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Living in
Grants Pass.
About
Life in Grants Pass
If you're seriously considering moving here, you're looking at a mid-sized city with real small-town character but enough services and amenities to feel substantial. The cost of living is reasonable—median home values around $383,000 and median rent near $1,217 make it more affordable than many West Coast markets—though it's not exactly cheap. The economy has diversified away from timber into healthcare, recreation services, and some marijuana-related businesses, with an unemployment rate of 6.5%, which is workable but not exceptional.
Grants Pass at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.4%
Foreign-Born
3.5%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Grants Pass: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Grants Pass, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (43.4%), and 4.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
22.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.8%
of households
Married Couples
42.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.30
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 20% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Grants Pass
In Grants Pass, rent runs 20% below the OR average, and home values are 20% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,626
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $397,758 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts above OR average
Unemployment in Grants Pass
Unemployment in Grants Pass is 1.3 percentage points higher than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Grants Pass Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.2 min avg
How Grants Pass residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Grants Pass, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 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 12% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Grants Pass runs 12% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
369.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,256.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Grants Pass Police Department
Natural DisastersFrost/Freeze most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Josephine County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Josephine County, which includes Grants Pass, the most common type is frost/freeze, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Winter Storm | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 13 | Winter Storm | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 23 | Wildfire | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 11 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 20 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 13 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 20 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 21 | Wildfire | 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
Josephine County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Josephine County, which includes Grants Pass, is typically good — 249 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
249
per year
Moderate Days
108
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Josephine County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Grants Pass has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
31.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.9"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
66
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 35°F | 5.08" |
| Feb | 54°F | 36°F | 3.97" |
| Mar | 60°F | 37°F | 3.65" |
| Apr | 65°F | 40°F | 2.31" |
| May | 74°F | 46°F | 1.39" |
| Jun | 81°F | 51°F | 0.68" |
| Jul | 91°F | 56°F | 0.37" |
| Aug | 91°F | 55°F | 0.26" |
| Sep | 84°F | 48°F | 0.56" |
| Oct | 70°F | 41°F | 2.07" |
| Nov | 54°F | 39°F | 4.42" |
| Dec | 46°F | 35°F | 6.55" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Grants Pass
Grants Pass has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Asante Three Rivers Medical Center
Acute Care 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.
Education18.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Grants Pass
Grants Pass's student/teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 19.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Grants Pass
Grants Pass has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
National Monument & Preserve
23 mi awayCrater Lake National Park
National Park
70 mi awayRedwood National and State Parks
National and State Parks
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Grants Pass
Josephine Community Library District
200 Nw C St, Grants Pass
Cities Near Grants Pass
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Grants Pass?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Grants Pass FAQ
Is Grants Pass, Oregon affordable?⌄
Grants Pass's median rent is $1,217/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $59,646/year. Median home value is $382,600.
Is Grants Pass, Oregon safe?⌄
Grants Pass's violent crime rate was 369 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2257 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Grants Pass, Oregon?⌄
Grants Pass has an unemployment rate of 6.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Grants Pass, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Grants Pass is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,217/month and median household income is $59,646/year. The median home value is $382,600. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Grants Pass, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Grants Pass is 18 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