The Town FilesPrineville, Oregon
City in Crook County · population 10,736 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $425,900
- Household income
- $72,980
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.4
Prineville is a city of 10,736 people in Crook County, Oregon. The median home is worth $425,900, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks easier by car than 80% of Oregon towns.
How Prineville 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 Prineville is worth $425,900, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $72,980, which is more affordable than 34% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,355 a month. 60.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prineville | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,900 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,355 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $72,980 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 60.1% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Prineville
| People | Prineville | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.2% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Prineville
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 10.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.8 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Prineville since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 12, 2006.
Severe weather in Crook County since 1996
Crook County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2026 | Fire | FM-5655: Rowe Creek Fire Complex |
| July 13, 2025 | Fire | FM-5599: Highland Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5534: Rail Ridge Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Crook County
Crook County had 7,535 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $89,958 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Prineville itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.
Public schools in Prineville
6 public schools with 2,903 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crook County High School | 9-12 | 877 | 21.4 |
| Crook County Middle School | 6-8 | 614 | 15.4 |
| Crooked River Elementary School | K-5 | 533 | 16.7 |
| Barnes Butte Elementary | K-5 | 516 | 14.3 |
| Steins Pillar Elementary | K-5 | 278 | 17.4 |
| Pioneer Secondary Alternative High School | 9-12 | 85 | 21.3 |
Towns near Prineville
- Juniper Canyon, OR8.9 mi · 2,564 people · home $408,500
- Redmond, OR16.1 mi · 33,274 people · home $462,500
- Eagle Crest, OR21.9 mi · 2,761 people · home $750,300
- Crooked River Ranch, OR22.3 mi · 4,912 people · home $462,300
- Bend, OR27.8 mi · 99,178 people · home $718,400
- Madras, OR29.3 mi · 7,456 people · home $330,900
Prineville questions
Is Prineville, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prineville scores better for retirees than 53% of Oregon towns and quieter than 40%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Prineville?
The median owner-occupied home in Prineville is valued at $425,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,980, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,355 a month.
What is the weather like in Prineville?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.3 inches of precipitation a year and 8.8 inches of snow.
Does Prineville get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Prineville 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)