The Town Files

Monmouth, Oregon

City in Polk County · population 11,110 (2020 Census)

Map: where Monmouth is in OregonMonmouth
Median home
$413,200
Household income
$69,170
Jan low / Jul high
35° / 83°
Snow a year
6 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
27.1

Monmouth is a city of 11,110 people in Polk County, Oregon. The median home is worth $413,200, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Oregon towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Oregon towns, more vibrant than 87% of Oregon towns.

How Monmouth 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.

Monmouth lifestyle rankings vs other Oregon townsRetirement12th pctFamilies4th pctQuiet1st pctWalkability80th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals92nd pctVibrancy87th pctHip & trendy84th pctCollege town99th pctUpscale48th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling82nd pctTransit79th pctDriving54th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Monmouth is worth $413,200, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $69,170, which is more affordable than 28% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,114 a month. 47.4% of households own their home.

Monmouth vs Polk County vs typical Oregon townMonmouthPolk CountyTypical Oregon townHome value$413,200$454,700$394,200Household income$69,170$85,118$76,221Monthly rent$1,114$1,299$1,312
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Oregon towns with 500+ people.
HousingMonmouthTypical Oregon town
Median home value$413,200$394,200
Median rent$1,114$1,312
Median household income$69,170$76,221
Home value ÷ income6.0×5.1×
Homeownership47.4%71.1%
Median year built19931981
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Monmouth

PeopleMonmouthTypical Oregon town
Median age27.141.7
Age 65 and over11.8%20.1%
Under 1820.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher27.3%23.2%
Below the poverty line16.1%10.8%
Veterans8.4%—
Born outside the U.S.6.3%—
Work from home10.6%12.2%
Average commute23.8 min23.2 min
Homes with broadband90.9%92.4%

Weather in Monmouth

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 35.2°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.0 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.

Monmouth monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing47°35°Jan51°36°Feb56°38°Mar61°40°Apr68°45°May73°49°Jun83°52°Jul83°52°Aug78°49°Sep65°44°Oct52°38°Nov46°35°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue7.51.45.61.65.10.63.72.41.50.30.51.63.87.20.28.72.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Dallas 2 Ne station (7.3 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Monmouth since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 2003 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2003.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Monmouth by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Severe weather in Polk County since 1996

Storm events in Polk County since 1996 by typeFlood27Tornado3High Wind5Ice Storm3Heavy Rain16Frost/Freeze2Funnel Cloud5Thunderstorm Wind3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Polk County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Polk County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2026Severe StormDR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
May 4, 2021Severe StormDR-4599: Severe Winter Storm
March 28, 2020BiologicalDR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3429: Covid-19
February 17, 2016Severe StormDR-4258: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Polk County

Polk County had 21,937 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,263 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Monmouth itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.

Largest industries in Polk CountyHealth care & social assistan…4,291 jobs · $46,566Hotels & restaurants2,064 jobs · $23,156Retail1,812 jobs · $34,432Manufacturing1,635 jobs · $53,123Construction1,273 jobs · $62,761Other services724 jobs · $36,250
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Polk County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Polk 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Monmouth

3 public schools with 1,173 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Monmouth Elementary SchoolK-550518.7
Ash Creek Elementary SchoolK-543620.8
Luckiamute Valley Charter School (charter)K-823216.6

Towns near Monmouth

Monmouth questions

Is Monmouth, Oregon a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monmouth scores better for retirees than 12% of Oregon towns and quieter than 1%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.1).

How much does a house cost in Monmouth?

The median owner-occupied home in Monmouth is valued at $413,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,170, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $1,114 a month.

What is the weather like in Monmouth?

July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 35.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 6.0 inches of snow.

Does Monmouth get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Monmouth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 2003. The typical Oregon town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Monmouth's Census boundary (GEOID 4149550). Comparisons use the median of Oregon towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.