Oregon · GEOID 41069

Wheeler County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 1,485 · 908 housing units

Median household income

$55,284

State $84,541

Median home value

$272,400

State $487,772

Median gross rent

$870

State $1,515

Homeownership rate

71.8%

State 63.3%

Renter cost-burden rate

49.1%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

22.8%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.0%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

5.3%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

22.6%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

4.93

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Wheeler County	Oregon
Population	1,485	4,254,293
Population density (per sq. mi.)	0.87	—
Median household income	$55,284	$84,541
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$68,300	—
Households	703	—
Average household size	2.08 people	—
Owner-occupied	71.8%	63.3%
Renter-occupied	28.2%	36.7%
Race	85.1% White · 0.0% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Wheeler County compared with Oregon.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

18.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 36.8%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Add ACS variables B19049_002E–B19049_005E to the spreadsheet to populate this chart.

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	22.4%	$60,000	$1,500	$192,321
1 earner	38.0%	$59,083	$1,477	$188,907
2 earners	38.0%	$99,167	$2,479	$338,114
3+ earners	1.6%	—	—	—

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

703

Average size: 2.08 people

Households with children

116

16.5% of households

Per-capita income

$39,179

Poverty rate: 12.8%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

71.8% owner-occupied vs. state average 63.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 85.1% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 0.0%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

54.1% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,975.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $272,400.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $870.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 205 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 0.0% · For rent 5.4% · Seasonal 73.7% · Other 16.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

9.8% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 90.2% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

16.6%

151 units of 908 total

⚑ Above the 10% threshold — meaningful pressure on year-round residents from second-home / short-term-rental demand.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

3.7%

34 units of 908 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$44,227

100% MHI$55,284

120% MHI$66,341

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Wheeler County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$46,850	$53,550	$66,900
100% AMI	$47,810	$54,640	$68,300
120% AMI	$57,350	$65,550	$81,950

HUD FMR Area: Wheeler County, OR. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

49.1% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (13.6% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

22.8% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Wheeler County.

Covered employment

226

Across 8 sectors

Establishments

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$45,490

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	78	$44,513	$134,673	−$137,727	$1,113
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	68	$53,670	$168,758	−$103,642	$1,342
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	20	$47,218	$144,742	−$127,658	$1,180
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	20	$11,236	$10,805	−$261,595	$281
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	17	$35,996	$102,970	−$169,430	$900
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	12	$70,378	$230,951	−$41,449	$1,759
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	6	$36,022	$103,067	−$169,333	$901
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	5	$63,514	$205,401	−$66,999	$1,588

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	78	$44,513	$134,673	−$137,727	$1,113
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	45	$45,219	$137,301	−$135,099	$1,130
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	12	$70,378	$230,951	−$41,449	$1,759
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	12	$71,619	$235,571	−$36,829	$1,790
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	6	$36,022	$103,067	−$169,333	$901
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	5	$63,514	$205,401	−$66,999	$1,588
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	4	$118,847	$411,369	+$138,969	$2,971

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023	1,850	—	—	$16.32	$33,950	$95,354	$849
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	1,380	—	—	$16.69	$34,710	$98,183	$868
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	180	—	—	$17.21	$35,800	$102,240	$895
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	1,170	—	—	$18.38	$38,240	$111,323	$956
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	680	—	—	$18.89	$39,290	$115,231	$982
Tellers SOC 43-3071	70	—	—	$20.13	$41,880	$124,872	$1,047
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	760	—	—	$22.40	$46,590	$142,404	$1,165
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	750	—	—	$23.04	$47,920	$147,355	$1,198
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131	440	—	—	$23.22	$48,300	$148,769	$1,208
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	410	—	—	$24.31	$50,560	$157,182	$1,264
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	610	—	—	$24.75	$51,480	$160,607	$1,287
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	380	—	—	$27.78	$57,770	$184,020	$1,444
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	220	—	—	$28.68	$59,660	$191,055	$1,492
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	600	—	—	$29.38	$61,110	$196,453	$1,528
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	510	—	—	—	$70,120	$229,991	$1,753
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	90	—	—	$36.32	$75,540	$250,166	$1,889
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	260	—	—	$37.11	$77,200	$256,345	$1,930
Electricians SOC 47-2111	180	—	—	$41.67	$86,680	$291,633	$2,167
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	930	—	—	$57.47	$119,530	$413,912	$2,988

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 41069 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.