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Malheur County, Oregon Demographics 2026

Malheur County, Oregon has a population of 31,954, the 20th most populous county in Oregon. The median household income is $54,519 and the median home value is $248,900. The poverty rate is 17.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Malheur County Quick Facts

Population 31,954
Median Household Income $54,519
Median Home Value $248,900
Poverty Rate 17.6%
Unemployment Rate 5.2%
Median Age 36.1 years
Homeownership Rate 63.2%
Affordability Ratio 4.6x
Bachelor's Degree+ 15.2%
High School Graduation 83.7%
Cities/Places 9
Population 31,954 20th of 36
Median Income $54,519 34% lower than state
Poverty Rate 17.6%
Unemployment 5.2%

How Malheur County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population31,70131,954+0.8%
Median household income$49,902$54,519+9.3%
Median home value$221,300$248,900+12.5%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.6%
$25K-$50K 25.9%
$50K-$100K 29.5%
$100K+ 23.0%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.1%
$10K-$15K
3.6%
$15K-$20K
6.5%
$20K-$25K
5.3%
$25K-$30K
6.7%
$30K-$35K
5.9%
$35K-$40K
4.0%
$40K-$45K
4.9%
$45K-$50K
4.3%
$50K-$60K
6.1%
$60K-$75K
9.6%
$75K-$100K
13.7%
$100K-$125K
8.0%
$125K-$150K
5.3%
$150K-$200K
4.7%
$200K+
5.0%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.4%|National: 5.2%
50.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 63.2%
Renter 36.8%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.6x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $821/mo 18.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

52out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Malheur County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Ontario11,842$46,30821.0%$236,300
Nyssa3,240$69,18316.9%$204,300
Vale2,348$50,31316.4%$173,300
Annex340$67,00012.7%$225,000
Adrian299$73,0009.4%$158,100
Harper219$48,7505.5%$215,400
Jordan Valley180$55,89313.3%$167,200
Brogan38$119,1670.0%$181,300
Juntura18N/A33.3%$341,700

Population Overview

Malheur County is located in Oregon with a total population of 31,954. It is the 20th most populous county out of 36 in Oregon. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Malheur County is 36.1 years. This is 11% lower than the state median of 40.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Malheur County is $54,519. This is 34% lower than the state median of $83,011. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.6%. This is 47% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 2% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $248,900. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $477,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 63.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Malheur County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 34.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (34.0% vs 14.7%). The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 4.4%.

Education

15.2% 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 59% 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 83.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Malheur County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Malheur County, Oregon?

Malheur County has a population of 31,954, making it the 20th most populous county in Oregon.

What is the median income in Malheur County?

The median household income in Malheur County is $54,519 with a poverty rate of 17.6%.

How many cities are in Malheur County, Oregon?

Malheur County contains 9 Census-designated places.