The Town FilesWallowa, Oregon
City in Wallowa County · population 796 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $336,100
- Household income
- $47,371
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.7
Wallowa is a city of 796 people in Wallowa County, Oregon. The median home is worth $336,100, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Oregon towns, better for retirees than 91% of Oregon towns, better for families than 78% of Oregon towns.
How Wallowa 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 Wallowa is worth $336,100, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $47,371, which is more affordable than 11% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $699 a month. 85.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wallowa | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $336,100 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $699 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $47,371 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 85.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.0% | — |
Who lives in Wallowa
| People | Wallowa | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 33.6% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Wallowa
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 20.1°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wallowa since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 9, 2013 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 14, 1956.
Severe weather in Wallowa County since 1996
Wallowa County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2020 | Flood | DR-4519: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| August 21, 2015 | Fire | FM-5107: Grizzly Bear Fire Complex |
| September 7, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3228: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wallowa County
Wallowa County had 2,854 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,648 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Wallowa itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Wallowa
3 public schools with 204 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallowa Elementary School | PK-5 | 102 | 11.3 |
| Wallowa High School | 9-12 | 65 | 9.3 |
| Wallowa Middle School | 6-8 | 37 | 18.5 |
Towns near Wallowa
- Enterprise, OR15.7 mi · 2,052 people · home $319,800
- Elgin, OR19.0 mi · 1,717 people · home $191,300
- Joseph, OR20.9 mi · 1,154 people · home $334,900
- Cove, OR23.3 mi · 620 people · home $328,000
- Union, OR29.9 mi · 2,152 people · home $231,400
- Island City, OR30.0 mi · 1,144 people · home $295,100
Wallowa questions
Is Wallowa, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wallowa scores better for retirees than 91% of Oregon towns and quieter than 74%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Wallowa?
The median owner-occupied home in Wallowa is valued at $336,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,371, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $699 a month.
What is the weather like in Wallowa?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 20.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 47.9 inches of snow.
Does Wallowa get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wallowa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 9, 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)