Medford cost of living
Prices in the Medford, OR metro area run at 101.4 against a national average of 100, ranking it #62 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 97.7.
What drives the number
Medford sits at 101.4, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. It ranks #62 of 387 metro areas, in the middle by construction rather than by coincidence. Against Oregon as a whole it is 2 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 105.3, rents at 97.7, other services at 102.3. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent. Goods at 105.3 are themselves 5.3 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
The practical use of this number is converting pay between places. Take any salary quoted here, divide by 101.4, multiply by 100, and you have what it would need to be nationally to leave you equally well off.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Medford is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,140 | $31,350 | $30,917 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,700 | $35,330 | $34,842 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 2,370 | $111,980 | $110,434 | $93,600 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,020 | $39,790 | $39,241 | $34,900 |
| Cashiers | 1,990 | $32,580 | $32,130 | $31,190 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,920 | $38,070 | $37,544 | $37,090 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,890 | $85,560 | $84,379 | $102,950 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,570 | $58,020 | $57,219 | $57,440 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 101.4.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 105.4 | 125.1 | #28 |
| Corvallis | 104.0 | 114.4 | #36 |
| Bend | 103.6 | 110.0 | #39 |
| Salem | 103.6 | 110.3 | #41 |
| Albany | 102.1 | 101.1 | #57 |
| Eugene-Springfield | 101.6 | 98.4 | #60 |
Medford: common questions
Is Medford expensive?
Prices are 1.4% above the national average, a parity of 101.4 where the country is 100. It ranks #62 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Oregon as a whole it is 2 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Medford?
The median worker there earns $48,340, which buys what $47,673 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 97.7 against goods at 105.3. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.