Fossil, Oregon Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 535, Fossil's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fossil is a small community located in Oregon, within Wheeler County. The total population is 535. It ranks as the 277th most populous out of 420 Census-designated places in Oregon.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fossil is 48.4 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 12.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fossil is $54,167. This is 35% lower than the state median of $83,011. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.6%. This is 3% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $210,500. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $477,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 79.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 63.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fossil has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 14.7%.

Education

18.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 36.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fossil, Oregon is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Oregon state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 420 Census-designated places in Oregon. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.