In court-decided eviction outcomes for Oakmont, PA, tenants prevail in roughly 32.1% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
76d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Oakmont, PA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 76 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$3.2–8.5k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Oakmont, PA costs landlords $3,172 to $8,526 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,190
27% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Oakmont, PA is $1,190 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 27% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
44.2%
of households
44.2% of occupied housing units in Oakmont, PA are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
3.9%
3.7% unemp.
3.9% of Oakmont, PA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 3.7%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
Dem margin +20.3% (2024)
6.4
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.4
State political climate
Pennsylvania legislature & governorship
3.4
Economic stress
3.9% poverty · 3.7% unemp.
4.1
Supply constraint
$1,190 average · 44.2% renters
7.6
Rent Control risk
26.5% of income on rent
4.3
Eviction process difficulty
76 days filing → judgment
2.8
Tenant organizing strength
44.2% renters
8.4
Housing court bias
County bench composition
3.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Oakmont and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Oakmont compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Allegheny County
Low
#86of 113 cities
#86 of 113 cities in Allegheny County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Pennsylvania
Low
#1290of 1,952 cities
#1290 of 1,952 cities in Pennsylvania for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.7
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.7/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.0 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
76d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,190/mo. A contested eviction takes 76 days and costs $3,172–$8,526 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
44.2%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 6,702 residents, 44.2% rent. 27% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 3.9% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.4
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.4 and 6.4 (Dem margin +20.3% (2024)). State climate at 3.4, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
3.4
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 3.4/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.8, housing court bias 3.5, rent-control risk 4.3. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.2 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.1
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.1. Supply constraint: 7.6. The numbers behind those: 3.9% poverty, 3.7% unemployment, 27% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Oakmont sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Oakmont · 76d · ~$5.8k all-in ($77/day) · score 3.7National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.7/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Oakmont is a city of 6,702 residents where 44.2% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 26.5% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,190/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Oakmont eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.8/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Oakmont closes 76 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Oakmont's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 3.5/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Oakmont runs $3,172 to $8,526 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 76 days of typical timeline and $1,190/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 8.4/10 in Oakmont, and the city has limited rent control exposure (4.3/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Pennsylvania, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Oakmont: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Pennsylvania's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $8,526 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Oakmont
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Oakmont to neighboring cities in Allegheny County via the grid below. The 5.6/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under 68 PS 250.501. Allegheny County 2020 presidential margin: D+20.4. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Pennsylvania statutory detail.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, county-level. Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 912 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 0.84× the historical baseline (below baseline). Past 12 months: 13,249 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 64,288.
912Past month
13,249Past 12 months
0.84×vs baseline (past mo)
Notice requirement: at least ten days notice (in some cases more). Filing fee: minimum filing fee of $82 (depending on the claim amount).
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings dropped 20% over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Oakmont without a reason?
Pennsylvania law does not require "just cause" for eviction for lease violations or at the end of a lease term. However, you must still follow proper notice procedures (e.g., 10-day notice for non-payment, 15-day notice for no-cause termination if applicable). You cannot evict for discriminatory reasons or in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights.
Q2
What happens if my tenant appeals the eviction?
If your tenant appeals the Magisterial District Judge's decision, the case moves to the Court of Common Pleas. This will significantly prolong the eviction timeline and increase your legal costs. You will almost certainly need an attorney at this stage. Appeals can add months to the process and are a major reason why the average eviction timeline is 76 days.
Q3
Is there rent control in Oakmont or Pennsylvania?
No, there is no statewide rent control in Pennsylvania, and Oakmont does not have its own local rent control ordinances. This means you are generally free to set market rates for your rentals. However, be aware of the rent-control-risk sub-score (4.3/10), which indicates potential for future legislative changes, especially with higher tenant organizing strength. Stay informed about Pennsylvania rent control rules.
Q4
Can I turn off utilities if a tenant stops paying rent?
Absolutely not. Turning off utilities, changing locks, or physically removing a tenant are considered "self-help" evictions and are illegal in Pennsylvania. You could face significant fines and damages for doing so. All evictions must go through the proper legal channels via the court system.
Q5
Do I have to accept partial rent payments?
You are not obligated to accept partial rent payments. If you do accept a partial payment after serving a notice to quit, it can be interpreted as waiving your right to proceed with the eviction based on that notice. If you accept a partial payment, ensure you have a clear written agreement with the tenant that explicitly states it does not waive your right to evict for the remaining balance or on the original notice. Better yet, avoid partial payments if you intend to evict.
Q6
Are there any tenant protections I should be aware of in Oakmont?
While there's no statewide source-of-income protection in Pennsylvania, and no just-cause requirement for eviction, landlords must still adhere to federal and state fair housing laws. This means you cannot discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Additionally, state law protects tenants from retaliatory evictions. For a broader view, see our guide on Pennsylvania tenant protections.
A 3.7/10 places Oakmont in the 41st percentile of Pennsylvania cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Neighborhoods in Oakmont (1 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
