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Central Point.

All Central Point data Compare Central Point

19,216people live here $86,058median household incomeNear US average $1,364median rent per monthNear US average $389,100median home value▲ 17% above US

What it's like to live in Central Point

Central Point is a small city in Oregon with crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Central Point deals with county unemployment above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Low crime rates
Short commutes

The not so good

Above-average unemployment in the county
Air quality concerns
High student-teacher ratio
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Central Point compares

Median household income

Central Point$86,058

Oregon avg$83,011

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Central Point$1,364

Oregon avg$1,525

US$1,413

Median home value

Central Point$389,100

Oregon avg$477,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Central Point

Based on Central Point's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,728

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,560 a year
48% of Central Point renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$77,820

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $38,910
Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,364/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,364 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $389,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $389,100 · 48% 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▼ 60% below US

131 violent crimes per 100k

Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.

Property crime 852/100k · Central Point Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 40% below US

16 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 15.5 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

76%

Carpool

9.4%

Work from home

8.6%

Other

3.8%

Walk

1.7%

Public transit

0.2%

Climate

Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 21% below US

28% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

8 public schools inside the boundary

There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (31 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Central Point's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,364/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.

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