Jobs, pay and daily life in Ontario, 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.
Ontario is a city in Oregon with 11,842 residents. The median household earns $46,308 a year and the median rent is $804 a month, which is 20.8% 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 Ontario compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oregon, Ontario is #53 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #60 for household income (#1 = highest), #56 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Malheur County, is #35 of 36 counties for average pay ($48,708).
Ontario has 11,842 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Oregon. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,979 people per square mile. The median age is 35.2, 13% younger than the state median (35.2 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $804 a month (rent plus utilities), 47% below the state median ($804 against $1,525). Over a year that is 20.8% 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 $236,300, which is 5.1 times the median household income ($46,308); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 55.6% of households own their home, 12% below the state average (55.6% against 63.3%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Malheur County was 3.6%. 58.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Malheur County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.3% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.8% walk, 7.7% work from home. 4.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 58% below the state average (4.9% against 11.6%).
15.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 57% below the state share (15.7% against 36.8%). 7.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 22% below the state share (7.7% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 21.0%, 76% above the state rate (21.0% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 30°F (-1.0°C). About 361 mm (14 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (60 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: Fruitland (3 miles, similar rent); Payette (5 miles, rent 4% higher); Weiser (16 miles, rent 15% higher); Emmett (26 miles, rent 30% higher). Rent differences are against Ontario; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oregon (788) →State guide: OregonCountry guideMalheur 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 19.6% |
| Education and health care | 18.4% |
| Manufacturing | 17.6% |
| Retail trade | 9.9% |
| Public administration | 8.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.5% |
| Construction | 3.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.9% |
| Other services | 2.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.4% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ontario 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malheur County | 31,954 | $1,553 million | $48,599 | 13,488 | 1,135 | $48,708 | +2.0% | 3.6% | 13,668 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,261 | 34.1% | $37,138 | 1.68 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,276 | 19.3% | $21,391 | 1.04 |
| Manufacturing | 1,087 | 16.4% | $49,674 | 0.98 |
| Wholesale trade | 486 | 7.3% | $56,450 | 0.91 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 329 | 5.0% | $59,332 | 0.58 |
| Construction | 303 | 4.6% | $47,104 | 0.43 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 252 | 3.8% | $37,131 | 0.62 |
| Professional and technical services | 231 | 3.5% | $55,395 | 0.25 |
| Finance and insurance | 168 | 2.5% | $65,417 | 0.31 |
| Information | 77 | 1.2% | $50,043 | 0.30 |
| Real estate and rental | 72 | 1.1% | $43,725 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 67 | 1.0% | $68,518 | 1.31 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 17 | 0.3% | $34,986 | 0.07 |
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 | 76.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.8% |
| Work from home | 7.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,308 |
| Income per person | $26,056 |
| Median gross rent per month | $804 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.8% |
| Median home value | $236,300 |
| Homeowners | 55.6% |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% |
| 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 | 35.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 82.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 15.7% |
| Born abroad | 7.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.0 | 30 | 46 |
| Feb | 1.8 | 35 | 34 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 43 |
| Apr | 10.4 | 51 | 30 |
| May | 16.0 | 61 | 37 |
| Jun | 20.7 | 69 | 24 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 7 |
| Aug | 25.4 | 78 | 7 |
| Sep | 19.8 | 68 | 14 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 24 |
| Nov | 4.3 | 40 | 35 |
| Dec | -0.8 | 31 | 60 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruitland | ID | 3 mi | 6,663 | $65,457 | $798 |
| Payette | ID | 5 mi | 8,536 | $55,208 | $837 |
| Weiser | ID | 16 mi | 5,935 | $45,292 | $927 |
| Emmett | ID | 26 mi | 8,275 | $58,750 | $1,042 |
| Middleton | ID | 28 mi | 10,649 | $89,013 | $1,147 |
| Caldwell | ID | 31 mi | 66,516 | $73,058 | $1,264 |
| Eagle | ID | 33 mi | 32,855 | $122,894 | $1,765 |
| Star | ID | 33 mi | 14,745 | $97,936 | $1,924 |
| Nampa | ID | 37 mi | 110,319 | $74,279 | $1,420 |
| Meridian | ID | 41 mi | 130,138 | $100,795 | $1,805 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,842 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$804 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.8% of the median household income.
$46,308 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Malheur County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oregon. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.