The Town FilesDepoe Bay, Oregon
City in Lincoln County · population 1,515 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $377,700
- Household income
- $85,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 64°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 56.1
Depoe Bay is a city of 1,515 people in Lincoln County, Oregon. The median home is worth $377,700, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of Oregon towns, more seaside character than 91% of Oregon towns.
- #2 in The 14 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Oregon With Mild Winters
- #3 in The 10 Most Affordable Seaside Small Towns in Oregon
- #6 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Oregon
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Oregon
- #24 in 25 Small Towns in Oregon With the Mildest Winters
How Depoe Bay ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Depoe Bay is worth $377,700, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $85,417, which is more affordable than 74% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,622 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Depoe Bay | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $377,700 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,622 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $85,417 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 32.3% | — |
Who lives in Depoe Bay
| People | Depoe Bay | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.1 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.5% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 9.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 92.4% |
Weather in Depoe Bay
July highs average 63.5°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 67.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 14 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Depoe Bay since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F0, struck on October 24, 1996 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 24, 1996.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tsunami.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542: Wildfires |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5362: Echo Mountain Fire Complex |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 18,607 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,886 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Depoe Bay itself the ACS puts it at 12.9%.
Towns near Depoe Bay
- Lincoln Beach, OR4.6 mi · 2,343 people · home $422,900
- Siletz, OR9.2 mi · 1,230 people · home $251,200
- Lincoln City, OR12.0 mi · 9,815 people · home $412,700
- Newport, OR13.0 mi · 10,256 people · home $441,400
- Neotsu, OR13.5 mi · 608 people · home $591,100
- Toledo, OR14.5 mi · 3,546 people · home $299,100
- Rose Lodge, OR16.7 mi · 1,933 people · home $250,000
- Bayshore, OR25.5 mi · 952 people · home $437,400
Depoe Bay questions
Is Depoe Bay, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Depoe Bay scores better for retirees than 98% of Oregon towns and quieter than 89%. 35.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.1).
How much does a house cost in Depoe Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Depoe Bay is valued at $377,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,417, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,622 a month.
What is the weather like in Depoe Bay?
July highs average 63.5°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 67.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Depoe Bay get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Depoe Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on October 24, 1996. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)