City profile · Oregon · Census ACS 2023

Bend, OR

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

101,472
Residents
$88,792
Median income
$646,800
Median home
$1,784
Median rent (state)

Bend - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Bend places in the 70th percentile for household income and the 45th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
45th
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: Bend, OR

101,472 people live in Bend, Oregon - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Bend households earn a median of $88,792 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Home values in Bend run a median of $646,800, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. Educational attainment runs 51.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 65.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 645 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 15% from five years earlier. Bend reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1530.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Bend's yearly average temperature at 47.6°F with 10.6 inches of precipitation per year and 21.6 inches of snowfall.

Oregon carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Oregon at 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,784 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Oregon's average monthly utility costs around $185 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 84.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

101,472 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oregon

Median Household Income

$88,792 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oregon average

How does Bend compare to other US cities?

Bend measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 45% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Oregon, Bend ranks #29 of 85 Oregon cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Bend against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Oregon only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Oregon-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Bend's strongest outlier among Oregon cities

Among the 366 Oregon cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Bend ranks #31 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bend only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#94 of 364
74th percentile in Oregon
Median Gross Rent
#89 of 395
74th percentile in Oregon
Median Home Value
#31 of 366
92nd percentile in Oregon
Poverty Rate
#213 of 395
45th percentile in Oregon
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#37 of 395
90th percentile in Oregon

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Oregon only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

70thIncome percentile
45thSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 45th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bend's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bend'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 44 Avg. percentile National median
Bend'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 Bend's home value compares nationally

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

$646,800 9th percentile more affordable than 9% 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%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Bend $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 - Bend, OR Bend, OR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bend, 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 Bend, OR median $88,792/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%
Bend, 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 Bend, OR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.3%

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

Population
101,472
Median Income
$88,792
Median Home Value
$646,800
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
65.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1530.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
168.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1362.0
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
47.6°F
Annual Precipitation
10.6"
Annual Snowfall
21.6"

Schools

Total Schools
31
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
95,000 residents100,000 residents105,000 residents110,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 99,690 residents 107,342 residents ▲ +7.7%
Bend's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
645
housing units authorized
Single-Family
513
detached homes
Multifamily
132
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 756
2020 1,076
2021 1,457
2022 1,193
2023 1,614
2024 645

Permit volume decreased 15% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.8%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
22.4%
Other
3.5%

Based on 53,363 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 Bend sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,784/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oregon

Beaverton
97,502 people
Hillsboro
107,050 people
Gresham
112,818 people
Medford
85,794 people
Springfield
61,642 people
Corvallis
60,424 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bend's 101,472 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Highlands Ranch, CO
101,437 people
Quincy, MA
101,361 people
Davenport, IA
101,083 people
Fishers, IN
100,918 people
Chico, CA
102,032 people
Lynn, MA
100,905 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bend's $88,792 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Manchester Center, VT
$88,786 median income
Herculaneum, MO
$88,778 median income
Oak Hills, PA
$88,807 median income
Kitty Hawk, NC
$88,811 median income
Rodeo, CA
$88,819 median income
La Crosse, FL
$88,819 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bend, 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 Bend, OR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.0% 8.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.8% White 88.0% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 8.2% 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 Bend 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
Bend (this city) 101,472 $88,792
Beaverton 97,502 $94,279
Hillsboro 107,050 $103,207
Gresham 112,818 $73,608
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bend, OR?

What is the population of Bend, OR? +

Bend, OR has a population of 101,472 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Bend runs $88,792, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bend? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bend; 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 Bend, OR safe? +

Bend has a total crime rate of 1530.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Bend, OR? +

A typical home in Bend is worth $646,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bend? +

Bend has an average annual temperature of 47.6°F, 10.6 inches of precipitation, and 21.6 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

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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.