The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon In 2024


The most affordable places to live in Oregon for 2024 are Milton-Freewater, Pendleton, and Ontario according to Saturday Night Science.

When it comes to the cheapest places to live in Oregon, most people envision places with high-end vegan eateries, elitist Portlanders, and affluent nature enthusiasts.

Affordable living in the Beaver State is far from this stereotype.

To find the cheapest places to live in Oklahoma, we use Saturday Night Science and Census data on home prices, incomes, and cost of living. Real estate is a critical factor in the cost of living, and Oregon has plenty of cities where cheap, quality homes are available.

So, let’s start a real estate version of Oregon Trail, where we’ll substitute dollars saved for dysentery.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary


Most Affordable Cities In Oregon Map

What is the cheapest place to live in Oregon? Milton-Freewater is the cheapest place to live in Oregon after crunching data from the US Census in terms of median housing costs, median income, and overall cost of living,

If you care about home values, cost of living, and high quality of life, grab a vegan spinach smoothie and read on.

Check out some more reading about Oregon and the cheapest places in the country:

The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon For 2024

Milton-Freewater, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Bobjgalindo | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,137
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $46,372
Median Home Price: $214,651
Median Rent: $725

We’re kicking off our tour of Oregon’s most affordable cities with Milton-Freewater, a city of 7,137 in Umatilla County, a place renowned for its wine.

Before you think Milton-Freewater has nothing going on besides drinking, keep in mind it’s also a naturally beautiful place to live. There are hiking trails and campgrounds at Harris Park, so you’ll always be able to get into the great outdoors with ease.

The overall cost of living in Milton-Freewater is 25% below the statewide average, but in terms of housing, it’s nearly half as expensive. Milton-Freewater enjoys the cheapest median rent and cheapest median home prices in Oregon.

Your typical Milton-Freewater home sells for $214,651, while rent goes for around $725. And it’s not like things are cheap in Milton-Freewater just because the local economy is bad. On the contrary, Milton-Freewater has a low unemployment rate, and the median household income is $46,372.

More on Milton-Freewater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Pendleton, OR

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 17,005
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $67,931
Median Home Price: $282,990
Median Rent: $895

Pendleton is yet another Umatilla County city to make the cut as one of the cheapest places to live in Oregon. Buying a home in Pendleton will set you back about $282,990, which on an income of $67,931 is no sweat at all. Pendleton also has the second best rent to income ratio in the state, so if you’re not ready to commit to a mortgage, Pendleton still has you covered.

Not to mention that if you’re a rodeo competitor, you’ll alway have a side gig ready for you at the Pendleton Round Up rodeo.

More on Pendleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Ontario, OR

Source: Flickr User Dougtone | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 11,610
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $39,750
Median Home Price: $286,357
Median Rent: $739

Oregon might be one of the states with the highest rent in America, but apparently Ontario hasn’t gotten the memo. The median rent in Ontario is a measly $739, which is far below the national and statewide average. But that’s not really why Ontario is on this list. It’s because the city has the sixth cheapest homes in Oregon, with a median price tag of $286,357. Taken with Ontario’s median income of $39,750, and the city is safely in the top ten in Oregon for home price to income ratio.

Ontario is located in eastern Oregon, about an hour northwest of Boise, Idaho.

More on Ontario: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Baker City, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Finetooth | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 10,110
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $54,063
Median Home Price: $239,601
Median Rent: $776

Baker City ranks as the fourth least expensive city in Oregon, with the second cheapest homes on the market statewide. Homes in Baker City go for a median price of $239,601. Combine that with a median income of $54,063, and Baker City has the second best home price to income ratio in Oregon.

And if you always died playing the Oregon Trail computer game as a kid, you can pick up some tips on surviving at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.

More on Baker City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Umatilla, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Tedder | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,433
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $56,413
Median Home Price: $271,351
Median Rent: $1,013

Oregon might not be the cheapest state in America, but try telling that to the folks in Umatilla. Homes in Umatilla go for the third lowest prices in the state, and nowhere in Oregon will you pay a smaller percentage of your income on housing.

And you’ll get that quintessential Oregon outdoors-goodness at Hat Rock State Park, complete with trails, a pond for fishing, and resident eagles. Sounds like a good deal to me. The median home price in Umatilla is $271,351 and the median income is $56,413. Umatilla is also incredibly affordable for renters; with a median rent of $1,013/month, the city has the cheapest rent you’ll find anywhere on this list.

That doesn’t mean that Umatilla has skimped on safety though. In fact, it’s the second safest place in Oregon.

Umatilla is located in the northeastern part of Oregon, across the Columbia River from Washington.

More on Umatilla: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Hermiston, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Williamborg | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
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Population: 19,267
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 93
Median Income: $65,502
Median Home Price: $330,704
Median Rent: $961

A close neighbor of Umatilla, Hermiston ranks as the sixth least expensive city in Oregon.

Like Umatilla, Hermiston has plenty of outdoor recreation activities to keep you busy on a budget. As far as jobs, the city’s main industries are food processing and distribution, so if you’ve got experience in the field, it should be no sweat locking down a job in Hermiston. Hermiston has strong affordability numbers across the board, but really stands out in terms of inexpensive rent. At a median rent of $961, Hermiston residents pay less than half the average rent in Oregon and the pay the ninth smallest percentage of their income on rent statewide.

More on Hermiston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

La Grande, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Drown Soda | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 13,097
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $52,039
Median Home Price: $273,962
Median Rent: $910

La Grande, located in eastern Oregon, ranked seventh for affordability, with a 94 overall cost of living that’s 16.8% lower than the state standard. The city’s real estate market is enticing, with a $273,962 median home value.

Some of the best things to do in and around La Grande include visiting Hilgard Junction State Park, checking out the Eastern Oregon Fire Museum, and exploring Wallowa Lake.

More on La Grande: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Madras, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Tedder | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 7,494
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $52,500
Median Home Price: $341,687
Median Rent: $878

Madras is the eighth cheapest in Oregon. The cost of living index comes in at 96, below the state and national average.

Found in Jefferson County, Madras features a housing market that is the 11th cheapest, with median rents sitting at $878.

If you’re looking for something cheap to do nearby, check out Cove Palisades State Park, Erickson Aircraft Collection, and Lavender Farms.

More on Madras: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Review Of Madras by HomeSnacks User

As a native American from warm springs rezervation next to madras I know a lot of people drop out of school who start…probably what brought % down

Woodburn, OR

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 26,222
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $58,916
Median Home Price: $403,723
Median Rent: $1,300

Woodburn, located in northern Oregon’s Marion County between Portland and Salem, ranks ninth for cost-effectiveness. Proximity to Interstate 5 and various state routes offers easy access to nearby Portland without having to pay Portland prices. Instead, the median home value is $403,723 and median rent is $1,300. These compare favorably to a $58,916 median income, ensuring that residents can visit Portland whenever the need arrives.

More on Woodburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Prineville, OR

Source: Wikipedia User Cacophony | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 10,915
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $63,904
Median Home Price: $403,041
Median Rent: $1,118

Seated in Crook County, Prineville should be synonymous with savings in Oregon. With a modest 10,915 population, you can afford to relax and unwind at Prineville Reservoir State Park, tour the Cada Dia Cheese Farm, or learn local history at the A.R. Bowman Museum on the cheap.

The average monthly rent is $1,118, and residents’ $63,904 median income means more money to spend on things other than housing.

More on Prineville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cheapest places to live in Oregon FAQs

The county in Oregon with the lowest cost of living is Clackamas County. The average living wage in Clackamas County is $100,740 according to MIT data. Clackamas County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Oregon as a whole. Childcare costs $16,564 a year in Clackamas County for two children compared to the Oregon average of $15,236. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $18,432 per year in Clackamas County compared to $15,603 on average in Oregon.

The cost of living in Oregon is 7.0% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Oregon is $96,003 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Oregon household is $65,667.

The cheapest housing market in Oregon is Ontario. The average home value in Ontario is $121,600, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Oregon is $336,700, almost 2.8 times higher than Ontario.

Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Beaver State for 2024

Map Of The Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon
Determining affordability for places in Oregon boils down to how much it costs to live here.

You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.

With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Oregon using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:

  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Services
  • Groceries
  • Healthcare
  • Utilities

These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.

We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Oregon to figure out which is the least expensive.

The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 76 places in Oregon that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.

The place in Oregon with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Milton-Freewater.

We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Oregon.

Oregon Affordabilility Summary

This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Oregon for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Oregon.

The cheapest cities in Oregon are Milton-Freewater, Pendleton, Ontario, Baker City, Umatilla, Hermiston, La Grande, Madras, Woodburn, and Prineville.

Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Oregon according to the data:

  1. Lake Oswego
  2. Happy Valley
  3. West Linn

For more Oregon reading, check out:

Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon

Rank City Population Cost Of Living Index Median Income Home Prices Rent
1 Milton-Freewater 7,137 89 $46,372 $214,651 $725
2 Pendleton 17,005 90 $67,931 $282,990 $895
3 Ontario 11,610 90 $39,750 $286,357 $739
4 Baker City 10,110 90 $54,063 $239,601 $776
5 Umatilla 7,433 90 $56,413 $271,351 $1,013
6 Hermiston 19,267 93 $65,502 $330,704 $961
7 La Grande 13,097 94 $52,039 $273,962 $910
8 Madras 7,494 96 $52,500 $341,687 $878
9 Woodburn 26,222 101 $58,916 $403,723 $1,300
10 Prineville 10,915 101 $63,904 $403,041 $1,118
11 Sweet Home 9,852 101 $56,783 $345,316 $1,055
12 The Dalles 15,988 102 $59,714 $376,552 $925
13 Sutherlin 8,513 102 $48,610 $334,639 $1,048
14 Lebanon 18,587 103 $53,246 $377,909 $1,183
15 Coos Bay 15,949 103 $53,331 $329,613 $916
16 Independence 9,981 103 $73,361 $395,971 $1,410
17 Winston 5,618 103 $51,182 $297,819 $1,094
18 Roseburg 23,657 104 $50,297 $344,982 $974
19 Tillamook 5,215 104 $53,711 $449,832 $1,081
20 Dallas 16,945 105 $67,935 $447,818 $1,131
21 St. Helens 14,015 105 $77,475 $407,724 $1,223
22 Grants Pass 39,131 106 $53,941 $398,971 $1,086
23 Cottage Grove 10,583 106 $60,219 $386,561 $987
24 Salem 175,754 107 $67,540 $418,511 $1,224
25 Springfield 61,740 107 $60,982 $399,498 $1,126
26 Central Point 19,123 107 $79,731 $399,880 $1,247
27 Monmouth 11,054 107 $61,282 $446,850 $1,125
28 North Bend 10,250 107 $67,841 $360,467 $946
29 Molalla 10,147 107 $77,442 $478,905 $1,403
30 Stayton 8,210 107 $72,639 $434,159 $1,058
31 Warrenton 6,254 107 $69,400 $492,143 $1,199
32 Creswell 5,607 107 $85,126 $455,141 $1,229
33 Philomath 5,429 107 $80,599 $496,750 $1,374
34 Veneta 5,177 107 $58,825 $422,592 $1,351
35 Junction City 6,831 108 $70,411 $464,983 $886
36 McMinnville 34,432 109 $65,318 $466,521 $1,213
37 Cornelius 13,245 109 $83,051 $471,048 $1,385
38 Florence 9,384 109 $57,568 $417,088 $1,150
39 Scappoose 8,003 109 $96,339 $474,121 $1,716
40 Albany 56,348 110 $69,777 $413,665 $1,194
41 Keizer 39,122 110 $75,753 $434,715 $1,268
42 Redmond 34,191 110 $72,798 $504,145 $1,381
43 Newport 10,319 110 $57,511 $480,287 $1,086
44 Eagle Point 9,735 110 $83,625 $454,585 $1,298
45 Troutdale 16,150 111 $86,307 $469,436 $1,456
46 Astoria 10,184 111 $69,463 $480,872 $1,074
47 Gresham 113,525 112 $69,437 $451,470 $1,452
48 Medford 85,539 112 $65,647 $392,181 $1,214
49 Forest Grove 26,160 112 $77,977 $512,087 $1,282
50 Milwaukie 21,195 112 $78,676 $502,721 $1,441
51 Fairview 10,515 112 $78,407 $456,132 $1,483
52 Lincoln City 9,790 112 $54,210 $500,282 $1,134
53 Talent 6,256 112 $51,215 $418,800 $1,302
54 Gladstone 11,996 113 $88,043 $504,640 $1,609
55 Silverton 10,439 113 $75,167 $518,976 $1,321
56 Newberg 25,379 114 $87,873 $519,518 $1,570
57 Sandy 12,592 114 $98,341 $500,027 $1,503
58 Eugene 176,755 115 $61,481 $464,226 $1,269
59 Oregon City 37,418 116 $90,174 $587,025 $1,527
60 Seaside 7,142 116 $44,087 $493,204 $956
61 Brookings 6,719 116 $79,109 $485,283 $1,288
62 Canby 18,127 117 $91,823 $566,045 $1,327
63 Hillsboro 106,612 118 $98,891 $527,280 $1,797
64 Corvallis 60,050 119 $61,610 $530,933 $1,315
65 Beaverton 97,554 120 $88,899 $534,974 $1,663
66 Portland 646,101 121 $85,876 $523,622 $1,530
67 Bend 99,442 122 $82,671 $728,806 $1,649
68 Hood River 8,292 122 $70,791 $691,118 $1,318
69 Tigard 55,161 124 $101,354 $601,645 $1,644
70 Sherwood 20,286 125 $109,770 $628,898 $1,980
71 Tualatin 27,804 127 $105,542 $637,027 $1,665
72 Wilsonville 25,992 129 $83,210 $637,996 $1,715
73 Ashland 21,401 131 $64,767 $543,829 $1,220
74 West Linn 27,167 135 $134,116 $759,031 $1,907
75 Happy Valley 24,381 139 $126,108 $682,410 $1,954
76 Lake Oswego 40,457 147 $127,252 $880,600 $1,979
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.