Wheeler County, Oregon Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Wheeler County, OR Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Oregon
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Oregon
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D
Education Well below averageAmong the 5 least educated counties in Oregon
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,484 | 4,252,306 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 0.9 | 43.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.05% | 0.82% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 56.5 | 40.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 703 | 1,717,698 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Wheeler County grew by 9.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,484 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Wheeler County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 34.4% of residents. That is 16.4 points above Oregon as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 205 13.8% -6.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 177 12.0% -11.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 307 20.7% +0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 510 34.4% +16.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Oregon, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.4% of the people living in Wheeler County and men 48.6%.
- Women 51.4% Oregon 50.1%
- Men 48.6% Oregon 49.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Wheeler County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Wheeler County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,900 | $83,617 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.43% | 5.70% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Wheeler County is about 34% lower than in Oregon.
Housing
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $416,666 | $406,603 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $869 | $1,525 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 63.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Wheeler County is about 39.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $869 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Wheeler County spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 108 hours, about 4.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.0 | 20.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.9 | 40.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 108 | 168 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,349 | $5,203 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 19.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,603 | 7,643 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 58 | 967 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Oregon:
Lake County (7.7 min), Harney County (8.6 min), Baker County (8.9 min).
Slowest:
Columbia County (31.7 min), Clackamas County (23.9 min), Polk County (22.2 min).
The average commute time in Wheeler County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Oregon.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Wheeler County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 32.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.08 | 2.41 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Oregon:
Benton County (0.4), Multnomah County (0.4), Washington County (0.4).
Lowest:
Morrow County (0.2), Malheur County (0.2), Gilliam County (0.2).
Health
Wheeler County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.2 | 78.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.0% | 15.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.1% | 17.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Oregon:
Benton County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Clackamas County (0.8).
Lowest:
Josephine County (0.8), Malheur County (0.8), Lake County (0.8).
Wheeler County, OR Compared With Nearby Counties
How Wheeler County, OR compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County, OR | 1,484 | $54,901 #2/2 | $416,667 #1/2 | 13.0 min #1/2 |
| Crook County, OR | 26,277 | $82,119 | $225,004 | 20.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Wheeler County, Oregon.
How big is Wheeler County, Oregon by population?
About 1,484 people live in Wheeler County, Oregon, in 703 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 56.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
Is Wheeler County, Oregon urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Wheeler County, Oregon has 1 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 1% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Wheeler County, Oregon an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 7.6 times the median household income ($416,667 against $54,901), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $869 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Wheeler County, Oregon?
Unemployment in Wheeler County, Oregon is only 2.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Wheeler County, Oregon have a college degree?
18.8% of adults in Wheeler County, Oregon hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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