-Occupied Housing

29%

Avg. Household Size

1.67

Number of Households

21075

Avg. Length of Residency by Owner

12.1 years

Dallas Neighborhoods

Sources: Demographic data pulled from Nielsen SiteReports and represents sampling based on most recent U.S. Census estimates. Crime data provided by local police departments.