97850 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97850
97814
Opportunity
55 · Top 50%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 45%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 50%
vs83 · Top 46%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs3 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 97850 | 97814 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,903 | 12,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,421 | $64,852 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,948 | $35,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 53/sq mi | 15/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $298,100 | $294,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $969 | $880 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | 1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 27.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 14.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 41 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.7% | -4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.3" | 9.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 143 mi | 115 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 14.1 min | 16.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 45.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.51 | 15.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.2% | 91.4% | 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
97850
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
97814
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 97850 — La Grande, OR · 97814 — Baker City, OR · How this is calculated: methodology