City · Oregon
Joseph, Oregon
Joseph, city, in Wallowa County, Oregon. Joseph had 1,188 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,154 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,054 (±194). GEOID 4137900.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,188
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,154 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,054 ±194
Median household income
$54,444
±$8,030 (90% margin)
Oregon: $83,011
Median home value
$334,900
±$45,766 (90% margin)
Oregon: $477,600
Median gross rent
$1,151
±$369 (90% margin)
Oregon: $1,525
Where is Joseph and what county is it in?
Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 1,272 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Joseph, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,188 people lived in Joseph on July 1, 2025, up 2.8% since 2020, faster than Oregon (+0.9%). The 2020 Census counted 1,154 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,054 (±194).
| Measure | Joseph | Wallowa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,054 ±194 | 7,553 | no clear change |
| Households | 518 ±99 | 3,387 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.97 ±0.26 | 2.20 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 673 ±103 | 4,349 | no clear change |
Joseph's population since 2000
From 1,054 in 2000 to 1,188 in 2025: up 12.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Joseph as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Joseph?
The median resident of Joseph is 58.0 years old; 15.8% are under 18 and 36.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.9%.
| Measure | Joseph | Wallowa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.0 ±10.5 | 49.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.8% ±6.6 pts | 20.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 36.6% ±8.3 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Male | 45.8% ±6.2 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.4% ±2.9 pts | 89.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±2.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.2% ±3.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2% ±5.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 16.0% ±5.8 pts | 10.4% | – |
| With a disability | 29.5% ±9.0 pts | 20.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.1% ±3.2 pts | 6.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.4% ±3.1 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 51.8% ±11.3 pts | 38.2% | +29.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.5% ±8.9 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.7% ±6.2 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±2.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Joseph earn?
Half of Joseph's 518 households earn less than $54,444 a year (±$8,030), against $67,112 in Wallowa County and $83,011 in Oregon. In 2015-2019 it was $55,381 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Joseph | Wallowa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,444 ±$8,030 | $67,112 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,809 ±$12,221 | $83,394 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,159 ±$6,116 | $37,630 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.7% ±3.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.8% ±3.3 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.6% ±6.8 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±5.6 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.3% ±10.4 pts | 84.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Joseph?
Owners occupy 67.0% of Joseph's occupied homes and renters 33.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $334,900 by its owner (±$45,766). The median renter pays $1,151 a month including utilities, and 42.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Joseph | Wallowa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $334,900 ±$45,766 | $394,800 | +$93,315 |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 ±$369 | $981 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.7% ±21.3 pts | 32.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,685 ±$311 | $1,656 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.0% ±12.0 pts | 72.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.0% ±12.0 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Housing units | 673 ±103 | 4,349 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±20.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.5% ±9.4 pts | 80.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.5% ±6.6 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.8% ±5.3 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.7% ±7.5 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.4% ±2.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Joseph work and get to work?
77.1% of Joseph's workers drive alone and 14.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.3 minutes.
| Measure | Joseph | Wallowa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 47.8% ±7.5 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4% ±1.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.1% ±11.5 pts | 62.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.0% ±5.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.1% ±3.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.8% ±9.6 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.3 min ±5.9 | 15.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Joseph?
No census tract lies mostly in Joseph; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9601Wallowa County | 2,097 | $69,821 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Joseph) · Census block assignment files
How does Joseph compare with other places in Oregon?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Joseph is the 9,632nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 154th-most populous of 240 in Oregon.
Joseph ranks 201st of 223 places in Oregon with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 154th | 240 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 44th | 162 |
| Residents per square mile | 155th | 224 |
| Median household income | 201st | 223 |
| Per capita income | 138th | 224 |
| Median home value | 158th | 224 |
| Median gross rent | 141st | 207 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21st | 219 |
| Median age | 18th | 224 |
| Owner-occupied share | 119th | 224 |
| Work from home | 82nd | 169 |
| Travel time to work | 189th | 221 |
Joseph's figures with every place in Oregon (CSV)
Every place in Oregon, sortable · Compare Joseph with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Joseph?
21 of the 57 figures for Joseph on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Joseph are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Joseph.