The Town FilesMerlin, Oregon
Community in Josephine County · population 1,690 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $435,000
- Household income
- $71,806
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 52.8
Merlin is a community of 1,690 people in Josephine County, Oregon. The median home is worth $435,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Oregon towns, better for retirees than 83% of Oregon towns, more of a college town than 82% of Oregon towns.
How Merlin 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 Merlin is worth $435,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $71,806, which is more affordable than 25% of Oregon towns. 96.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Merlin | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $435,000 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | — | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $71,806 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 96.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Merlin
| People | Merlin | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 9.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 20.1% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Merlin
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 33.3°F. About 40.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Merlin since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 13, 2011.
Severe weather in Josephine County since 1996
Josephine County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2026 | Fire | FM-5670: Fielder Mountain Fire |
| 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 | FM-5369: Slater Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Josephine County
Josephine County had 31,420 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,117 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Merlin itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Merlin
1 public school with 225 students, about 45.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Oregon Success Academy | 6-12 | 225 | 45.0 |
Towns near Merlin
- Redwood, OR7.1 mi · 2,702 people · home $397,800
- Grants Pass, OR7.9 mi · 39,189 people · home $382,600
- New Hope, OR11.1 mi · 1,572 people · home $437,900
- Rogue River, OR14.7 mi · 2,407 people · home $310,200
- Wimer, OR14.8 mi · 690 people · home $329,100
- Glendale, OR15.1 mi · 858 people · home $216,700
- Foots Creek, OR17.4 mi · 734 people · home $474,200
- Selma, OR19.0 mi · 661 people · home $231,500
Merlin questions
Is Merlin, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Merlin scores better for retirees than 83% of Oregon towns and quieter than 56%. 31.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Merlin?
The median owner-occupied home in Merlin is valued at $435,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,806, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Merlin?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 33.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Merlin get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Merlin in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)