Harney County, Oregon Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Harney County is located in Oregon with a total population of 7,515. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 36 in Oregon. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Harney County is 45.8 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. 10.8% 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 Harney County is $48,338. This is 40% lower than the state median of $80,426. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.4%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $190,600. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $454,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 67.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 63.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Harney County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.5%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 14.3%.

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 57% lower than the state rate of 36.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Harney County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Oregon and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.