97850 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97814
97850
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
50 · Bottom 48%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs80 · Top 50%
Access
3 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 15%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 97814 | 97850 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,590 | 16,903 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,852 | $63,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,301 | $34,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15/sq mi | 53/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,400 | $298,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $880 | $969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.9% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.8% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 28.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.7% | 3.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.1" | 37.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 115 mi | 143 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.3 min | 14.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 16.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.4% | 64.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
97814
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
97850
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 97814 — Baker City, OR · 97850 — La Grande, OR · How this is calculated: methodology