What it's like to live in Keizer
Keizer is a small city in Oregon with crime rates well below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Keizer deals with home prices well above the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
The not so good
- High home prices
- High student-teacher ratio
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Keizer compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Keizer
Based on Keizer's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,848
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,960 a year
- 48% of Keizer renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$86,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $43,410
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,424/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,424 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 $434,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $434,100 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 34% below US
217 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 2020/100k · Keizer Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 36°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 25% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (46 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Keizer's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($1,424/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Keizer
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