© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Ontario.
About
Life in Ontario
Ontario is a community of 11,728 people in Oregon. The median household income is $46,308, median rent runs about $804 per month, and median home values are around $236,300. The unemployment rate is 4.7%.
Ontario at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.0%
Foreign-Born
7.7%
Broadband Internet
88.8%
of households
Population Growth
+1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Ontario: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ontario, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (93.4%), and 25.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.6%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.4%
of households
Married Couples
34.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
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 47% below OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Ontario
In Ontario, rent runs 47% below the OR average, and home values are 51% below the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,814
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $303,104 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below OR average
Unemployment in Ontario
Unemployment in Malheur County, which includes Ontario, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Ontario: Malheur County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Malheur County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Ontario Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.2 min avg
How Ontario residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ontario, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 49 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 34% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ontario runs 34% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
441.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,965
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ontario Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
34.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Malheur County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Malheur County, which includes Ontario, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 5 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2022 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 2 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 4 | 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.
14 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Malheur County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Canyon County, ID (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 31 miles from Ontario) is typically good — 280 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
280
per year
Moderate Days
83
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Canyon County, ID (31 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ontario has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.0"
Annual Snowfall
15.4"
Hot Days/Year
62
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
150
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
70
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 23°F | 1.30" |
| Feb | 44°F | 26°F | 0.79" |
| Mar | 56°F | 32°F | 1.00" |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 0.87" |
| May | 74°F | 47°F | 1.41" |
| Jun | 82°F | 54°F | 0.68" |
| Jul | 93°F | 60°F | 0.25" |
| Aug | 91°F | 57°F | 0.10" |
| Sep | 81°F | 47°F | 0.34" |
| Oct | 65°F | 36°F | 0.77" |
| Nov | 47°F | 28°F | 0.90" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 1.58" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ontario
Ontario has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Saint Alphonsus Medical Center Ontario
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.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ontario
Ontario's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 15.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ontario
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Ontario
Ontario Library District
388 Sw 2nd Ave, Ontario
Cities Near Ontario
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ontario?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ontario FAQ
Is Ontario, Oregon affordable?⌄
Ontario's median rent is $804/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,308/year. Median home value is $236,300.
Is Ontario, Oregon safe?⌄
Ontario's violent crime rate was 442 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3965 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ontario, Oregon?⌄
Malheur County, which includes Ontario, has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ontario, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Ontario is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $804/month and median household income is $46,308/year. The median home value is $236,300. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ontario, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Ontario 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