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Buying a home in Rainier, Oregon

The typical owner-occupied home in Rainier is worth about $344,700, 28% below the Oregon median of $477,600 and 4% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,384 a year in property taxes, about 0.98% of their home's value, higher than the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $66,989 a year, so the median home costs 5.1 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 84% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Rainier at a glance

Rainier Oregon U.S.
Median home value $344,700 $477,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,384 $3,876 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.98% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $66,989 $83,011 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 60% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 84% 65% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,597 $2,157 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 27.1% 22.4% 21.0%
Median rent $942 $1,525 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.2% 31.3% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1972 1981 1980
Vacant homes 5.0% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 2,130 4,254,293 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Rainier

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rainier home of $344,700 with 20% down costs about $2,280 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,854, 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 $97,722 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 41% of the median Rainier household income of $66,989; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $236,000.

The median rent here is $942 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,338 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$68,940
Loan amount$275,760
Principal and interest$1,855
Property taxes (0.98% a year)$282
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$144
PMI$0
Total per month$2,280

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$12,064
Loan amount$338,457
Principal and interest$2,277
Property taxes (0.98% a year)$282
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$144
FHA mortgage insurance$152
Total per month$2,854

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Questions about home buying in Rainier

What is the median home value in Rainier?

About $344,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Rainier?

Homeowners pay a median $3,384 a year, which is about 0.98% 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 Rainier?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,280 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $97,722 a year.

More about Rainier

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