Jobs, pay and daily life in The Dalles, 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.
The Dalles is a city in Oregon with 15,917 residents. The median household earns $62,614 a year and the median rent is $993 a month, which is 19.0% 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 The Dalles compares. Among the 60 largest places in Oregon, The Dalles is #46 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #53 for remote work (#1 = most), #52 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Wasco County, is #14 of 36 counties for average pay ($56,698).
The Dalles has 15,917 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Oregon. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,381 people per square mile. The median age is 38.5, 5% younger than the state median (38.5 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $993 a month (rent plus utilities), 35% below the state median ($993 against $1,525). Over a year that is 19.0% 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 $360,800, which is 5.8 times the median household income ($62,614); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 63.2% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (63.2% against 63.3%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Wasco County was 4.3%. 61.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Wasco County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.8% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 1.8% walk, 7.4% work from home. 6.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 46% below the state average (6.3% against 11.6%).
22.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38% below the state share (22.7% against 36.8%). 9.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 8% below the state share (9.1% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 11.0%, 8% below the state rate (11.0% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 65°F (18.3°C), and the coolest is Dec at 31°F (-0.5°C). About 949 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (164 mm) and Jul the driest (8 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: Sandy (56 miles, rent 87% higher); Troutdale (60 miles, rent 66% higher); Camas (62 miles, rent 110% higher); Fairview (62 miles, rent 65% higher). Rent differences are against The Dalles; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Oregon (788) →State guide: OregonCountry guideWasco 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 | 24.1% |
| Retail trade | 12.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.6% |
| Manufacturing | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.0% |
| Public administration | 7.3% |
| Construction | 5.5% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where The Dalles 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasco County | 26,552 | $2,393 million | $90,124 | 11,501 | 1,108 | $56,698 | +0.8% | 4.3% | 12,769 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,177 | 28.4% | $61,981 | 1.32 |
| Retail trade | 1,582 | 20.7% | $39,546 | 1.38 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,219 | 15.9% | $27,189 | 1.17 |
| Manufacturing | 466 | 6.1% | $66,445 | 0.49 |
| Construction | 444 | 5.8% | $71,837 | 0.74 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 374 | 4.9% | $37,202 | 1.08 |
| Administrative and waste services | 293 | 3.8% | $48,035 | 0.43 |
| Information | 268 | 3.5% | $232,272 | 1.24 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 222 | 2.9% | $60,667 | 0.46 |
| Wholesale trade | 191 | 2.5% | $56,625 | 0.42 |
| Finance and insurance | 136 | 1.8% | $68,008 | 0.29 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 111 | 1.5% | $19,300 | 0.57 |
| Real estate and rental | 74 | 1.0% | $37,050 | 0.41 |
| Educational services | 55 | 0.7% | $37,019 | 0.23 |
| Utilities | 43 | 0.6% | $115,153 | 0.98 |
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 | 80.8% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.8% |
| Work from home | 7.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,614 |
| Income per person | $40,289 |
| Median gross rent per month | $993 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.0% |
| Median home value | $360,800 |
| Homeowners | 63.2% |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% |
| 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 | 38.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.7% |
| Born abroad | 9.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.1 | 32 | 136 |
| Feb | 1.2 | 34 | 94 |
| Mar | 4.2 | 40 | 110 |
| Apr | 7.1 | 45 | 76 |
| May | 11.5 | 53 | 59 |
| Jun | 14.4 | 58 | 40 |
| Jul | 18.3 | 65 | 8 |
| Aug | 18.2 | 65 | 14 |
| Sep | 14.5 | 58 | 33 |
| Oct | 8.7 | 48 | 84 |
| Nov | 3.2 | 38 | 131 |
| Dec | -0.5 | 31 | 164 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy | OR | 56 mi | 12,854 | $108,984 | $1,861 |
| Troutdale | OR | 60 mi | 15,923 | $89,337 | $1,653 |
| Camas | WA | 62 mi | 27,007 | $141,126 | $2,090 |
| Fairview | OR | 62 mi | 10,735 | $70,107 | $1,637 |
| Gresham | OR | 63 mi | 112,378 | $77,795 | $1,586 |
| Damascus | OR | 64 mi | 11,437 | $122,500 | $2,654 |
| Happy Valley | OR | 67 mi | 26,738 | $122,151 | $2,029 |
| Orchards | WA | 67 mi | 29,438 | $100,146 | $1,784 |
| Battle Ground | WA | 68 mi | 21,886 | $104,977 | $1,576 |
| Five Corners | WA | 69 mi | 21,194 | $106,192 | $2,111 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
15,917 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$993 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.0% of the median household income.
$62,614 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Wasco County (latest month 2026M09)).
Oregon. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.