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Living in
Klamath Falls.
About
Life in Klamath Falls
This is a city where the sun genuinely matters to your quality of life—300 days of sunshine per year mean winters are cold and snowy but summers are dry and pleasant, with hot afternoons cooling down quickly at night. The trade-off is real: you'll deal with cold snaps (the freeze-free season is only about 120 days), but you won't face the relentless dreariness of the Willamette Valley. The high desert location at 4,000-plus feet elevation keeps things crisp, and geothermal springs under the older downtown area have historically heated homes and streets, which is both unique and practical.
Klamath Falls at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.4%
Foreign-Born
4.7%
Broadband Internet
87.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Klamath Falls: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Klamath Falls, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.2%), and 6.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
14.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.8%
of households
Married Couples
38.8%
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 35% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Klamath Falls
In Klamath Falls, rent runs 35% below the OR average, and home values are 40% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,188
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $302,160 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2 pts above OR average
Unemployment in Klamath Falls
Unemployment in Klamath County, which includes Klamath Falls, is 2 percentage points higher than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Klamath Falls: Klamath County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Klamath County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Klamath Falls Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.3 min avg
How Klamath Falls residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Klamath Falls, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 91% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 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 39% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Klamath Falls runs 39% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
458.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,621.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Klamath Falls Police Department
Natural DisastersWildfire most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Klamath County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Klamath County, which includes Klamath Falls, 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 | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 28 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2023 | 25 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2022 | 19 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2021 | 19 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2020 | 17 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2019 | 16 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 18 | High Wind | 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.
6 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Klamath County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Klamath County, which includes Klamath Falls, is typically good — 235 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
235
per year
Moderate Days
127
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Klamath County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Klamath Falls has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/31°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/45°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/32°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.8"
Annual Snowfall
52.2"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
184
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 1.51" |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 1.12" |
| Mar | 52°F | 27°F | 1.03" |
| Apr | 58°F | 29°F | 1.06" |
| May | 67°F | 36°F | 1.04" |
| Jun | 76°F | 41°F | 0.66" |
| Jul | 86°F | 48°F | 0.22" |
| Aug | 85°F | 47°F | 0.28" |
| Sep | 78°F | 39°F | 0.30" |
| Oct | 64°F | 31°F | 0.74" |
| Nov | 49°F | 25°F | 1.38" |
| Dec | 40°F | 21°F | 1.80" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Sky Lakes 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.
Education20.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls's student/teacher ratio is 20.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 24.0% 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
24.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Klamath Falls
Oregon Institute of Technology
Public · 4-year · 2,892 students · in-state tuition $13,760 · 54% graduate · median earnings $78,398 (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: Tule Lake National Monument, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Tule Lake National Monument (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Tule Lake National Monument
National Monument
31 mi awayLava Beds National Monument
National Monument
34 mi awayCrater Lake National Park
National Park
53 mi awayOregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
National Monument & Preserve
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Klamath Falls
Klamath County Library Service District
126 S 3rd St, Klamath Falls
Cities Near Klamath Falls
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Klamath Falls?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Klamath Falls FAQ
Is Klamath Falls, Oregon affordable?⌄
Klamath Falls's median rent is $986/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,693/year. Median home value is $287,000.
Is Klamath Falls, Oregon safe?⌄
Klamath Falls's violent crime rate was 459 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2621 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Klamath Falls, Oregon?⌄
Klamath County, which includes Klamath Falls, has an unemployment rate of 7.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Klamath Falls, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Klamath Falls is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $986/month and median household income is $46,693/year. The median home value is $287,000. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Klamath Falls, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Klamath Falls 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