Housing decision brief
Wasco County, OR Housing Market
Wasco 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.
15th lowest home value out of 36 Oregon counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 36
Median home value
$332,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$978/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,108/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$130/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
$332,500 median home value is 10% below Oregon county median
Lower rent
$978/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.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,602 median income is 6% below Oregon county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Wasco 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. | $332,500 | $369,300 | $281,900 | 10% favorable10% below Oregon county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $978 | $1,140 | $1,163 | 14% favorable14% below Oregon county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,108 | $1,123 | $1,672 | Near state median1% below Oregon county median |
Median household income | $63,602 | $67,628 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Oregon county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.84% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 16% favorable16% 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
+$24,482
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,116
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Wasco County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $978/month , about 18.5% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Wasco County pay $978/month on average, compared to $1,108/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 12%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $39,120/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $47,486/year. With a median household income of $63,602, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Wasco County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Morrow County where rent averages $910/month, Wasco County is approximately 7% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coos County, OR | $302,800 | $992/mo | Same-state comparison near $302,800 home value and $992/mo rent. |
| Jefferson County, OR | $339,200 | $957/mo | Same-state comparison near $339,200 home value and $957/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, OR | $283,200 | $995/mo | Same-state comparison near $283,200 home value and $995/mo rent. |
| Union County, OR | $260,500 | $982/mo | Same-state comparison near $260,500 home value and $982/mo rent. |
| Wallowa County, OR | $371,900 | $858/mo | Same-state comparison near $371,900 home value and $858/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Wasco County
Is Wasco County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Wasco County?
How much income do you need for housing in Wasco County?
What should I double-check before moving to Wasco County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.