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Living in
Coos Bay.
About
Life in Coos Bay
Living here means embracing a quiet, slower-paced lifestyle on Oregon's most populated stretch of coast—a region that blends genuine small-town affordability with the trade-offs that come with it. With about 16,000 people in Coos Bay proper and another 16,000 in the adjacent North Bend area, you're getting a real community, not a ghost town, but also nowhere near the bustle of Portland or Eugene. The median home value hovers around $306,900 with median rent at $1,034 a month, making it genuinely affordable compared to much of the Pacific Northwest, though job growth is flat and the local economy leans heavily on whatever seasonal work and regional employers can provide.
Coos Bay at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.3%
Foreign-Born
3.8%
Broadband Internet
92.1%
of households
Population Growth
-2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Coos Bay: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Coos Bay, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.4%), and 4.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.1%
of residents
65 and Older
22.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.4%
of households
Married Couples
34.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
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 32% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Coos Bay
In Coos Bay, rent runs 32% below the OR average, and home values are 36% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,326
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $324,616 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above OR average
Unemployment in Coos Bay
Unemployment in Coos County, which includes Coos Bay, is 0.6 percentage points higher than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Coos Bay: Coos County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Coos County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Coos Bay Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.1 min avg
How Coos Bay residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Coos Bay, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH)
Regional airport · few flights26k 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 56% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Coos Bay runs 56% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
514.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,878.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Coos Bay Police Department
Natural DisastersFrost/Freeze most common — 33 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Coos County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Coos County, which includes Coos Bay, the most common type is frost/freeze, with 33 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2024 | 41 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 39 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2021 | 31 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 17 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 32 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2018 | 21 | High Wind | Not estimated |
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.
10 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Coos County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Air quality in Coos County, which includes Coos Bay, is typically good — 260 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
260
per year
Moderate Days
94
per year
Unhealthy Days
4
per year
Coos County, county-wide
Climate66°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Coos Bay has cool summers (avg high 66°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
66°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
65.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
10
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
159
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 41°F | 9.43" |
| Feb | 54°F | 41°F | 6.99" |
| Mar | 55°F | 42°F | 7.49" |
| Apr | 57°F | 44°F | 5.40" |
| May | 61°F | 48°F | 2.95" |
| Jun | 64°F | 51°F | 1.55" |
| Jul | 66°F | 54°F | 0.35" |
| Aug | 67°F | 54°F | 0.42" |
| Sep | 67°F | 51°F | 1.55" |
| Oct | 63°F | 47°F | 4.24" |
| Nov | 57°F | 44°F | 8.30" |
| Dec | 53°F | 40°F | 10.47" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Coos Bay
Coos Bay has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Bay Area Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Coquille Valley Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.1 mi away · Coquille
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.
Education19.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Coos Bay
Coos Bay's student/teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Coos Bay
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Public · 2-year · 1,270 students · in-state tuition $7,725 · 32% graduate · median earnings $43,656 (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, 98 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Coos Bay
Coos Bay has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (98 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
National Monument & Preserve
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Coos Bay
Coos Bay Public Library
525 Anderson Ave, Coos Bay
Cities Near Coos Bay
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Coos Bay?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Coos Bay FAQ
Is Coos Bay, Oregon affordable?⌄
Coos Bay's median rent is $1,034/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,524/year. Median home value is $306,900.
Is Coos Bay, Oregon safe?⌄
Coos Bay's violent crime rate was 514 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3878 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Coos Bay, Oregon?⌄
Coos County, which includes Coos Bay, has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Coos Bay, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Coos Bay is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,034/month and median household income is $56,524/year. The median home value is $306,900. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Coos Bay, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Coos Bay 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