Hermiston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pendleton
Hermiston
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Growth
43 · Bottom 38%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
67 · Bottom 39%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 47%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs86 · Top 42%
Access
7 · Bottom 1%
vs36 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 12%
vs64 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Pendleton | Hermiston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,950 | 19,546 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,563 | $66,998 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,052 | $28,684 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,464/sq mi | 2,311/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $287,100 | $266,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $956 | $1,088 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.5% | 61.7% | 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 | 24.7% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 76 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | 1.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.8" | 8.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 109 mi | 95 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 30.9 | 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
Pendleton
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Hermiston
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Pendleton, OR · Hermiston, OR · How this is calculated: methodology