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COUNTY

Malheur County

Oregon · 32,261 residents (2025 est.) · 9,888 sq mi
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The short version

Malheur County is a county of 31,954 people in Oregon. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. There are 3 people per square mile. Households here earn about 34% less than in Oregon as a whole. Median rent is $821 a month. The typical home is worth $248,900, having roughly tripled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
31,954
+1%since 2000
from 31,615 in 2000
32,261 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
3 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 3 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.1
+6%since 2000
from 34.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
9,888 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K27K29K31K33K19902000201020202024Malheur County
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(1,994)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.1%(2,273)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.6%(2,426)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.9%(2,211)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.6%(2,105)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.9%(4,428)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.2%(3,898)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(3,602)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.1%(3,545)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410%(3,195)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.8%(1,522)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.4%(755)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,519
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,241 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,000
+80%since 2000
from $13,895 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.8%
+17.4 ptssince 2009
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.450
+7%since 2010
from 0.419 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing12.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction11.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Information10.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade4.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Other services2.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.8%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$248,900
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$821
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $443 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
63.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 63.8% in 2000
36.8% rent
Vacancy rate
12.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.74 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.70 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
24.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
33.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.6
+43%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
30
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic68.8%(21,752)
Black1.2%(369)
Hispanic / Latino25.6%(8,099)
Asian1.9%(608)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic60.2%(19,232)
Black1%(321)
Hispanic / Latino34%(10,864)
Asian1.2%(372)
Other3.6%(1,165)
Diversity Score
65
+9%since 2009
from 60 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
31
+12%since 2020
from 28 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican32%(10,213)
Spaniard0.3%(102)
Cuban0.1%(32)
Guatemalan0.1%(32)
Ecuadorian0.1%(21)
Asian origin
Japanese0.9%(272)
Asian Indian0.1%(21)
Chinese0.1%(20)
Filipino0.1%(20)
Cambodian0%(10)
Thai0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(20)
Ancestry
German10.1%(3,241)
English9.2%(2,945)
Irish7.2%(2,287)
American3.6%(1,160)
Scottish2.2%(688)
Italian2%(650)
Norwegian1.3%(429)
Swedish1.3%(404)
French1.2%(374)
British1%(315)
Welsh1%(305)
Dutch0.7%(238)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.7%(224)
Danish0.5%(163)
Polish0.4%(142)
Swiss0.3%(105)
Russian0.3%(80)
Finnish0.2%(73)
Czech0.2%(66)
Portuguese0.2%(52)
Canadian0.1%(46)
Greek0.1%(28)
Lithuanian0.1%(23)
Austrian0.1%(20)
Romanian0.1%(19)
Ethiopian0.1%(16)
Hungarian0%(15)
Arab0%(12)
Croatian0%(11)
Belgian0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.7%
+12.6 ptssince 2000
from 71.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 13.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 75.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.7%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−7.1 ptssince 2011
from 12.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
50.4%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 54.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 65.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
54.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.6% in 2009
Female
45.1%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.4% in 2009
Foreign born
7.4%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.2%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2012
from 15.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.0%
−13.3 ptssince 2013
from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.6%
+19.7 ptssince 2017
from 67.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
91.7%
+6.9 ptssince 2020
from 84.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.5%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 84.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
78.9%
+3.6 ptssince 2016
from 75.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
19.8%
−3.4 ptssince 2016
from 23.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.2%(5,990)
Married39.8%(5,656)
Widowed3.9%(560)
Divorced14%(1,990)
Women 15+
Never married27.1%(2,997)
Married49%(5,419)
Widowed9.2%(1,020)
Divorced14.7%(1,629)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.0%
−13.3 ptssince 2013
from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
40.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 37.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
33.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 36.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
54.8%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 50.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
50.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.1%(430)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.7%(540)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.4%(669)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.5%(108)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(1)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,946 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Pop 32,481
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Pop 32,449
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Head to head

Compare Malheur County to nearby counties

MALHEUR COUNTY VS
Canyon County
Income$76,488+40%
Home value$390,000+57%
Population275,123+753%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MALHEUR COUNTY VS
Harney County
Income$55,208+1%
Home value$242,100−3%
Population7,380−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MALHEUR COUNTY VS
Payette County
Income$67,673+24%
Home value$341,800+37%
Population27,824−14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MALHEUR COUNTY VS
Ada County
Income$91,502+68%
Home value$512,300+106%
Population546,141+1593%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Malheur County, Oregon?

Malheur County, Oregon has about 31,954 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Malheur County, Oregon?

The typical household in Malheur County, Oregon earns about $54,519 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Malheur County, Oregon expensive?

In Malheur County, Oregon, the median home is worth about $248,900, and the typical rent is about $821 a month.

How educated are people in Malheur County, Oregon?

About 15.2% of adults age 25 and over in Malheur County, Oregon hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Malheur County, Oregon?

About 17.6% of people in Malheur County, Oregon live below the federal poverty line.

Has Malheur County, Oregon grown since 1990?

Yes, Malheur County, Oregon has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,916 residents, a change of about 23 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →