The Town FilesLa Grande, Oregon
City in Union County · population 13,026 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $278,700
- Household income
- $58,427
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 32.9
La Grande is a city of 13,026 people in Union County, Oregon. The median home is worth $278,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for cycling than 79% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Oregon towns, hipper than 72% of Oregon towns.
How La Grande 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 La Grande is worth $278,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $58,427, which is more affordable than 62% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $968 a month. 51.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Grande | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $278,700 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $968 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $58,427 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 51.1% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in La Grande
| People | La Grande | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.9 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.9% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 13.1 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in La Grande
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 24.6°F. About 17.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Grande since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 21, 1983 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 1983.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 31, 2015.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2026 | Fire | FM-5664: Hagen Fire |
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Flood | DR-4519: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 10,486 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,345 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in La Grande itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in La Grande
5 public schools with 1,730 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Grande High School | 9-12 | 628 | 19.6 |
| La Grande Middle School | 6-8 | 456 | 16.9 |
| Central Elementary School | K-5 | 395 | 15.2 |
| Greenwood Elementary School | K-5 | 248 | 13.8 |
| RiverBend High School | 9-12 | 3 | — |
La Grande questions
Is La Grande, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Grande scores better for retirees than 34% of Oregon towns and quieter than 33%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.9).
How much does a house cost in La Grande?
The median owner-occupied home in La Grande is valued at $278,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,427, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $968 a month.
What is the weather like in La Grande?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 24.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.4 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does La Grande get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Grande since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 21, 1983. 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)