1st Advantage MortgageAbout 69% of Yamhill County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $90,063. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Yamhill County at a glance
- Renting and owning in Yamhill County
- How much Yamhill County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Yamhill County
- Yamhill County and the counties next door
- Yamhill County towns compared
- People and households in Yamhill County
- What the numbers mean for Yamhill County borrowers
- Room for a loan payment in Yamhill County
- Oregon rules that apply in Yamhill County
- A Yamhill County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Yamhill County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Yamhill County's population at 108,734; only 9 of Oregon's 36 county-level areas are larger. Packed into 716 square miles, that is close to 152 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metropolitan area. Of the 9 Census places inside Yamhill County, McMinnville leads by population with about 34,596; 9 of the 9 are incorporated.
Renting and owning in Yamhill County
A typical Yamhill County rental runs $1,480 a month including utilities, which is 3% below Oregon. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 56% of renter households here. Home values center on $471,700, or 5.2 years of median income. Owners occupy 69% of homes. Median construction year: 1990.
| Cost | Yamhill County | Oregon figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,480/mo | $1,525/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $471,700 | $477,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 56% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 31% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 9.9% | 7.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 5% | 8% | 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 Yamhill County households make
Yamhill County households have a median income of $90,063 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 4th of 36 in Oregon.
| Households earning | Yamhill County | +/- vs Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.5% | -1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.6% | -1.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.0% | +4.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.9% | -1.8 pts |
About 18% of households earn under $35,000, while 44% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 10.3%, 2 points lower than the state's 11.9%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Yamhill County
The biggest employer of Yamhill County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). Compared with Oregon, the county leans toward manufacturing (15% against 11%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.8% in Yamhill County. About 71% drive to work alone and 21% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 5.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Yamhill County | Difference from Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | -1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.2% | +4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.3% | -1.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | -1.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.6% | -0.2 pts |
| Construction | 8.4% | +1.6 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Yamhill County and the counties next door
Washington County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Columbia County, is 49 miles off. Washington County leads the group on income ($107,772), Tillamook County trails ($69,105), and Yamhill County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamhill County | - | $90,063 | $1,480/mo | 69% |
| Washington County, OR | 24 mi | $107,772 | $1,849/mo | 61% |
| Polk County, OR | 24 mi | $85,118 | $1,299/mo | 65% |
| Tillamook County, OR | 26 mi | $69,105 | $1,246/mo | 74% |
| Marion County, OR | 43 mi | $77,351 | $1,414/mo | 62% |
| Multnomah County, OR | 48 mi | $88,766 | $1,646/mo | 53% |
| Columbia County, OR | 49 mi | $87,458 | $1,373/mo | 76% |
Yamhill County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 77% of Yamhill County residents live in one of the 9. Incomes vary by place: $113,750 at the median in Yamhill, $70,785 in Sheridan. Median rent ranges from $1,181 in Lafayette to $2,115 in Dundee. No Yamhill County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 9.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McMinnville | city | 34,596 | $73,736 | $1,380 | 7 mi |
| Newberg | city | 26,066 | $93,232 | $1,713 | 18 mi |
| Sheridan | city | 6,339 | $70,785 | $1,220 | 11 mi |
| Lafayette | city | 4,490 | $97,771 | $1,181 | 10 mi |
| Dundee | city | 3,213 | $106,681 | $2,115 | 15 mi |
| Carlton | city | 2,759 | $98,393 | $1,839 | 8 mi |
| Dayton | city | 2,675 | $91,184 | $1,861 | 12 mi |
| Amity | city | 2,089 | $87,396 | $1,579 | 11 mi |
| Yamhill | city | 1,273 | $113,750 | $1,333 | 9 mi |
People and households in Yamhill County
30% of Yamhill County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Yamhill County | Oregon statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 40.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 29.6% | 36.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.4% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.9% | 5.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.5% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 19.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Yamhill County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 34.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.5% |
| 60+ min | 9.2% |
What the numbers mean for Yamhill County borrowers
What the Yamhill County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Keeping the car running. At 21% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Yamhill County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 44% of Yamhill County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- Renters under pressure. When 56% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Room for a loan payment in Yamhill County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Yamhill County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Yamhill County: $7,505
- 20% goes to median rent ($1,480)
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,222 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Yamhill County's.
Oregon rules that apply in Yamhill County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Yamhill County, check the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Oregon guide.
A Yamhill County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Yamhill County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Oregon guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Yamhill County earn?
The median is $90,063; 44% earn $100,000 or more and 18% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Yamhill County?
$1,480 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
Which towns does the Yamhill County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 9 Census places: McMinnville, Newberg, Sheridan, Lafayette, Dundee.
Is the fit check different in Yamhill County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Yamhill 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.