The Town FilesWilliams, Oregon
Community in Josephine County · population 1,102 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $592,000
- Household income
- $78,094
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 58.2
Williams is a community of 1,102 people in Josephine County, Oregon. The median home is worth $592,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more of a college town than 91% of Oregon towns, better for retirees than 87% of Oregon towns, better for cycling than 79% of Oregon towns.
How Williams 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 Williams is worth $592,000, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $78,094, which is more affordable than 6% of Oregon towns. 91.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williams | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $592,000 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | — | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $78,094 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.9% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Williams
| People | Williams | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.2 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 44.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 26.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 56.8% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | — min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.4% | 92.4% |
Weather in Williams
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 30.1°F. About 27.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.4 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Williams since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 1, 2009.
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 Williams itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Williams
1 public school with 66 students, about 22.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Elementary School | K-5 | 66 | 22.0 |
Towns near Williams
- New Hope, OR10.9 mi · 1,572 people · home $437,900
- Ruch, OR12.9 mi · 819 people · home $400,500
- Foots Creek, OR14.0 mi · 734 people · home $474,200
- Redwood, OR14.8 mi · 2,702 people · home $397,800
- Grants Pass, OR14.8 mi · 39,189 people · home $382,600
- Rogue River, OR16.2 mi · 2,407 people · home $310,200
- Selma, OR17.0 mi · 661 people · home $231,500
- Jacksonville, OR17.7 mi · 3,020 people · home $649,200
Williams questions
Is Williams, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williams scores better for retirees than 87% of Oregon towns and quieter than 56%. 44.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.2).
How much does a house cost in Williams?
The median owner-occupied home in Williams is valued at $592,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,094, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Williams?
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 30.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.4 inches of snow.
Does Williams get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Williams 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)