Jobs, pay and daily life in La Grande, 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.
La Grande is a city in Oregon with 13,058 residents. The median household earns $58,427 a year and the median rent is $968 a month, which is 19.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How La Grande compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oregon, La Grande is #50 by population, #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #56 for household income (#1 = highest), #55 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Union County, is #24 of 36 counties for average pay ($52,345).
La Grande has 13,058 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Oregon. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,840 people per square mile. The median age is 32.9, 19% younger than the state median (32.9 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $968 a month (rent plus utilities), 37% below the state median ($968 against $1,525). Over a year that is 19.9% 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 $278,700, which is 4.8 times the median household income ($58,427). 51.1% of households own their home, 19% below the state average (51.1% against 63.3%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Union County was 3.9%. 61.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Union County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 67.7% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 9.7% walk, 6.8% work from home. 5.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 54% below the state average (5.3% against 11.6%).
26.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% below the state share (26.8% against 36.8%). 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 51% below the state share (4.8% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 20.9%, 75% above the state rate (20.9% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 68°F (19.8°C), and the coolest is Dec at 28°F (-2.5°C). About 659 mm (26 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (91 mm) and Jul the driest (11 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: Pendleton (43 miles, similar rent); Walla Walla (53 miles, rent 37% higher); Hermiston (68 miles, rent 12% higher); Kennewick (80 miles, rent 28% higher). Rent differences are against La Grande; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oregon (788) →State guide: OregonCountry guideUnion 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 14.8% |
| Retail trade | 13.0% |
| Manufacturing | 9.5% |
| Public administration | 7.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.6% |
| Construction | 5.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.3% |
| Other services | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Information | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where La Grande 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 26,144 | $1,340 million | $51,241 | 10,486 | 1,047 | $52,345 | -0.2% | 3.9% | 12,082 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,820 | 22.5% | $61,367 | 1.21 |
| Retail trade | 1,427 | 17.7% | $33,896 | 1.36 |
| Manufacturing | 1,220 | 15.1% | $60,378 | 1.42 |
| Accommodation and food services | 922 | 11.4% | $22,872 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 595 | 7.4% | $60,088 | 1.08 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 393 | 4.9% | $51,348 | 4.63 |
| Professional and technical services | 329 | 4.1% | $58,886 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 310 | 3.8% | $33,641 | 0.98 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 258 | 3.2% | $51,230 | 0.58 |
| Finance and insurance | 206 | 2.5% | $57,740 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 192 | 2.4% | $42,678 | 0.31 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 117 | 1.4% | $22,454 | 0.66 |
| Real estate and rental | 107 | 1.3% | $35,859 | 0.66 |
| Information | 82 | 1.0% | $66,747 | 0.42 |
| Management of companies | 70 | 0.9% | $101,330 | 0.40 |
| Educational services | 33 | 0.4% | $27,113 | 0.15 |
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 | 67.7% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 9.7% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,427 |
| Income per person | $32,892 |
| Median gross rent per month | $968 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.9% |
| Median home value | $278,700 |
| Homeowners | 51.1% |
| Poverty rate | 20.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 32.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.3 | 28 | 77 |
| Feb | -0.9 | 30 | 64 |
| Mar | 2.4 | 36 | 76 |
| Apr | 5.5 | 42 | 63 |
| May | 10.5 | 51 | 67 |
| Jun | 14.2 | 58 | 50 |
| Jul | 19.8 | 68 | 11 |
| Aug | 19.4 | 67 | 16 |
| Sep | 14.8 | 59 | 23 |
| Oct | 8.0 | 46 | 51 |
| Nov | 1.8 | 35 | 70 |
| Dec | -2.5 | 28 | 91 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pendleton | OR | 43 mi | 16,950 | $66,563 | $956 |
| Walla Walla | WA | 53 mi | 33,925 | $66,748 | $1,323 |
| Hermiston | OR | 68 mi | 19,546 | $66,998 | $1,088 |
| Kennewick | WA | 80 mi | 85,295 | $73,576 | $1,240 |
| Pasco | WA | 82 mi | 79,575 | $85,586 | $1,227 |
| Richland | WA | 88 mi | 62,753 | $95,813 | $1,468 |
| Lewiston | ID | 91 mi | 34,651 | $72,197 | $1,027 |
| Weiser | ID | 92 mi | 5,935 | $45,292 | $927 |
| McCall | ID | 100 mi | 3,946 | $60,253 | $1,134 |
| Payette | ID | 103 mi | 8,536 | $55,208 | $837 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
13,058 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$968 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.9% of the median household income.
$58,427 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.9% (BLS county, Union County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oregon. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.