La Grande receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
La Grande
Pendleton
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs67 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | La Grande | Pendleton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,058 | 16,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,427 | $66,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,892 | $31,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,840/sq mi | 1,464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,700 | $287,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $968 | $956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 56.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.9% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.7% | 72.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.3" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 143 mi | 109 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 15.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 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
La Grande
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Pendleton
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: La Grande, OR · Pendleton, OR · How this is calculated: methodology