The Town FilesPhilomath, Oregon
City in Benton County · population 5,350 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $421,300
- Household income
- $83,672
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 37.3
Philomath is a city of 5,350 people in Benton County, Oregon. The median home is worth $421,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Oregon towns, better for cycling than 96% of Oregon towns, better for young professionals than 94% of Oregon towns.
How Philomath 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 Philomath is worth $421,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $83,672, which is more affordable than 55% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,477 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Philomath | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $421,300 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,477 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $83,672 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Philomath
| People | Philomath | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Philomath
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 68.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philomath since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 4, 2009 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 4, 2009.
Severe weather in Benton County since 1996
Benton County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Benton County
Benton County had 38,636 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,162 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Philomath itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Philomath
6 public schools with 1,632 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philomath High School | 9-12 | 469 | 18.0 |
| Philomath Elementary School | 2-5 | 367 | 16.7 |
| Philomath Middle School | 6-8 | 344 | 17.2 |
| Kings Valley Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 202 | 14.4 |
| Clemens Primary School | K-1 | 177 | 14.8 |
| Philomath Academy | K-12 | 73 | 36.5 |
Towns near Philomath
- Corvallis, OR4.4 mi · 59,922 people · home $502,900
- Albany, OR14.2 mi · 56,472 people · home $389,200
- Millersburg, OR17.0 mi · 2,919 people · home $567,200
- Harrisburg, OR21.1 mi · 3,652 people · home $320,900
- Jefferson, OR21.2 mi · 3,327 people · home $373,000
- Lebanon, OR22.2 mi · 18,447 people · home $336,800
- Monmouth, OR22.3 mi · 11,110 people · home $413,200
- Independence, OR23.2 mi · 9,828 people · home $378,800
Philomath questions
Is Philomath, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Philomath scores better for retirees than 79% of Oregon towns and quieter than 28%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Philomath?
The median owner-occupied home in Philomath is valued at $421,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,672, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,477 a month.
What is the weather like in Philomath?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 68.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3.9 inches of snow.
Does Philomath get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philomath since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 4, 2009. 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)