What it's like to live in Springfield
Springfield is a smaller 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. Springfield deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Springfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Springfield
Based on Springfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,516
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,320 a year
- 48% of Springfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$71,740
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,870
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 11% below US
$1,258/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,258 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $358,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $358,700 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 13% below US
285 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 2216/100k · Springfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°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
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▼ 38% 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
19 public schools inside the boundary
There are 19 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Crater Lake National Park (88 miles away).
Bottom line
Springfield's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($1,258/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as 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 who doesn't drive.
Other places near Springfield
All Oregon guides →Moving to Santa Clara →
8 mi away · pop. 10,551
Rent $1,706/mo · Income $88,344
Compare with Springfield →Moving to Cottage Grove →
18 mi away · pop. 10,698
Rent $1,254/mo · Income $80,875
Compare with Springfield →Moving to Lebanon →
33 mi away · pop. 19,344
Rent $1,312/mo · Income $63,176
Compare with Springfield →Not sure Springfield is the one?
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