1st Advantage MortgageThe median Deschutes County household earns $92,758, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Oregon license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Deschutes County
- Deschutes County housing compared with Oregon
- How much Deschutes County households make
- How Deschutes County residents earn a living
- Counties near Deschutes County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Deschutes County
- A Deschutes County household budget, worked through
- Reading the Deschutes County data as a borrower
- Deschutes County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Who licenses lenders for Deschutes County residents
- Checklist for Deschutes County applicants
- More guides for Deschutes County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Deschutes County
Roughly 206,334 residents live in Deschutes County, Oregon, 7th by population among the state's 36 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 3,018 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 68 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Bend, OR metropolitan area. Bend is the biggest of its 14 Census places, at roughly 103,390 people (50% of the county total).
Deschutes County housing compared with Oregon
A typical Deschutes County rental runs $1,787 a month including utilities, which is 17% above Oregon. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 50% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $650,900, about 7.0 times the median household income. 70% of Deschutes County households own their home and 30% rent.
| Cost | Deschutes County | Oregon figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,787/mo | $1,525/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $650,900 | $477,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 70% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 31% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How much Deschutes County households make
The median household income in Deschutes County is $92,758; statewide it is $83,011, so Deschutes County runs 12% above Oregon as a whole. In the state ranking that is 3rd of 36.
| Households earning | Deschutes County | +/- vs Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 15.3% | -4.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.0% | -0.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.3% | +2.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 15.4% | +2.7 pts |
Some 15% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 47% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 8.8% of Deschutes County residents in poverty, against 11.9% across Oregon. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.461 here. A household earning below the $92,758 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Deschutes County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 24% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 14%. Professional and administrative services stands out: 14% of workers here, versus 12% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.4% in Deschutes County. About 65% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 4.0% of the total (7.1% statewide).
| Sector | Deschutes County | Compared with Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.0% | +0.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.3% | +1.5 pts |
| Construction | 8.8% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.9% | -3.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Counties near Deschutes County
Six nearby counties, 46 to 86 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. None of the six report a higher median household income than Deschutes County; Crook County is highest at $81,965 and Wheeler County lowest at $55,284.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes County | - | $92,758 | $1,787/mo | 70% |
| Crook County, OR | 46 mi | $81,965 | $1,283/mo | 74% |
| Jefferson County, OR | 50 mi | $76,260 | $941/mo | 72% |
| Linn County, OR | 76 mi | $76,329 | $1,320/mo | 67% |
| Wheeler County, OR | 82 mi | $55,284 | $870/mo | 72% |
| Lane County, OR | 83 mi | $71,544 | $1,355/mo | 60% |
| Wasco County, OR | 86 mi | $64,175 | $1,008/mo | 68% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Deschutes County
14 Census places fall mainly inside Deschutes County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 162,744 residents, leaving about 21% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Tetherow has the highest median household income on the list ($158,824) and La Pine the lowest ($58,365), counting places with at least 500 residents. No Deschutes County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 14.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend | city | 103,390 | $96,394 | $1,883 | 11 mi |
| Redmond | city | 36,092 | $84,164 | $1,628 | 24 mi |
| Deschutes River Woods | CDP | 5,797 | $91,960 | $1,921 | 8 mi |
| Three Rivers | CDP | 3,995 | $87,313 | $2,250 | 13 mi |
| Sisters | city | 3,022 | $94,524 | $1,350 | 31 mi |
| Eagle Crest | CDP | 2,677 | $102,500 | n/a | 24 mi |
| La Pine | city | 2,547 | $58,365 | $1,173 | 20 mi |
| Terrebonne | CDP | 1,602 | $89,248 | n/a | 30 mi |
| Sunriver | CDP | 1,488 | $82,287 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Tetherow | CDP | 765 | $158,824 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Tumalo | CDP | 662 | $85,417 | $1,835 | 17 mi |
| Seventh Mountain | CDP | 335 | $152,548 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Pronghorn | CDP | 257 | n/a | n/a | 19 mi |
| Black Butte Ranch | CDP | 115 | n/a | n/a | 38 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
A Deschutes County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Deschutes County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $7,730 gross per month ($92,758 / 12)
- Median rent: $1,787, or 23 cents of every gross dollar
- At 40%, room after rent is $1,305 a month
Two-income households and single earners in Deschutes County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Reading the Deschutes County data as a borrower
What the Deschutes County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Six-figure budgets. For the 47% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Renters under pressure. When 50% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Deschutes County borrower sees (free reports).
Deschutes County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 45% of the adult population. 6.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Deschutes County | Oregon | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 40.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 45.0% | 36.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.6% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.2% | 5.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 22.6% | 19.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.4% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 41.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.8% |
| 60+ min | 2.7% |
Who licenses lenders for Deschutes County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Deschutes County borrowers answers to the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Oregon: Oregon personal loans.
Checklist for Deschutes County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Deschutes County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Oregon borrowers.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
More guides for Deschutes County
The Oregon guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Deschutes County household make?
About $92,758 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 12% above the Oregon median.
Is Deschutes County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,787 against $1,525 statewide, and 50% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Which towns does the Deschutes County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 14 Census places: Bend, Redmond, Deschutes River Woods, Three Rivers, Sisters.
Is the fit check different in Deschutes County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Deschutes County residents?
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation licenses consumer lenders in Oregon; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.