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Buying a home in Baker County, Oregon

The typical owner-occupied home in Baker County is worth about $285,600, 40% below the Oregon median of $477,600 and 14% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,239 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of their home's value, close to the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $60,936 a year, so the median home costs 4.7 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 49% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Baker County at a glance

Baker County Oregon U.S.
Median home value $285,600 $477,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,239 $3,876 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.78% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $60,936 $83,011 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 71% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 49% 65% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,431 $2,157 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.5% 22.4% 21.0%
Median rent $865 $1,525 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.5% 31.3% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1967 1981 1980
Vacant homes 15.7% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 16,840 4,254,293 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Baker County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Baker County home of $285,600 with 20% down costs about $1,842 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,317, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $78,927 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Baker County household income of $60,936; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $220,000.

The median rent here is $865 a month, so owning the median home costs about $977 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$57,120
Loan amount$228,480
Principal and interest$1,537
Property taxes (0.78% a year)$186
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$119
PMI$0
Total per month$1,842

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,996
Loan amount$280,427
Principal and interest$1,886
Property taxes (0.78% a year)$186
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$119
FHA mortgage insurance$126
Total per month$2,317

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Questions about home buying in Baker County

What is the median home value in Baker County?

About $285,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Baker County?

Homeowners pay a median $2,239 a year, which is about 0.78% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Baker County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,842 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $78,927 a year.

More about Baker County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data