The Town FilesBend, Oregon
City in Deschutes County · population 99,178 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $718,400
- Household income
- $96,394
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.9
Bend is a city of 99,178 people in Deschutes County, Oregon. The median home is worth $718,400, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Oregon towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Oregon towns.
How Bend ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bend is worth $718,400, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 7.5 times the median household income of $96,394, which is more affordable than 7% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,883 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bend | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $718,400 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,883 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $96,394 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.4% | — |
Who lives in Bend
| People | Bend | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 24.8% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 16.3 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 92.4% |
Weather in Bend
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 10.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.6 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bend since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 22, 1989 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 13, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 4, 2017.
Severe weather in Deschutes County since 1996
Deschutes County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2026 | Fire | FM-5647: Akawa Butte Fire |
| August 23, 2025 | Fire | FM-5610: Flat Fire |
| August 2, 2024 | Fire | FM-5527: Mile Marker 132 Fire |
| June 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5500: Darlene 3 Fire |
| June 30, 2021 | Fire | FM-5394: 0419 Fire |
Jobs and pay in Deschutes County
Deschutes County had 93,866 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,229 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Bend itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Bend
32 public schools with 16,399 students, about 21.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit High School | 9-12 | 1,326 | 26.0 |
| Mountain View Senior High School | 9-12 | 1,261 | 22.9 |
| Caldera High School | 9-12 | 1,247 | 178.1 |
| Bend Senior High School | 9-12 | 1,232 | 22.4 |
| Oregon Family School (charter) | K-12 | 891 | 21.7 |
| High Desert Middle School | 6-8 | 693 | 23.1 |
| Pilot Butte Middle School | 6-8 | 641 | 19.4 |
| Pacific Crest Middle School | 6-8 | 626 | 25.0 |
| Cascade Middle School | 6-8 | 617 | 23.7 |
| Sky View Middle School | 6-8 | 580 | 20.0 |
| Pine Ridge Elementary | K-5 | 545 | 19.5 |
| Bear Creek Elementary School | K-5 | 508 | 15.9 |
Towns near Bend
- Deschutes River Woods, OR5.4 mi · 5,532 people · home $559,500
- Eagle Crest, OR14.2 mi · 2,761 people · home $750,300
- Redmond, OR15.4 mi · 33,274 people · home $462,500
- Three Rivers, OR17.1 mi · 3,925 people · home $557,700
- Sisters, OR20.3 mi · 3,064 people · home $631,100
- Crooked River Ranch, OR25.4 mi · 4,912 people · home $462,300
- La Pine, OR27.0 mi · 2,512 people · home $363,800
- Prineville, OR27.8 mi · 10,736 people · home $425,900
Bend questions
Is Bend, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bend scores better for retirees than 41% of Oregon towns and quieter than 22%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Bend?
The median owner-occupied home in Bend is valued at $718,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,394, so homes cost about 7.5 times income. Median rent is $1,883 a month.
What is the weather like in Bend?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.6 inches of precipitation a year and 21.6 inches of snow.
Does Bend get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bend since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 22, 1989. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)