The Town FilesUmatilla, Oregon
City in Umatilla County · population 7,363 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $238,500
- Household income
- $68,826
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.6
Umatilla is a city of 7,363 people in Umatilla County, Oregon. The median home is worth $238,500, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks easier by car than 87% of Oregon towns.
How Umatilla 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 Umatilla is worth $238,500, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $68,826, which is more affordable than 91% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,159 a month. 70.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Umatilla | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $238,500 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,159 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $68,826 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 70.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Umatilla
| People | Umatilla | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.2% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Umatilla
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 7.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.7 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Umatilla since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 9, 1995 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 1995.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 6, 1991.
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 Umatilla itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Umatilla
3 public schools with 1,428 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| McNary Heights Elementary School | K-5 | 612 | 15.3 |
| Umatilla High School | 9-12 | 478 | 19.1 |
| Clara Brownell Middle School | 6-8 | 338 | 18.8 |
Towns near Umatilla
- Hermiston, OR6.3 mi · 19,354 people · home $266,700
- Boardman, OR18.2 mi · 3,828 people · home $235,300
- Kennewick, WA20.7 mi · 83,921 people · home $370,700
- Finley, WA22.2 mi · 6,152 people · home $382,500
- Benton City, WA24.9 mi · 3,479 people · home $355,200
- Richland, WA25.6 mi · 60,560 people · home $436,700
- Burbank, WA25.6 mi · 3,499 people · home $412,900
- Pasco, WA26.1 mi · 77,108 people · home $376,300
Umatilla questions
Is Umatilla, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Umatilla scores better for retirees than 19% of Oregon towns and quieter than 41%. 9.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Umatilla?
The median owner-occupied home in Umatilla is valued at $238,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,826, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,159 a month.
What is the weather like in Umatilla?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.9 inches of precipitation a year and 3.7 inches of snow.
Does Umatilla get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Umatilla since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 9, 1995. 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)