The Town FilesHermiston, Oregon
City in Umatilla County · population 19,354 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $266,700
- Household income
- $66,998
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 30.9
Hermiston is a city of 19,354 people in Umatilla County, Oregon. The median home is worth $266,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks easier by car than 80% of Oregon towns, better for cycling than 73% of Oregon towns, more vibrant than 71% of Oregon towns.
How Hermiston 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 Hermiston is worth $266,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $66,998, which is more affordable than 85% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,088 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hermiston | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $266,700 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,088 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $66,998 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Hermiston
| People | Hermiston | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 31.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Hermiston
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 28.7°F. About 8.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.5 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hermiston since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 23, 2004 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 23, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 6, 1991.
Severe weather in Umatilla County since 1996
Umatilla County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2026 | Fire | FM-5664: Hagen Fire |
| July 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5645: Lower Dry Creek Fire |
| January 1, 2025 | Fire | DR-4854: Wildfires |
| July 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5514: Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| April 3, 2020 | Flood | DR-4519: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Umatilla County
Umatilla County had 33,030 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,594 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Hermiston itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Hermiston
9 public schools with 5,419 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermiston High School | 9-12 | 1,692 | 19.9 |
| Armand Larive Middle School | 6-8 | 738 | 16.8 |
| Sandstone Middle School | 6-8 | 592 | 18.5 |
| Rocky Heights Elementary School | K-5 | 451 | 16.1 |
| West Park Elementary School | K-5 | 444 | 15.9 |
| Sunset Elementary School | K-5 | 428 | 16.5 |
| Loma Vista Elementary | K-5 | 402 | 15.5 |
| Desert View Elementary School | K-5 | 356 | 14.8 |
| Highland Hills Elementary School | K-5 | 316 | 14.4 |
Towns near Hermiston
- Umatilla, OR6.3 mi · 7,363 people · home $238,500
- Boardman, OR19.6 mi · 3,828 people · home $235,300
- Pendleton, OR24.9 mi · 17,107 people · home $287,100
- Kennewick, WA25.7 mi · 83,921 people · home $370,700
- Finley, WA25.9 mi · 6,152 people · home $382,500
- Burbank, WA29.1 mi · 3,499 people · home $412,900
Hermiston questions
Is Hermiston, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hermiston scores better for retirees than 3% of Oregon towns and quieter than 22%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Hermiston?
The median owner-occupied home in Hermiston is valued at $266,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,998, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,088 a month.
What is the weather like in Hermiston?
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 28.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.6 inches of precipitation a year and 11.5 inches of snow.
Does Hermiston get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hermiston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 23, 2004. 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)