What it's like to live in Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is a small city in Oregon with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. Klamath Falls deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
How Klamath Falls compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Klamath Falls
Based on Klamath Falls's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,972
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,440 a year
- 53% of Klamath Falls renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,700
- Homes cost 6.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 30% below US
$986/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $986 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $287,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $287,000 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
7.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Klamath County is 7.2%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Klamath County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 39% above US
459 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2621/100k · Klamath Falls Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 45% below US
14 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 14.3 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; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°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, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 33% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. 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 Tule Lake National Monument (31 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Klamath Falls'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 ($986/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget 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.
Other places near Klamath Falls
All Oregon guides →Moving to Altamont →
2 mi away · pop. 19,927
Rent $1,015/mo · Income $58,629
Compare with Klamath Falls →Moving to Ashland →
47 mi away · pop. 21,259
Rent $1,387/mo · Income $68,028
Compare with Klamath Falls →Moving to Medford →
56 mi away · pop. 86,315
Rent $1,376/mo · Income $73,230
Compare with Klamath Falls →Moving to White City →
56 mi away · pop. 10,750
Rent $1,379/mo · Income $71,175
Compare with Klamath Falls →Not sure Klamath Falls is the one?
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