RANK #605 / 1001 NAT · #4 / 18 OR · POP 70,247
1YR FORECAST: +0.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +27%
Klamath County, Oregon, is often recognized as the "City of Sunshine" with approximately 300 sunny days annually, offering a high desert climate. It serves as a gateway to Crater Lake National Park, located about 60 miles north of Klamath Falls. The county, Oregon's fourth largest, is situated in south-central Oregon, bordering California. Commuting within Klamath Falls is generally short, with an average travel time of 17.9 minutes. The community offers extensive outdoor recreation, including hiking and biking trails at Moore Park and the OC&E Woods Line State Trail, kayaking on Upper Klamath Lake, and birdwatching in the Klamath Basin, a major stop on the Pacific Flyway.
Life in Klamath County is characterized by a focus on outdoor activities and a sense of community. The area attracts families and retirees, drawn to its natural amenities and a lower cost of living compared to the national average. Education is supported by the Klamath County School District and Klamath Falls City Schools, alongside institutions like Oregon Institute of Technology and Klamath Community College. The economy is driven by sectors such as tourism, healthcare, education, and local industry, though agriculture faces challenges due to water shortages in the Klamath Basin.
Klamath County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +2.8% YoY, population +0.6%, wages +2.2%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 15.0x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 39/100, Klamath County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $58,830 combined with job growth of +0.1% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Klamath County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $280,400 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.21 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $991/month on average.
Klamath County's population is growing — up +0.6% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of +0.1%). Home values shifted +2.8% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.19% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Klamath County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.