What it's like to live in Roseburg
Roseburg is a small city in Oregon with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Roseburg deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Roseburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Roseburg
Based on Roseburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,126
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,520 a year
- 51% of Roseburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,980
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,063/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,063 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $289,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $289,800 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
6.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Douglas County is 6.2%, 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.
Douglas County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 12% above US
369 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 4184/100k · Roseburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 40% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.6 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 warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 40% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. 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 and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Crater Lake National Park (64 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Roseburg'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 ($1,063/mo) equals 24% 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 Roseburg
All Oregon guides →Moving to Cottage Grove →
42 mi away · pop. 10,698
Rent $1,254/mo · Income $80,875
Compare with Roseburg →Moving to North Bend →
46 mi away · pop. 10,171
Rent $1,066/mo · Income $81,320
Compare with Roseburg →Not sure Roseburg is the one?
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