What it's like to live in Newport
Newport is a small city in Oregon with rent 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. Newport deals with home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Short commutes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- High student-teacher ratio
- Very rainy — 72" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Newport compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Newport
Based on Newport's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,482
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,640 a year
- 43% of Newport renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$88,280
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,140
- Homes cost 7.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 12% below US
$1,241/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,241 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $441,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $441,400 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
6.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lincoln County is 6.0%, 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.
Lincoln County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
328 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2415/100k · Newport Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 38% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 63°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 1.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 13% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (97 miles away).
Bottom line
Newport's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and county unemployment above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,241/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 Newport
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