The Town FilesPendleton, Oregon
City in Umatilla County · population 17,107 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $287,100
- Household income
- $66,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.9
Pendleton is a city of 17,107 people in Umatilla County, Oregon. The median home is worth $287,100, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Oregon towns, better for young professionals than 82% of Oregon towns, easier by car than 76% of Oregon towns.
How Pendleton 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 Pendleton is worth $287,100, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $66,563, which is more affordable than 79% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $956 a month. 56.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pendleton | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $287,100 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $956 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $66,563 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 56.5% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Pendleton
| People | Pendleton | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Pendleton
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 28.2°F. About 13.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.0 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pendleton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 13, 2002 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 30, 2020.
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 Pendleton itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Pendleton
9 public schools with 3,097 students, about 18.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pendleton High School | 9-12 | 773 | 19.8 |
| Sunridge Middle School | 6-8 | 648 | 19.6 |
| Sherwood Heights Elementary School | K-5 | 441 | 15.8 |
| Washington Elementary School | K-5 | 425 | 17.0 |
| McKay Creek Elementary School | K-5 | 253 | 18.1 |
| Pendleton Early Learning Center | PK-K | 228 | 16.3 |
| InterMountain Virtual Learning Academy | K-12 | 207 | 69.0 |
| Nixyaawii Community School (charter) | 9-12 | 78 | 9.8 |
| Hawthorne Alternative High School | 9-12 | 44 | 44.0 |
Towns near Pendleton
- Hermiston, OR24.9 mi · 19,354 people · home $266,700
- Milton-Freewater, OR27.3 mi · 7,151 people · home $240,000
- Umatilla, OR29.8 mi · 7,363 people · home $238,500
Pendleton questions
Is Pendleton, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pendleton scores better for retirees than 35% of Oregon towns and quieter than 31%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Pendleton?
The median owner-occupied home in Pendleton is valued at $287,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,563, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $956 a month.
What is the weather like in Pendleton?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 28.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.1 inches of precipitation a year and 18.0 inches of snow.
Does Pendleton get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pendleton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 13, 2002. 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)