Housing decision brief
Jefferson County, OR Housing Market
Jefferson County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
16th lowest home value out of 36 Oregon counties with data | 10th lowest rent out of 36
Median home value
$339,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$957/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,222/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$265/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$339,200 median home value is 8% below Oregon county median
Lower rent
$957/mo is 16% below Oregon county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Jefferson County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $339,200 | $369,300 | $281,900 | 8% favorable8% below Oregon county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $957 | $1,140 | $1,163 | 16% favorable16% below Oregon county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,222 | $1,123 | $1,672 | 9% pressure9% above Oregon county median |
Median household income | $73,051 | $67,628 | $74,755 | 8% favorable8% above Oregon county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.74% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 26% favorable26% below Oregon county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 7% favorable27.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$34,771
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,680
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Jefferson County is affordable. The median rent is $957/month against a median household income of $73,051, putting rent at 15.7% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Jefferson County is $957/month, while owner costs run $1,222/month. Renting saves approximately $265/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $52,371/year. With a median household income of $73,051, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Jefferson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Jefferson County sits 11% more expensive than Lake County ($861/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasco County, OR | $332,500 | $978/mo | Same-state comparison near $332,500 home value and $978/mo rent. |
| Linn County, OR | $344,600 | $1,273/mo | Same-state comparison near $344,600 home value and $1,273/mo rent. |
| Wallowa County, OR | $371,900 | $858/mo | Same-state comparison near $371,900 home value and $858/mo rent. |
| Coos County, OR | $302,800 | $992/mo | Same-state comparison near $302,800 home value and $992/mo rent. |
| Umatilla County, OR | $256,100 | $962/mo | Same-state comparison near $256,100 home value and $962/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Jefferson County?
How much income do you need for housing in Jefferson County?
What should I double-check before moving to Jefferson County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.