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Buying a home in La Grande, Oregon

The typical owner-occupied home in La Grande is worth about $278,700, 42% below the Oregon median of $477,600 and 16% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,863 a year in property taxes, about 1.03% of their home's value, higher than the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $58,427 a year, so the median home costs 4.8 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 51% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 51% of those owners still have a mortgage.

La Grande at a glance

La Grande Oregon U.S.
Median home value $278,700 $477,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,863 $3,876 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.03% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $58,427 $83,011 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 51% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 51% 65% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,503 $2,157 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.8% 22.4% 21.0%
Median rent $968 $1,525 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.1% 31.3% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1966 1981 1980
Vacant homes 4.9% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 13,058 4,254,293 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in La Grande

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median La Grande home of $278,700 with 20% down costs about $1,855 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,319, 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 $79,509 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median La Grande household income of $58,427; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $205,000.

The median rent here is $968 a month, so owning the median home costs about $887 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$55,740
Loan amount$222,960
Principal and interest$1,500
Property taxes (1.03% a year)$239
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$116
PMI$0
Total per month$1,855

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,754
Loan amount$273,652
Principal and interest$1,841
Property taxes (1.03% a year)$239
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$116
FHA mortgage insurance$123
Total per month$2,319

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Questions about home buying in La Grande

What is the median home value in La Grande?

About $278,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in La Grande?

Homeowners pay a median $2,863 a year, which is about 1.03% 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 La Grande?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,855 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $79,509 a year.

More about La Grande

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