The Town FilesMelrose, Oregon
Community in Douglas County · population 834 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $542,900
- Household income
- $77,271
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 47.4
Melrose is a community of 834 people in Douglas County, Oregon. The median home is worth $542,900, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks quieter than 94% of Oregon towns, better for families than 91% of Oregon towns, better for retirees than 88% of Oregon towns.
How Melrose 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 Melrose is worth $542,900, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $77,271, which is more affordable than 11% of Oregon towns. 94.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Melrose | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $542,900 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | — | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $77,271 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.4% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Melrose
| People | Melrose | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 39.0% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Melrose
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 37.1°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 28 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Melrose since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 18, 2013 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on April 23, 2012.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4881: Severe Storms, Flooding, 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-5365: Archie Creek Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 38,573 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,000 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Melrose itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Melrose
- Lookingglass, OR5.2 mi · 916 people · home $549,800
- Roseburg North, OR5.7 mi · 4,375 people · home $237,500
- Roseburg, OR5.7 mi · 23,683 people · home $289,800
- Green, OR7.8 mi · 7,614 people · home $265,500
- Winston, OR9.3 mi · 5,625 people · home $244,100
- Sutherlin, OR11.4 mi · 8,524 people · home $273,600
- Oakland, OR14.3 mi · 934 people · home $347,200
- Myrtle Creek, OR18.2 mi · 3,481 people · home $239,900
Melrose questions
Is Melrose, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Melrose scores better for retirees than 88% of Oregon towns and quieter than 94%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Melrose?
The median owner-occupied home in Melrose is valued at $542,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,271, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Melrose?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 37.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Melrose get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Melrose since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 18, 2013. 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)