Oregon · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Medford, OR

Prices around Medford, OR run 1.4% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $73,230 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,530 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $61,200 a year.

Medford, OR at a glance

Median household income

$73,230$6,103 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,530HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)101.4+1.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential OR
Population86,315Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Medford, 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$1,530Monthly market rent
Share of gross income25.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$61,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,831At 30% of $73,230
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Medford, OR? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Medford, OR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,055$12,660$42,20017.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,229$14,748$49,16020.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,530$18,360$61,20025.1%
3-Bedroom Home$2,128$25,536$85,12034.9%
4-Bedroom Home$2,514$30,168$100,56041.2%

Rent in Medford, OR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Medford, OR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $73,230 a year ($6,103 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,051/moRent ($1,530 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,831/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,221/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $73,230 leaves after Oregon taxes

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

$73,230
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$73,230
Net 76%
Fed 10%
OR 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$55,391After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,616Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,130Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,281 / yr
Oregon state income tax$4,957 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,602 / yr

Living in Medford, OR: common questions

What is the median household income in Medford, OR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Medford, OR is $73,230 per year (approximately $6,103 per month).

What is the average rent in Medford, OR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,055 for a studio, $1,229 for one bedroom, $1,530 for two, $2,128 for three and $2,514 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 Medford, OR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 1.4% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 101.4, 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 Medford, OR?

To keep a $1,530 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $61,200 a year, or $5,100 a month. That is 84% of what the typical household in Medford, OR earns.

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

On the local median income of $73,230 ($6,103 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,051 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,831 for everything else and $1,221 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,530 takes 50% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Medford, 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.