Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 13,058 residents · Union County, Oregon

La Grande , Oregon

In La Grande, a typical home is worth $278,700 and typical rent is $968 a month. Compared with all of Union County, typical household income is 11% lower, the typical home value is 5% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 14 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $278,700

    5% below the county

    42% below Oregon

    • La Grande
    • Union
    • Oregon

  • Typical rent

    $968a month

    About the same as the county

    37% below Oregon

    • La Grande
    • Union
    • Oregon

  • Typical household income

    $58,427a year

    11% below the county

    30% below Oregon

    • La Grande
    • Union
    • Oregon

  • Households that own their home

    51%

    14 points below the county

    12 points below Oregon

    • La Grande
    • Union
    • Oregon

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$299,566
3.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,145 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

La Grande is in Union County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Union County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets La Grande apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. La Grande has the 5th lowest typical rent of the 102 cities in Oregon with more than 5,000 people ($968).

  2. 51% of households in La Grande own their home, against 66% in Union County.

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in La Grande rose 3.4%; in Oregon, it barely changed.

  4. La Grande has the 11th lowest typical home value of the 105 cities in Oregon with more than 5,000 people ($278,700).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in La Grande

What homes there are in La Grande, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in La Grande, but it weighs less than in Union County: 62% against 70%.

Year built

In La Grande, half of the homes were built before 1966; in Union County, before 1973.

There are fewer big homes in La Grande than in Union County: 52% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 60%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for Union County is $541,287, and about 92% of owner-occupied homes in La Grande are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

About 61% of rented homes in La Grande cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Union County ($1,114); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$1,503 a month

Union County: $1,502 a month

Without a mortgage

$605 a month

Union County: $563 a month

Owners with a mortgage

51%

Union County: 53%

In La Grande, 51% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,503 a month, about the same as in Union County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in La Grande rose 64%; in Union County, it rose 59%.

The typical rent in La Grande rose 23% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Union County (20%).

While home values in La Grande changed +64% and rent +23%, the typical household income rose 38%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLa GrandeUnion CountyOregonUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.3%3.2%3.4%
People per household 2.292.352.422.53
Drive alone 68%72%65%69%
Carpool 11%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Walk or bike 10%7%5%3%
Work from home 7%9%19%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate3%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in La Grande look like those in Union County: 2.29 people on average.

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 10%, more than in Union County (7%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in La Grande?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in La Grande, worth $278,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 48% of the typical household income in La Grande, which is $58,427 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $99,961 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Union County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in La Grande. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,755 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,332

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$273,652
Total interest
$393,720
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,707 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,363 a month

  • Tight

    $1,363 to $1,753 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,753 a month

    Your payment · 48%

Compared with the typical household income in La Grande ($58,427 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,332
Principal & interest$1,854
Property tax$239
Home insurance$116
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$123

You need at least $9,755 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

La Grande and Union County

La Grande is in Union County, Oregon. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

La Grande's own numbers

Typical home value
$278,700
Typical monthly rent
$968
Typical yearly household income
$58,427
Households that own their home
51%
Effective property tax rate
1.03%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Union County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,114
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+60%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Union County.

Everything about Union County

Buying

Buying a home in La Grande

A typical home in La Grande is worth $278,700: 5% below the county and 42% below Oregon. With the typical household income in La Grande ($58,427 a year), a typical home costs 4.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • La Grande 4.8 years
  • Union 4.5 years
  • Oregon 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Union County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Union County rose 107% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Union County.

Period County Oregon U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.6% +0.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +60% +35% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +107% +86% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

La Grande next to Union County, Oregon and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • La Grande $278,700
  • Union $294,600
  • Oregon $477,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • La Grande $968
  • Union $982
  • Oregon $1,525
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • La Grande $58,427
  • Union $65,661
  • Oregon $83,011
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
La Grande next to Union County and Oregon
Measure La Grande Union County Oregon U.S.
Typical home value $278,700 $294,600 $477,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $968 $982 $1,525 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $58,427 $65,661 $83,011 $80,734
Households that own their home 51% 66% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,863 $2,446 $3,876 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.03% 0.83% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 43% 42% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Union County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in La Grande

For a typical $278,700 home in La Grande, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, La Grande's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,332a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,755
    Cash to close
    $18,116
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $123

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,281a month

    Down payment
    $13,935
    Cash to close
    $22,296
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $132

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,866a month

    Down payment
    $55,740
    Cash to close
    $64,101
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,123a month

    Down payment
    $41,805
    Cash to close
    $50,166
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for La Grande and for Union County.

Property tax

Effective rate in La Grande

1.03%of the home’s value each year

$2,863 a year for the typical owner in La Grande.

  • La Grande 1.03%
  • Union 0.83%
  • Oregon 0.81%

What Oregon publishes 3 percent cap on maximum assessed value (Measure 50) (Oregon Legislature (Oregon Revised Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Oregon

Flood risk in Union County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Union County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in Union County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in La Grande

Typical rent in La Grande is $968 a month: about the same as the county. In La Grande, 43% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Union County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,114 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $21.42 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Union County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $776 $14.92 $31,040
1 bedroom $916 $17.62 $36,640
2 bedrooms $1,114 $21.42 $44,560
3 bedrooms $1,543 $29.67 $61,720
4 bedrooms $1,862 $35.81 $74,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in La Grande

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). La Grande is in ZIP code 97850.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,110: $4 less than the fair market rent for Union County ($1,114).

  • 97850 $1,110$1,540

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for La Grande when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in La Grande

HUD lists 10 buildings with rents for lower incomes in La Grande. These are the largest.

  • Green Tree Apts 2310 E Q Ave, La Grande 97850 64 low-income homes · Studio: 18 · 1 bd: 30 · 2 bd: 16 · In service since 2000 · For families
  • Grande Woods Apts 2005B Gekeler Ln, La Grande 97850 50 low-income homes · 2 bd: 41 · 3 bd: 9 · In service since 2008 · For families (541) 963-8051
  • La Grande Retirement Apts 1612 7th St, La Grande 97850 46 low-income homes · Studio: 2 · 1 bd: 44 · In service since 2011 · For older adults (541) 963-7015
  • Pinehurst Apts 1502 21st St, La Grande 97850 46 low-income homes · 1 bd: 14 · 2 bd: 32 · In service since 2007 · For families
  • Thunderbird Apartments 307 20th St, La Grande 97850 40 low-income homes · For families (541) 426-3820

See all 12 buildings in Union County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in La Grande

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Union County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in La Grande

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for La Grande or Union County. The ones below are statewide in Oregon: they work in La Grande the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Oregon

  • OHCS Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon state funds for the down payment and closing costs, delivered by local organizations: up to $60,000 or 20% of the price, sometimes as a grant or as a forgivable second mortgage, for first-time or first-generation buyers with income up to 100% of the area median. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    GrantForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • FirstHome (Flex Lending)

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon Housing and Community Services mortgage for low- and moderate-income first-time buyers, with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the loan as a second mortgage. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • NextStep (Flex Lending)

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon Housing and Community Services mortgage for any buyer, including people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the loan as a second mortgage that can be forgivable or repayable. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near La Grande

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of La Grande, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc.

    2802 Adams Ave, La Grande · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (541) 963-3186

  • Community in Action

    915 SW 3rd Ave, Ontario · 105 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (541) 889-1060

  • Columbia Cascade Housing Corporations Housing Resource Center

    500 E 2nd St, The Dalles · 151 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (541) 296-5462

Every agency in Union County All counseling agencies in Oregon

Help in Spanish near La Grande

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of La Grande

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Union County is named for La Grande or Union County.

One other authority has an office in Union County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to La Grande, with the typical home value.

Everything about Union County Housing in Oregon

Neighboring counties

If Union County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in La Grande.

All guides
A father, a mother and their daughter smile among the avocado trees by their home in Somis, California.

Questions

Housing questions about La Grande

Short answers with the numbers for La Grande and all of Union County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in La Grande?

The typical home value in La Grande is $278,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Union County it is $294,600.

How much does it cost to rent in La Grande?

Typical rent in La Grande is $968 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Union County is $1,114.

What is the FHA loan limit in La Grande?

La Grande uses the FHA limit for all of Union County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in La Grande?

The typical homeowner in La Grande pays $2,863 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.03% of the home’s value; in Union County, the rate is 0.83%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in La Grande?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Union County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).