What it's like to live in Hermiston
Hermiston is a small city in Oregon with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Hermiston deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Hermiston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hermiston
Based on Hermiston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,176
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,520 a year
- 48% of Hermiston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$53,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,670
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,088/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,088 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $266,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $266,700 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Umatilla County is 5.6%, 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.
Umatilla County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 28% below US
237 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 2518/100k · Hermiston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°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▼ 54% below US
17% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Whitman Mission National Historic Site (42 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hermiston's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,088/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Hermiston
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