What it's like to live in Ashland
Ashland is a small city in Oregon with commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ashland deals with home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Ashland compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ashland
Based on Ashland's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,774
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $55,480 a year
- 53% of Ashland renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$116,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $58,380
- Homes cost 8.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,387/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,387 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $583,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $583,800 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jackson County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jackson County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 27% below US
240 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1354/100k · Ashland Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 35% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.8 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 84% above US
66% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (37 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ashland's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and county unemployment above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,387/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Ashland
All Oregon guides →Moving to Central Point →
17 mi away · pop. 19,216
Rent $1,364/mo · Income $86,058
Compare with Ashland →Moving to Grants Pass →
36 mi away · pop. 39,311
Rent $1,217/mo · Income $59,646
Compare with Ashland →Not sure Ashland is the one?
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