Pendleton, OR

Census place 4157150 · pop 16,950

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
C
in OR
📍 Oregon ranks #31 of 50 states →
🏆 Commute14 min · top 3%
🚽 Jobs5.2% · bottom 10%
Taxes
1.00% property · US 0.99%None sales · US 7.00%up to 9.90% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.2%10

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access86.3%17

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

86.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Homeownership56.5%29

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

56.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health18.5%29

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate15.0%34

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

15.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Bachelor's degree or higher24.7%37

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

24.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population growth (5yr)+1.3%38

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+1.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$66,56338

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$66,563 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level4 days41

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

4 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking14.2%41

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity36.1%42

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

36.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Income inequality0.4447

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Uninsured adults9.8%47

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

9.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Property-tax burden1.00%49

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.00% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Housing cost$287,10049

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$287,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level77/10068

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

77/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity21.7%69

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

21.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level38 AQI77

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,331/mo80

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,331/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time14 min97

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

14 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Not measured for Pendleton: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Pendleton, OR a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pendleton scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is unemployment rate. Oregon overall ranks #31 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Pendleton, OR expensive to live in?
Pendleton has a median home value of $287,100 and typical rent around $1,331/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pendleton, OR?
Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (5.2%) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Pendleton, OR best at?
Its strongest measured area is commute time (14 min) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.