Wheeler County, OR

County

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2024 Population

1,485

US Senator

Ron Wyden

Democratic Party

US Senator

Jeff Merkley

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

59.3

3.49% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

10.8%

7.48% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$55,284

7.87% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$272,400

5.17% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

590

18.5% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Wheeler County, OR reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.4% of the residents in Wheeler County, OR are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Wheeler County, OR was $272,400, and the homeownership rate was 71.8%.

Most people in Wheeler County, OR drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24 minutes. The average car ownership in Wheeler County, OR was 2 cars per household.

Wheeler County, OR borders Crook County, OR, Gilliam County, OR, Grant County, OR, Jefferson County, OR, Morrow County, OR, and Wasco County, OR.

About the photo: Clarno Tuff in North-central Oregon, fanciful towers full of fossils.

Photo by Dru!

United States Oregon

Population & Diversity

Wheeler County, OR is home to a population of 1.49k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.37% of Wheeler County, OR residents were born outside of the country (50 people).

In 2024, there were 15.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.24k people) in Wheeler County, OR than any other race or ethnicity. There were 78 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) and 73 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.4%

2024 Citizenship

97.1%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.4% of Wheeler County, OR residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wheeler County, OR was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wheeler County, OR compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wheeler County, OR

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.24k ± 148
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
78 ± 31
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
73 ± 31

4.85%

Hispanic Population

72 people

4.85% of the people in Wheeler County, OR are hispanic (72 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wheeler County, OR as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Oregon.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
141,836 ± 9,090 people
Vietnam
22,252 ± 3,653 people
China
21,575 ± 3,597 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Oregon was Mexico, the natal country of 141,836 Oregon residents, followed by Vietnam with 22,252 and China with 21,575.

Foreign-Born Population

3.37%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

50 people

3.56%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

51 people

As of 2024, 3.37% of Wheeler County, OR residents (50 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wheeler County, OR was 3.56%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wheeler County, OR compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
94 ± 39
Gulf War (1990s)
11 ± 17
Korea
5 ± 14

Wheeler County, OR has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 8.55 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Wheeler County, OR.

Economy

The economy of Wheeler County, OR employs 590 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wheeler County, OR were Public Administration (86 people), Construction (72 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (72 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($106,125), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($97,083), and Health Care & Social Assistance ($73,833).

Employment

Occupations

590

2024 Value

± 119

18.5%

1 Year growth

± 24.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wheeler County, OR grew at a rate of 18.5%, from 498 employees to 590 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wheeler County, OR, are Management Occupations (90 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (71 people), and Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (61 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wheeler County, OR.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Oregon.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Oregon (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

590

2024 Value

± 119

18.5%

1 Year growth

± 24.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wheeler County, OR grew at a rate of 18.5%, from 498 employees to 590 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wheeler County, OR, are Public Administration (86 people), Construction (72 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (72 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wheeler County, OR, though some of these residents may live in Wheeler County, OR and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,738

Median earning men ± $14,670

$35,000

Median earning women ± $18,394

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($75,750), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($73,239), and Public Administration ($55,313).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($105,375), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($72,792), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($46,250).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Oregon.

Y-Axis

2.87%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.97M people employed in Oregon. This represents a 2.87% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.1%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Oregon.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

6
Retail Trade
3
Accommodation and Food Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$487
Retail Trade
$225
Accommodation and Food Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Oregon went to Kamala Harris with 55.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.5%).

Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are the senators currently representing the state of Oregon. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Oregon is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Wheeler County, OR. Showing the available data for Oregon.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (55.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.5%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Oregon went to Kamala Harris with 55.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.5%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Oregon for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Oregon

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Oregon.

Ron Wyden

Senator from Oregon

Assumed office on February 5, 1996
Elected to the seat following the resignation of Bob Packwood.

Jeff Merkley

Senator from Oregon

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are the senators currently representing Oregon.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Oregon over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wheeler County, OR was $272,400 in 2024, which is 0.819 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $259,000 to $272,400, a 5.17% increase. The homeownership rate in Wheeler County, OR is 71.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Wheeler County, OR have an average commute time of 24 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wheeler County, OR is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wheeler County, OR. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 2.39%.

Housing

Property

$272,400

Median Property Value 2024

±$19,117

$505

Median Property Taxes

±$89

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wheeler County, OR the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wheeler County, OR compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.8%

Homeownership

2024

63.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.8% of the housing units in Wheeler County, OR were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wheeler County, OR compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$55,284

Median Household Income

± $4,440

703

Number of Households

± 106

In 2024, the median household income of the 703 households in Wheeler County, OR grew to $55,284 from the previous year's value of $51,250.

The following chart displays the households in Wheeler County, OR distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $50k - $60k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wheeler County, OR is from Oregon.

0.461

2023 Wage GINI in Oregon

0.463

2022 Wage GINI in Oregon

In 2023, the income inequality in Oregon was 0.461 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.437% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Oregon was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Oregon in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Oregon across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (66.3%)
Worked At Home (19.9%)
Carpooled (5.51%)

In 2024, 66.3% of workers in Wheeler County, OR drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.9%) and those who carpooled to work (5.51%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wheeler County, OR have a shorter commute time (24 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 5.32% of the workforce in Wheeler County, OR have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wheeler County, OR compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wheeler County, OR distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wheeler County, OR have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wheeler County, OR. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 2.39%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wheeler County, OR (158 out of 1.47k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 65 - 74, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wheeler County, OR is White, followed by Two Or More and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 31% of the children was living in poverty in Wheeler County, OR. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 184 in Wheeler County, OR. From 2017 to 2022, the indicator declined 174 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

96.8% of the population of Wheeler County, OR has health coverage, with 29.1% on employee plans, 21.3% on Medicaid, 29.5% on Medicare, 13.8% on non-group plans, and 3.03% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Wheeler County, OR see 0 patients per year on average, which represents a NaNN% change from the previous year (0 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 482 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 359 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

0 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wheeler County, OR

Primary care physicians in Wheeler County, OR see an average of 0 patients per year. This represents a NaNN% change from the previous year (0 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Wheeler County, OR in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 13.9% under 18 years, 9.83% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 38.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.23%

Uninsured

29.1%

Employer Coverage

21.3%

Medicaid

29.5%

Medicare

13.8%

Non-Group

3.03%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wheeler County, OR declined by 15.7% from 3.84% to 3.23%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wheeler County, OR changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.