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Living in
La Grande.
About
Life in La Grande
La Grande is a community of 13,059 people in Oregon. The median household income is $58,427, median rent runs about $970 per month, and median home values are around $278,700. The unemployment rate is 5.7%.
La Grande at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.9%
Foreign-Born
4.8%
Broadband Internet
86.7%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.8% foreign-born, most often from Oceania, n.e.c.
Who lives in La Grande: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In La Grande, the largest foreign-born group is from Oceania, n.e.c. (29.1%), and 2.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.6%
of residents
65 and Older
18.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.4%
of households
Married Couples
39.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.29
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 37% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in La Grande
In La Grande, rent runs 37% below the OR average, and home values are 42% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,863
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $299,566 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above OR average
Unemployment in La Grande
Unemployment in Union County, which includes La Grande, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
La Grande: Union County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Union County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What La Grande Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute13.1 min avg
How La Grande residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In La Grande, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 91% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 45 mi
Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton (PDT)
Regional airport · few flights6,683 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 7% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in La Grande runs 7% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
306
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,065.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
La Grande Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
43.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Union County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Union County, which includes La Grande, the most common type is heavy snow, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 11 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 16 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Heavy Snow | $750,000 |
| 2019 | 15 | Heavy Snow | $255,000 |
| 2018 | 9 | Heavy Snow | 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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Union County, county-wide
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Union County, which includes La Grande, is typically good — 298 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
27
Good Days
298
per year
Moderate Days
55
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Union County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
La Grande has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.4"
Annual Snowfall
9.4"
Hot Days/Year
31
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
95
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 25°F | 1.67" |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 1.23" |
| Mar | 52°F | 31°F | 1.72" |
| Apr | 59°F | 35°F | 1.83" |
| May | 68°F | 43°F | 2.24" |
| Jun | 75°F | 49°F | 1.37" |
| Jul | 86°F | 55°F | 0.60" |
| Aug | 87°F | 53°F | 0.67" |
| Sep | 77°F | 45°F | 0.67" |
| Oct | 62°F | 36°F | 1.58" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.94" |
| Dec | 39°F | 24°F | 1.88" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in La Grande
La Grande has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Grande Ronde Hospital
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.
Education16.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in La Grande
La Grande's student/teacher ratio is 16.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in La Grande
Public · 4-year · 2,172 students · in-state tuition $11,634 · 48% graduate · median earnings $53,987 (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: Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 53 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for La Grande
La Grande has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Whitman Mission National Historic Site (53 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Whitman Mission National Historic Site
National Historic Site
53 mi awayIce Age Floods National Geologic Trail
National Geologic Trail
96 mi awayJohn Day Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in La Grande
F. Maxine And Thomas W. Cook Memorial Library
2006 4th Street, La Grande
Cities Near La Grande
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to La Grande?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
La Grande FAQ
Is La Grande, Oregon affordable?⌄
La Grande's median rent is $968/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,427/year. Median home value is $278,700.
Is La Grande, Oregon safe?⌄
La Grande's violent crime rate was 306 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2066 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in La Grande, Oregon?⌄
Union County, which includes La Grande, has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in La Grande, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in La Grande is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $968/month and median household income is $58,427/year. The median home value is $278,700. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in La Grande, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in La Grande is 13 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