Median Income
$60,625
household / year
Median Home Value
$160,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$800
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Rufus, OR a Good Place to Live?

Rufus is a small town of 220 in Oregon, with a median household income of $60,625 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Rufus stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Rufus 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: 95.5

Rufus's overall cost of living index is 95.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rufus costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Rufus, OR National Avg
Median Home Value $160,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $800 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 84.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $60,625 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Rufus's violent crime rate is 112.4 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
112.4 /100k
Property Crime
1797.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Rufus, OR National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 77.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Rufus sees average highs of 37.9°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 12.5 inches of annual precipitation and 6.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricRufus, OR
Average High — January37.9°F
Average High — July86.1°F
Annual Precipitation12.5"
Annual Snowfall6.3"

Demographics

MetricRufus, ORNational Avg
Population220—
Median Age56.538.9
Unemployment Rate6.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time14.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)75.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino19.5%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1818.6%22.2%
65 and over35.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Maryhill, WA 3 mi Biggs Junction, OR 5 mi Wasco, OR 7 mi Centerville, WA 9 mi Goldendale, WA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Rufus

Rufus, OR is covered by 1 ZIP code:

97050

Rufus vs Other Cities

Rufus, OR vs Maryhill, WA Rufus, OR vs Biggs Junction, OR Rufus, OR vs Wasco, OR Rufus, OR vs Centerville, WA Rufus, OR vs Goldendale, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Rufus's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Rufus roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $160,900 and median rent is $800/month.
Rufus's violent crime rate is 112.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1797.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Rufus, OR has a population of 220, a median household income of $60,625, and an unemployment rate of 6.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Rufus averages 37.9°F in January and 86.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.5 inches with about 6.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Rufus, OR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 97050.
The population of Rufus, Oregon is 220 with a median age of 56.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rufus: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $160,900, median household income $60,625, crime index 52 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rufus side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.