Jobs, pay and daily life in Ashland, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Ashland is a city in Oregon with 21,259 residents. The median household earns $68,028 a year and the median rent is $1,387 a month, which is 24.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Medford, OR metropolitan area, where BLS counts 89,060 jobs.
How Ashland compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oregon, Ashland is #31 by population, #4 for college degrees (#1 = most), #50 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Jackson County, is #12 of 36 counties for average pay ($57,862).
Ashland has 21,259 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Oregon. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,204 people per square mile. The median age is 47.7, 18% older than the state median (47.7 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $1,387 a month (rent plus utilities), 9% below the state median ($1,387 against $1,525). Over a year that is 24.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $583,800, which is 8.6 times the median household income ($68,028); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 51.6% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (51.6% against 63.3%).
The Medford, OR metropolitan area has 89,060 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,900 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,900 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (10,850 jobs, median $47,820); food preparation and serving related (9,010 jobs, median $36,560); sales and related (8,120 jobs, median $37,870). The area is most specialised in healthcare support (1.4 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.1 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($114,940) and educational instruction and library ($55,580). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jackson County was 4.7%. 57.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jackson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 57.9% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 10.7% walk, 21.1% work from home. 5.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 56% below the state average (5.1% against 11.6%).
66.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 80% above the state share (66.2% against 36.8%). 6.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 32% below the state share (6.7% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 15.2%, 27% above the state rate (15.2% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 70°F (21.2°C), and the coolest is Dec at 32°F (-0.2°C). About 676 mm (27 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (134 mm) and Jul the driest (7 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Medford (13 miles, similar rent); Central Point (17 miles, similar rent); White City (18 miles, similar rent); Grants Pass (36 miles, rent 12% lower). Rent differences are against Ashland; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oregon (788) →State guide: OregonCountry guideJackson CountyOregon rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 788 federal postings open in Oregon (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,210 | 1.46 | $34,140 | $30,680 | $43,400 | +9% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,000 | 1.22 | $44,950 | $37,800 | $50,460 | +26% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,840 | 1.27 | $35,840 | $30,990 | $47,490 | +1% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,370 | 1.22 | $127,030 | $98,520 | $149,370 | +30% |
| Cashiers | 2,060 | 1.16 | $34,390 | $31,060 | $44,460 | +5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,890 | 1.16 | $39,120 | $34,860 | $49,050 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,680 | 0.84 | $95,630 | $50,690 | $202,820 | -10% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,460 | 1.03 | $48,730 | $36,070 | $63,640 | +8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,450 | 1.15 | $39,090 | $31,660 | $50,200 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,440 | 1.22 | $58,220 | $43,850 | $76,810 | -1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,340 | 1.70 | $49,270 | $36,020 | $66,410 | -3% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,190 | 1.47 | $38,750 | $29,580 | $47,940 | +5% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,180 | 2.15 | $47,230 | $39,900 | $59,980 | +3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,130 | 0.87 | $50,440 | $30,640 | $72,790 | +43% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,000 | 1.21 | $47,890 | $43,480 | $59,380 | +13% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 960 | 1.19 | $38,430 | $33,960 | $55,040 | +3% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 920 | 0.55 | $37,980 | $35,090 | $49,410 | -6% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 910 | 1.75 | $40,630 | $34,450 | $46,570 | +7% |
| Carpenters | 910 | 2.38 | $57,930 | $39,790 | $99,730 | -4% |
| Medical Assistants | 900 | 1.93 | $48,820 | $44,210 | $58,240 | +7% |
These figures are for the whole Medford, OR metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,900 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 16.8% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.1% |
| Other services | 6.5% |
| Information | 6.2% |
| Manufacturing | 4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.9% |
| Public administration | 3.5% |
| Construction | 3.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ashland lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 222,645 | $13,469 million | $60,494 | 91,184 | 8,355 | $57,862 | +0.2% | 4.7% | 109,826 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 18,610 | 23.3% | $66,622 | 1.42 |
| Retail trade | 13,324 | 16.7% | $41,127 | 1.46 |
| Accommodation and food services | 9,072 | 11.3% | $26,331 | 1.09 |
| Manufacturing | 6,751 | 8.4% | $64,450 | 0.90 |
| Construction | 5,241 | 6.6% | $66,329 | 1.10 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 3,697 | 4.6% | $54,878 | 5.01 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,444 | 4.3% | $45,528 | 0.64 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,084 | 3.9% | $61,654 | 0.80 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,898 | 3.6% | $42,490 | 1.06 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,874 | 3.6% | $81,571 | 0.45 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,516 | 3.1% | $66,542 | 0.70 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,746 | 2.2% | $88,912 | 0.47 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,624 | 2.0% | $31,296 | 1.06 |
| Management of companies | 1,584 | 2.0% | $109,967 | 1.03 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,186 | 1.5% | $51,504 | 0.84 |
| Educational services | 1,055 | 1.3% | $42,387 | 0.56 |
| Information | 840 | 1.1% | $103,641 | 0.49 |
| Utilities | 258 | 0.3% | $128,393 | 0.74 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 162 | 0.2% | $63,375 | 0.47 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 57.9% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 10.7% |
| Work from home | 21.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,028 |
| Income per person | $50,414 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,387 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.5% |
| Median home value | $583,800 |
| Homeowners | 51.6% |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 101.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,900 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 47.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 66.2% |
| Born abroad | 6.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.1 | 32 | 94 |
| Feb | 1.2 | 34 | 81 |
| Mar | 3.5 | 38 | 86 |
| Apr | 5.9 | 43 | 56 |
| May | 10.6 | 51 | 43 |
| Jun | 15.2 | 59 | 20 |
| Jul | 21.2 | 70 | 7 |
| Aug | 20.5 | 69 | 7 |
| Sep | 16.3 | 61 | 16 |
| Oct | 9.7 | 49 | 46 |
| Nov | 3.5 | 38 | 86 |
| Dec | -0.2 | 32 | 134 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medford | OR | 13 mi | 86,315 | $73,230 | $1,376 |
| Central Point | OR | 17 mi | 19,216 | $86,058 | $1,364 |
| White City | OR | 18 mi | 10,750 | $71,175 | $1,379 |
| Grants Pass | OR | 36 mi | 39,311 | $59,646 | $1,217 |
| Klamath Falls | OR | 47 mi | 22,115 | $46,693 | $986 |
| Altamont | OR | 50 mi | 19,927 | $58,629 | $1,015 |
| Roseburg | OR | 79 mi | 23,778 | $53,918 | $1,063 |
| Cottage Grove | OR | 112 mi | 10,698 | $80,875 | $1,254 |
| Coos Bay | OR | 113 mi | 15,925 | $56,524 | $1,034 |
| Redding | CA | 113 mi | 93,409 | $70,466 | $1,379 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
21,259 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,387 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.5% of the median household income.
$68,028 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.7% (BLS county, Jackson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oregon. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.