The Town FilesSisters, Oregon
City in Deschutes County · population 3,064 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $631,100
- Household income
- $94,524
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 49.6
Sisters is a city of 3,064 people in Deschutes County, Oregon. The median home is worth $631,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 99% of Oregon towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Oregon
- #3 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Oregon
- #5 in The 19 Quietest Small Towns in Oregon
- #5 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Oregon
- #8 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #8 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
How Sisters 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 Sisters is worth $631,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $94,524, which is more affordable than 14% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,350 a month. 73.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sisters | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $631,100 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,350 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $94,524 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 73.3% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 2010 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.7% | — |
Who lives in Sisters
| People | Sisters | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.6 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.9% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.2% | — |
| Work from home | 16.3% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Sisters
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 15.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 202 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Sisters since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 30, 2020.
Severe weather in Deschutes County since 1996
Deschutes County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2026 | Fire | FM-5647: Akawa Butte Fire |
| August 23, 2025 | Fire | FM-5610: Flat Fire |
| August 2, 2024 | Fire | FM-5527: Mile Marker 132 Fire |
| June 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5500: Darlene 3 Fire |
| June 30, 2021 | Fire | FM-5394: 0419 Fire |
Jobs and pay in Deschutes County
Deschutes County had 93,866 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,229 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Sisters itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Sisters
3 public schools with 1,173 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sisters Elementary School | K-4 | 404 | 15.0 |
| Sisters High School | 9-12 | 396 | 15.8 |
| Sisters Middle School | 5-8 | 373 | 17.8 |
Towns near Sisters
- Eagle Crest, OR12.7 mi · 2,761 people · home $750,300
- Crooked River Ranch, OR16.4 mi · 4,912 people · home $462,300
- Redmond, OR18.5 mi · 33,274 people · home $462,500
- Bend, OR20.3 mi · 99,178 people · home $718,400
- Deschutes River Woods, OR23.2 mi · 5,532 people · home $559,500
Sisters questions
Is Sisters, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sisters scores better for retirees than 100% of Oregon towns and quieter than 91%. 38.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.6).
How much does a house cost in Sisters?
The median owner-occupied home in Sisters is valued at $631,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,524, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,350 a month.
What is the weather like in Sisters?
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.2 inches of precipitation a year and 25.9 inches of snow.
Does Sisters get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Sisters in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)