Housing decision brief
Union County, OR Housing Market
Union 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.
12th lowest home value out of 36 Oregon counties with data | 14th lowest rent out of 36
Median home value
$260,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$982/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$956/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$26/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$260,500 median home value is 29% below Oregon county median
Lower rent
$982/mo is 14% below Oregon county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $26/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,212 median income is 5% below Oregon county median
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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Union 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. | $260,500 | $369,300 | $281,900 | 29% favorable29% below Oregon county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $982 | $1,140 | $1,163 | 14% favorable14% below Oregon county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $956 | $1,123 | $1,672 | 15% favorable15% below Oregon county median |
Median household income | $64,212 | $67,628 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Oregon county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.89% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 11% favorable11% below Oregon county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 10% favorable26.00% 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
+$24,932
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,241
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Union County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $982/month , about 18.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $982/month rent versus $956/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $26/month cheaper , a 3% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $39,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $40,971/year. With a median household income of $64,212, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Union County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Oregon, Union County is more affordable than Morrow County by roughly 8% ($982/mo vs $910/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klamath County, OR | $255,700 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,700 home value and $973/mo rent. |
| Umatilla County, OR | $256,100 | $962/mo | Same-state comparison near $256,100 home value and $962/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, OR | $283,200 | $995/mo | Same-state comparison near $283,200 home value and $995/mo rent. |
| Coos County, OR | $302,800 | $992/mo | Same-state comparison near $302,800 home value and $992/mo rent. |
| Wasco County, OR | $332,500 | $978/mo | Same-state comparison near $332,500 home value and $978/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Union County
Is Union County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Union County?
How much income do you need for housing in Union County?
What should I double-check before moving to Union County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.