The Town FilesBurns, Oregon
City in Harney County · population 2,730 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $187,200
- Household income
- $41,858
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 52.8
Burns is a city of 2,730 people in Harney County, Oregon. The median home is worth $187,200, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for cycling than 95% of Oregon towns, quieter than 72% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Oregon towns.
How Burns 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 Burns is worth $187,200, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $41,858, which is more affordable than 70% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $734 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burns | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,200 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $734 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $41,858 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Burns
| People | Burns | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.5% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 12.9 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Burns
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 10.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 207 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 9, 2001 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 20, 2001.
Severe weather in Harney County since 1996
Harney County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2024 | Fire | FM-5512: Falls Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2007 | Fire | FM-2712: Egley Fire Complex |
| September 7, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3228: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Harney County
Harney County had 2,560 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,173 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Burns itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Burns
4 public schools with 553 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry L Slater Elementary School | K-5 | 307 | 16.2 |
| Burns High School | 9-12 | 230 | 14.4 |
| Monroe School | 6-12 | 16 | 16.0 |
| Burns High Desert Academy | K-12 | — | — |
Burns questions
Is Burns, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burns scores better for retirees than 69% of Oregon towns and quieter than 72%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Burns?
The median owner-occupied home in Burns is valued at $187,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,858, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $734 a month.
What is the weather like in Burns?
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Burns get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 9, 2001. 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)