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Living in
Ashland.
About
Life in Ashland
Life here revolves around two anchors: Southern Oregon University and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which together shape the local economy, culture, and rhythm of the year. The university employs over 750 people and the Shakespeare Festival another 500, and while tourism from the festival's February-to-October season definitely drives restaurant, gallery, and retail activity, the real economy also includes healthcare, outdoor recreation businesses, and light manufacturing—so it's not entirely dependent on visitors. What keeps people here is the actual culture—Ashland has a reputation for progressive politics that genuinely differs from the rest of southwest Oregon, and the arts scene is legitimate, not just a tourist veneer, with year-round theater, an independent film festival, the New Plays Festival, chamber music, and galleries affiliated with the university's Oregon Center for the Arts.
Ashland at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Foreign-Born
6.7%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.7% foreign-born, most often from Europe, n.e.c.
Who lives in Ashland: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ashland, the largest foreign-born group is from Europe, n.e.c. (12.2%), and 4.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
12.3%
of residents
65 and Older
29.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
15.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.7%
of households
Married Couples
36.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.91
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 9% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Ashland
In Ashland, rent runs 9% below the OR average, and home values are 22% above the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,274
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $542,434 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above OR average
Unemployment in Ashland
Unemployment in Jackson County, which includes Ashland, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Ashland: Jackson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jackson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Ashland Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.8 min avg
How Ashland residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ashland, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR)
Small hub536k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 27% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ashland runs 27% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
240
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,353.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ashland Police Department
Natural DisastersWildfire most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jackson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jackson County, which includes Ashland, the most common type is wildfire, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Winter Storm | $150,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | Winter Storm | $192,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 17 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2020 | 23 | Wildfire | $10.0M |
| 2019 | 22 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2018 | 20 | Wildfire | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
14 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jackson County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jackson County, which includes Ashland, is typically good — 242 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
242
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Jackson County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ashland has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/49°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
50°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
115
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 30°F | 2.35" |
| Feb | 54°F | 30°F | 2.04" |
| Mar | 58°F | 32°F | 2.03" |
| Apr | 63°F | 35°F | 1.95" |
| May | 71°F | 41°F | 1.64" |
| Jun | 79°F | 46°F | 0.85" |
| Jul | 88°F | 51°F | 0.44" |
| Aug | 87°F | 49°F | 0.37" |
| Sep | 81°F | 43°F | 0.50" |
| Oct | 68°F | 36°F | 1.41" |
| Nov | 54°F | 33°F | 2.57" |
| Dec | 47°F | 29°F | 3.38" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ashland
Ashland has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Asante Ashland Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11 mi away · Medford
Providence Medford Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.2 mi away · Medford
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ashland
Ashland's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 66.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
66.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ashland
Public · 4-year · 2,751 students · in-state tuition $13,298 · 53% graduate · median earnings $54,657 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ashland
Ashland has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
National Monument & Preserve
37 mi awayCrater Lake National Park
National Park
59 mi awayLava Beds National Monument
National Monument
68 mi awayTule Lake National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayRedwood National and State Parks
National and State Parks
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ashland
Ashland Branch Library
410 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland
Cities Near Ashland
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ashland?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ashland FAQ
Is Ashland, Oregon affordable?⌄
Ashland's median rent is $1,387/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $68,028/year. Median home value is $583,800.
Is Ashland, Oregon safe?⌄
Ashland's violent crime rate was 240 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1354 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ashland, Oregon?⌄
Jackson County, which includes Ashland, has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ashland, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Ashland is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,387/month and median household income is $68,028/year. The median home value is $583,800. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ashland, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Ashland is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from