Median Income
$67,083
household / year
Median Home Value
$181,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$897
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is John Day, OR a Good Place to Live?

John Day is a small town of 1,561 in Oregon, with a median household income of $67,083 and a 8.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: John Day stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether John Day is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All John Day city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.0

John Day's overall cost of living index is 97.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in John Day costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric John Day, OR National Avg
Median Home Value $181,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $897 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $67,083 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for John Day is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

John Day is served primarily by Grant ESD.

Metric John Day, OR National Avg
School District Grant ESD —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

John Day sees average highs of 40.3°F in January and 86.2°F in July, with 12.3 inches of annual precipitation and 9.6 inches of snow per year.

MetricJohn Day, OR
Average High — January40.3°F
Average High — July86.2°F
Annual Precipitation12.3"
Annual Snowfall9.6"

Demographics

MetricJohn Day, ORNational Avg
Population1,561—
Median Age43.938.9
Unemployment Rate8.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.7%18.9%
Asian3.1%6.3%
Under 1818.6%22.2%
65 and over21.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Canyon City, OR 2 mi Mount Vernon, OR 8 mi Prairie City, OR 13 mi Seneca, OR 20 mi Long Creek, OR 22 mi

ZIP Codes in John Day

John Day, OR is covered by 1 ZIP code:

97845

John Day vs Other Cities

John Day, OR vs Canyon City, OR John Day, OR vs Mount Vernon, OR John Day, OR vs Prairie City, OR John Day, OR vs Seneca, OR John Day, OR vs Long Creek, OR

Frequently Asked Questions

John Day's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes John Day roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $181,100 and median rent is $897/month.
Crime data for John Day is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in John Day are operated by Grant ESD. The district has several elementary, several middle, and several high schools. 19.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
John Day, OR has a population of 1,561, a median household income of $67,083, and an unemployment rate of 8.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
John Day averages 40.3°F in January and 86.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.3 inches with about 9.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
John Day, OR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 97845.
The population of John Day, Oregon is 1,561 with a median age of 43.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in John Day: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $181,100, median household income $67,083. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare John Day side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.