City profile · Oregon · Census ACS 2023

Ashland, OR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Ashland - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

21,343
Residents
$71,782
Median income
$573,700
Median home
$1,530
Median rent (state)

Ashland - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Ashland places in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
31st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Ashland, OR

Oregon's Ashland is a small city, with 21,343 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $71,782 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.1%. Typical homes in Ashland are valued around $573,700, and the median resident age is 47.7 years. 65.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 48 residential building permits were authorized in Ashland (Construction Slowdown), down 53% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2019.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 52.2°F with 19.5 inches of precipitation per year and 0.5 inches of snowfall.

Oregon carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,530 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $185 across Oregon, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 13.3 minutes, with 59.0% driving alone and 21.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

21,343 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oregon

Median Household Income

$71,782 /yr

Poverty 7.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oregon average

How does Ashland compare to other US cities?

Where Ashland sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 31% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Oregon and the picture shifts: Ashland ranks #44 of 85 Oregon cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Ashland's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Oregon, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

52ndIncome percentile
31stSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ashland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ashland's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Ashland's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Ashland's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$573,700 12th percentile more affordable than 12% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Ashland $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Ashland, OR Ashland, OR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ashland, OR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Ashland, OR median $71,782/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Ashland, OR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Ashland, OR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 65.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
21,343
Median Income
$71,782
Median Home Value
$573,700
Median Age
47.7
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Labor force participation
54.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
65.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2019.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
253.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1766.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
52.2°F
Annual Precipitation
19.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,800 residents21,000 residents21,200 residents21,400 residents21,600 residents21,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,379 residents 20,889 residents ▼ -2.3%
Ashland's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
48
housing units authorized
Single-Family
48
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 102
2020 102
2021 90
2022 46
2023 104
2024 48

Permit volume decreased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.3 minutes
Drive Alone
59.0%
Carpool
4.8%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
9.6%
Work from Home
21.1%
Other
4.5%

Based on 10,384 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Oregon - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$185
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Oregon state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Oregon state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Ashland sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,530/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oregon

Milwaukie
21,256 people
Klamath Falls
21,879 people
Hayesville
22,309 people
Sherwood
20,227 people
Altamont
19,844 people
Cedar Mill
19,482 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ashland's 21,343 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Stephenville, TX
21,345 people
Carlisle, PA
21,335 people
Gallup, NM
21,333 people
Otsego, MN
21,358 people
East Patchogue, NY
21,364 people
South Lake Tahoe, CA
21,319 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ashland's $71,782 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Petoskey, MI
$71,783 median income
Riverview, MI
$71,783 median income
Stateburg, SC
$71,781 median income
Gasport, NY
$71,780 median income
Kempton, IL
$71,786 median income
Patterson, IA
$71,786 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ashland, OR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Ashland, OR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.7% 9.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.9% White 85.7% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 9.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Ashland compares to nearby Oregon cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Ashland (this city) 21,343 $71,782
Milwaukie 21,256 $82,422
Klamath Falls 21,879 $47,268
Hayesville 22,309 $59,299
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ashland, OR?

What is the population of Ashland, OR? +

Ashland, OR has a population of 21,343 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Ashland, OR? +

The median household income in Ashland is $71,782 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ashland? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Ashland; the closest available measure is the Oregon state average, a cost of living index of 103.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Oregon vary by metro area.

Is Ashland, OR safe? +

Ashland has a total crime rate of 2019.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Ashland, OR? +

The median home value in Ashland is $573,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ashland? +

Climate normals put Ashland's yearly average temperature at 52.2°F, 19.5 inches of precipitation, and 0.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.