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Living in
Baker City.
About
Life in Baker City
Baker City is a community of 10,177 people in Oregon. The median household income is $61,580, median rent runs about $896 per month, and median home values are around $271,400. The unemployment rate is 5.5%.
Baker City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.0%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Baker City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Baker City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (34.8%), and 2.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.9%
of residents
65 and Older
24.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.2%
of households
Married Couples
45.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
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 41% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Baker City
In Baker City, rent runs 41% below the OR average, and home values are 43% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,493
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $260,512 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OR
Unemployment in Baker City
Unemployment in Baker County, which includes Baker City, is close to the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Baker City: Baker County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Baker County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Baker City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.1 min avg
How Baker City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Baker City, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 115 mi
Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI)
Medium hub2.6M 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 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Baker City runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
138.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,529.3
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Baker City Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
48.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Baker County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Baker County, which includes Baker City, the most common type is heavy snow, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 5 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 3 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2022 | 3 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 5 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 9 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2018 | 4 | Hail | 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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Baker County, county-wide
Air Quality29 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Baker County, which includes Baker City, is typically good — 304 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
29
Good Days
304
per year
Moderate Days
61
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Baker County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Baker City has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/47°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/31°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
9.1"
Annual Snowfall
78.6"
Hot Days/Year
27
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
191
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
94
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 20°F | 0.70" |
| Feb | 44°F | 23°F | 0.59" |
| Mar | 54°F | 28°F | 0.77" |
| Apr | 61°F | 31°F | 0.82" |
| May | 70°F | 39°F | 1.46" |
| Jun | 77°F | 44°F | 1.10" |
| Jul | 88°F | 49°F | 0.55" |
| Aug | 88°F | 47°F | 0.43" |
| Sep | 79°F | 39°F | 0.44" |
| Oct | 64°F | 30°F | 0.62" |
| Nov | 48°F | 25°F | 0.73" |
| Dec | 37°F | 20°F | 0.85" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Baker City
Baker City has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
St. Alphonsus Medical Center - Baker City
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education20.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Baker City
Baker City's student/teacher ratio is 20.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 93 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Baker City
Baker City has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Whitman Mission National Historic Site (93 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Whitman Mission National Historic Site
National Historic Site
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Baker City
Baker County Library District
2400 Resort St, Baker City
Cities Near Baker City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Baker City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Baker City FAQ
Is Baker City, Oregon affordable?⌄
Baker City's median rent is $896/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,580/year. Median home value is $271,400.
Is Baker City, Oregon safe?⌄
Baker City's violent crime rate was 138 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1529 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Baker City, Oregon?⌄
Baker County, which includes Baker City, has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Baker City, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Baker City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $896/month and median household income is $61,580/year. The median home value is $271,400. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Baker City, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Baker City is 14 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