The story of this market
The typical home in Union County, Oregon sells for about $449,000, or $235 per square foot.
Prices are up +2.4% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 88 days to sell, which is slow. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 218% since 2000. Last year 5 of 8 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is cold wave, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,114 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,114 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+5.9%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+17.1%). Worst: 2011 (-4.3%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+0.3%
OR · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,543
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
+5.9%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 8 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
74
Relatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $15,707,423.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
77.1%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1032 | 552 | 77.1% | 3.1% | $185,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Union County, Oregon
The Union County housing market is currently characterized by low inventory and steady pricing, reflecting a balanced but constrained environment. Demand remains supported by local employment anchors, though limited supply continues to exert upward pressure on home values.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 5 cities · 5 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 2.5% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 67 days on market with 4.3 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
12% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 98.41% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 4.5% · poverty 16.1% — a stable, low-distress profile.
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this county — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Deterministic aggregate of 4 researched ZIP reports of 5 — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Union County, Oregon — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 10.4%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
| 97824 | Cove | $290,000 | $145 | +3.5% | 85 | 97% | 15% | 6 | 12 | $950 | researched Sep 26 |
| 97827 | Elgin | $290,000 | $158 | +3.5% | 112 | 96.5% | 12% | 7.2 | 14 | $950 | researched Sep 26 |
| 97841 | Imbler | $245,000 | $142 | +2.4% | 88 | 97.5% | 15% | 4.2 | 12 | $1,150 | researched Sep 26 |
| 97850 | La Grande | $350,000 | $238 | +2.5% | 65 | 98.5% | 12% | 4.2 | 64 | $1,150 | researched Sep 26 |
| 97883 | Union | $220,300 | $145 | +2.1% | 85 | 97% | 12% | 5.5 | 22 | $1,028 | researched Sep 26 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Crime rates in Union County remain generally lower than the national average, with property crime being the most frequently reported incident type in rural areas.
Schools in the county are primarily served by the La Grande School District, which maintains a focus on community-integrated education and steady academic performance.
The region faces moderate wildfire risks during summer months, necessitating ongoing forest management and fire-prevention planning for residential properties.
Economic momentum is driven by education, healthcare, and agricultural sectors, with ongoing efforts to expand local business infrastructure in La Grande.
Property taxes are assessed based on the county's real market value, with rates determined by local levies and special district requirements for schools and emergency services.
The rental market is characterized by limited inventory and steady demand, particularly in La Grande, with rents showing moderate upward pressure.
The economy is anchored by Eastern Oregon University, regional healthcare providers, and a robust agricultural sector, with a focus on sustainable growth.
The county is served by Interstate 84, providing a critical transportation corridor for regional commerce and commuting.
The Union County Assessor's office manages property valuations based on state-mandated assessment cycles and market-value adjustments.
The county includes various special districts for fire protection, water control, and library services that are funded through local property tax levies.
Property insurance premiums are influenced by regional wildfire risk assessments and the availability of local fire protection services.
- Mount Emily Recreation Area4.810.7 mi
- Brickyard Lanes4.57 mi
- Candy Cane Park4.16.4 mi
- Historic Birnie Park4.46.1 mi
- Granada Theatre4.37 mi
- Riverside Park4.77.9 mi
- Mount Emily Recreation Area4.810.7 mi
- Hilgard Junction State Park4.312.1 mi
- Candy Cane Park4.16.4 mi
- Historic Birnie Park4.46.1 mi
- Safeway4.16.4 mi
- Grande Ronde Plaza4.16.8 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Provides extensive hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing opportunities that define the region's outdoor appeal.
Serves as a cultural and educational anchor for the county, hosting events and contributing to the local economy.
Offers fishing, rafting, and scenic beauty that attracts both residents and tourists to the valley.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and World Population Review.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
applies when — Members of the Oregon National Guard or Reserve who are deployed.
Allows for the exemption of a portion of the assessed value of a primary residence from local property taxes for a period of three to five years in standard zones, or up to 15 years in rural zones.
Business Oregon Enterprise Zone statutes
applies when — Qualified disabled veterans or their surviving spouses meeting specific disability or service-connected criteria.
Provides a reduction in the assessed value of the primary residence, effectively lowering the property tax burden based on the exemption amount set by statute.
ORS 307.250
Tax is calculated on the lesser of Real Market Value (RMV) or Maximum Assessed Value (MAV). MAV is limited to a 3% annual growth rate unless physical changes occur to the property. The tax is the product of the taxable assessed value and the local taxing district's millage rate.
Oregon Constitution; ORS Chapter 308
applies when — Delinquency of property taxes for a period of three years from the earliest date of delinquency.
The county may initiate foreclosure proceedings to seize the property to satisfy the tax lien. Owners have redemption rights prior to the judgment of foreclosure.
ORS 312.010
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.