What it's like to live in Pendleton
Pendleton 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. Pendleton deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, larger class sizes than 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
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- High student-teacher ratio
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Pendleton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pendleton
Based on Pendleton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,912
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $38,240 a year
- 47% of Pendleton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,420
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,710
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 32% below US
$956/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $956 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $287,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $287,100 · 47% 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▲ 18% above US
388 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 2190/100k · Pendleton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 45% below US
14 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 14.2 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; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°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, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Whitman Mission National Historic Site (31 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pendleton'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 ($956/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less 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 Pendleton
All Oregon guides →Moving to Hermiston →
25 mi away · pop. 19,546
Rent $1,088/mo · Income $66,998
Compare with Pendleton →Moving to The Dalles →
114 mi away · pop. 15,917
Rent $993/mo · Income $62,614
Compare with Pendleton →Not sure Pendleton is the one?
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