Prairie City city, Oregon Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Prairie City city is a small community located in Oregon. The total population is 739. It ranks as the 252nd most populous out of 419 cities and towns in Oregon.

Age Demographics

The median age in Prairie City city is 49.1 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 40.1 years. Only 14.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 22.3% 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 Prairie City city is $49,702. This is 38% lower than the state median of $80,426. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 37% lower. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 7.3%. This is 36% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $186,400. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $454,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 86.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 37% higher than the state average of 63.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Prairie City city has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 14.3%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 4.4%.

Education

25.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 95.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Prairie City city, Oregon is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Oregon state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 419 Census-designated places in Oregon. For official data, visit data.census.gov.