The Town FilesPilot Rock, Oregon
City in Umatilla County · population 1,328 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $199,700
- Household income
- $89,091
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 46.0
Pilot Rock is a city of 1,328 people in Umatilla County, Oregon. The median home is worth $199,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Oregon towns, better for cycling than 78% of Oregon towns.
How Pilot Rock 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 Pilot Rock is worth $199,700, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $89,091, which is more affordable than 99% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $973 a month. 84.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pilot Rock | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,700 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $973 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $89,091 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 84.3% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Pilot Rock
| People | Pilot Rock | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.0 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Pilot Rock
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 26.3°F. About 15.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.1 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Pilot Rock since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an EFU, struck on June 11, 2022 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 1, 1981.
Severe weather in Umatilla County since 1996
Umatilla County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2026 | Fire | FM-5664: Hagen Fire |
| July 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5645: Lower Dry Creek Fire |
| January 1, 2025 | Fire | DR-4854: Wildfires |
| July 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5514: Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| April 3, 2020 | Flood | DR-4519: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Umatilla County
Umatilla County had 33,030 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,594 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Pilot Rock itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Pilot Rock
2 public schools with 294 students, about 19.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot Rock High School | 7-12 | 155 | 17.2 |
| Pilot Rock Elementary School | K-6 | 139 | 23.2 |
Towns near Pilot Rock
- Green Meadows, OR8.4 mi · 675 people · home $311,900
- Pendleton, OR12.6 mi · 17,107 people · home $287,100
- Mission, OR13.9 mi · 960 people · home $215,600
- Echo, OR24.8 mi · 632 people · home $173,100
- Stanfield, OR27.3 mi · 2,144 people · home $207,600
- Athena, OR27.5 mi · 1,209 people · home $239,200
- Weston, OR29.6 mi · 706 people · home $135,900
Pilot Rock questions
Is Pilot Rock, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pilot Rock scores better for retirees than 45% of Oregon towns and quieter than 53%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.0).
How much does a house cost in Pilot Rock?
The median owner-occupied home in Pilot Rock is valued at $199,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,091, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $973 a month.
What is the weather like in Pilot Rock?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 26.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.0 inches of precipitation a year and 10.1 inches of snow.
Does Pilot Rock get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Pilot Rock since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EFU on June 11, 2022. 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)