The Town FilesThe Dalles, Oregon
City in Wasco County · population 16,010 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,800
- Household income
- $62,614
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.5
The Dalles is a city of 16,010 people in Wasco County, Oregon. The median home is worth $360,800, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more walkable than 83% of Oregon towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Oregon towns, easier by car than 78% of Oregon towns.
How The Dalles 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 The Dalles is worth $360,800, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $62,614, which is more affordable than 34% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $993 a month. 63.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | The Dalles | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,800 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $993 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $62,614 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 63.2% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in The Dalles
| People | The Dalles | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in The Dalles
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 13.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.5 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of The Dalles since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Wasco County since 1996
Wasco County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2026 | Fire | FM-5648: Grasshopper Fire |
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| June 11, 2025 | Fire | FM-5587: Rowena Fire |
| January 1, 2025 | Fire | DR-4854: Wildfires |
| July 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5506: Larch Creek Fire |
Jobs and pay in Wasco County
Wasco County had 11,501 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,698 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in The Dalles itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in The Dalles
6 public schools with 2,690 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dalles High School | 9-12 | 834 | 20.9 |
| The Dalles Middle School | 6-8 | 551 | 16.2 |
| Dry Hollow Elementary School | K-5 | 422 | 16.2 |
| Chenowith Elementary School | K-5 | 420 | 15.0 |
| Colonel Wright Elementary School | K-5 | 278 | 16.4 |
| Innovations Academy | K-12 | 185 | 14.2 |
Towns near The Dalles
- Hood River, OR19.6 mi · 8,313 people · home $684,100
- Goldendale, WA22.0 mi · 3,453 people · home $199,300
The Dalles questions
Is The Dalles, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, The Dalles scores better for retirees than 16% of Oregon towns and quieter than 20%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).
How much does a house cost in The Dalles?
The median owner-occupied home in The Dalles is valued at $360,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,614, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $993 a month.
What is the weather like in The Dalles?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.7 inches of precipitation a year and 5.5 inches of snow.
Does The Dalles get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of The Dalles 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)