Oregon · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Malheur County, OR

Prices around Malheur County, OR run 3.4% above the U.S. average (BEA, Oregon). The typical household there earns $54,519 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,081 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $43,240 a year.

Malheur County, OR at a glance

Median household income

$54,519$4,543 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,081HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)103.4+3.4% · BEA, Oregon
Electricity16.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential OR
Population31,954Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Malheur County, OR?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,081Monthly market rent
Share of gross income23.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$43,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,363At 30% of $54,519
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Malheur County, OR? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Malheur County, OR, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Malheur County, OR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$772$9,264$30,88017%
1-Bedroom Apartment$942$11,304$37,68020.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,081$12,972$43,24023.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,503$18,036$60,12033.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,813$21,756$72,52039.9%

Rent in Malheur County, OR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Malheur County, OR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $54,519 a year ($4,543 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,272/moRent ($1,081 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,363/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$909/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $54,519 leaves after Oregon taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Oregon tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$54,519
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$54,519
Net 78%
Fed 8%
OR 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$42,411After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,534Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,631Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,362 / yr
Oregon state income tax$3,575 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,171 / yr

Living in Malheur County, OR: common questions

What is the median household income in Malheur County, OR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Malheur County, OR is $54,519 per year (approximately $4,543 per month).

What is the average rent in Malheur County, OR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $772 for a studio, $942 for one bedroom, $1,081 for two, $1,503 for three and $1,813 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Malheur County, OR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.4% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Oregon is 103.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Malheur County, OR?

To keep a $1,081 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $43,240 a year, or $3,603 a month. That is 79% of what the typical household in Malheur County, OR earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Malheur County, OR?

On the local median income of $54,519 ($4,543 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,272 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,363 for everything else and $909 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,081 takes 48% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Malheur County, OR?

Homes in Oregon paid 16.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $147. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.