What it's like to live in Newberg
Newberg is a small city in Oregon with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a growing population, 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. Newberg deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
How Newberg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Newberg
Based on Newberg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,426
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,520 a year
- 57% of Newberg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$94,420
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,210
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 21% above US
$1,713/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,713 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $472,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $472,100 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 58% below US
138 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 965/100k · Newberg-Dundee Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (26 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Newberg's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,713/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Newberg
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