What it's like to live in The Dalles
The Dalles is a small city in Oregon with rent below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, 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. The Dalles deals with household incomes below 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
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How The Dalles compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to The Dalles
Based on The Dalles's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,986
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,720 a year
- 43% of The Dalles renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,080
- Homes cost 5.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 30% below US
$993/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $993 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices run above average, with a median around $360,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $360,800 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Wasco County is 5.1%, 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.
Wasco County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 22% below US
259 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2755/100k · The Dalles Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 37% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.5 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; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 37% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (72 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
The Dalles's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($993/mo) equals 19% 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 The Dalles
All Oregon guides →Moving to Troutdale →
59 mi away · pop. 15,923
Rent $1,653/mo · Income $89,337
Compare with The Dalles →Moving to Fairview →
61 mi away · pop. 10,735
Rent $1,637/mo · Income $70,107
Compare with The Dalles →Moving to Gresham →
61 mi away · pop. 112,378
Rent $1,586/mo · Income $77,795
Compare with The Dalles →Not sure The Dalles is the one?
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