Hermiston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hermiston
Pendleton
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 20%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs67 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 42%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
36 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
64 · Top 41%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Hermiston | Pendleton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,546 | 16,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,998 | $66,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,684 | $31,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,311/sq mi | 1,464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,700 | $287,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,088 | $956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 56.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 76 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.3% | 72.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.6" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 95 mi | 109 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 15.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.9 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Hermiston
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Pendleton
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Hermiston, OR · Pendleton, OR · How this is calculated: methodology