Medford vs Pasco
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $376,300 in Pasco and $417,100 in Medford.
- Households earn more in Pasco ($85,586 vs $73,230 median).
- Medford has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 41°F.
- Pasco is growing faster: +7.1% since 2020 vs +0.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Medford (17 vs 23 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Oregon's top rate is 9.9%.
Side by side
| Medford, OR | Pasco, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 86,494 | 82,848 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.5% | +7.1% |
| People per square mile | 3,026 | 2,126 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 30.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,230 | $85,586 |
| Median home value | $417,100 | $376,300 |
| Home value to income | 5.7× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,376 | $1,227 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.4 | 100.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 97.7 | 94.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $76,100 | $75,100 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 71% |
| Top state income tax | 9.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.6 | 22.5 |
| Work from home | 11% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 12.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 33° | 41° / 28° |
| July high / low | 92° / 59° | 93° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 18 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 61 | 55 |
| Nights below freezing | 64 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.5 | 72.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 66% | 79% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.9% | +1.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +22% | +33.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Medford: May to June and September to October. Pasco: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Medford weather by month and Pasco weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $76,100 in Medford and $75,100 in Pasco. Moving from Medford to Pasco, you would need about $74,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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