Malheur County, Oregon: commercial real estate data.
Malheur County, Oregon had an estimated 32,315 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 31,569, across 9,888 square miles. County output reached $1.55 bn in 2024, 718 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 37 7(a) approvals worth $15.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Malheur County
How many people live in Malheur County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,954
- Households10,292
- Average household size3.10
- Median household income$54,519
- Median age36.1
- Median gross rent$821 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$248,900
- Home value to household income4.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over20,945
- Population under 188,091
- Share under 1825.3 percent
- Population 65 and over5,472
- Share 65 and over17.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6418,391
- Civilian labor force12,505
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.4 percent
- Rank by population among Oregon counties20th of 36
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1424th of 3,222
Malheur County is the 20th largest of 36 Oregon counties by population. A median home costs 4.6 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.3 percent against 17.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Malheur County
Is Malheur County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202432,315
- Census 2020 base population31,569
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.36 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202453
- Births, 2024409
- Deaths, 2024373
- Natural change, 202436
- Net domestic migration, 2024-108
- Net international migration, 2024124
- Total net migration, 202416
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024378
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1054th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.36 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Malheur County
Where are people moving to Malheur County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving840
- People arriving, from those returns1,635
- Tax returns filed by households leaving788
- Net household movement52
- Adjusted gross income arriving$36.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$43,824
- Average income of a leaving household$42,901
- Largest single originPayette County (154 households)
- Largest single destinationPayette County (145 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payette County | 154 | 323 | $8.3 m |
| Canyon County | 145 | 311 | $5.8 m |
| Ada County | 102 | 184 | $5.9 m |
| Marion County | 40 | 44 | $208,000 |
| Washington County | 21 | 50 | $930,000 |
Households arriving report $923 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Payette County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Malheur County
What is the Malheur County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.55 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.53 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.6 percent
- GDP change over five years16.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Oregon areas BEA publishes24th of 36
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1489th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$48,599
Output grew 1.6 percent in the latest year and 16.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Malheur County
Employment by industry in Malheur County
- Covered employment, annual average13,488
- Establishments reporting1,135
- Average annual pay$48,708
- Average weekly wage$937
- Retail trade, employment2,261
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,138
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,276
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,391
- Manufacturing, employment1,087
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$49,674
- Wholesale trade, employment486
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$56,450
- Transportation and warehousing, employment329
- Construction, employment303
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,261 | 126 | $37,138 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,276 | 93 | $21,391 |
| Manufacturing | 1,087 | 38 | $49,674 |
| Wholesale trade | 486 | 44 | $56,450 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 329 | 33 | $59,332 |
| Construction | 303 | 90 | $47,104 |
| Other services, except public administration | 252 | 98 | $37,131 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 231 | 70 | $55,395 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,261 jobs, 16.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Malheur County
How many businesses are in Malheur County?
- Establishments, all industries718
- Employment at those establishments8,527
- Annual payroll$356.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Malheur County
Building permits in Malheur County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202445
- Declared construction value permitted$14.9 m
- Single family units authorized45
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$330,446
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Malheur County
SBA loans in Malheur County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded37
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$15.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$421,157
- Median 7(a) approval$55,300
- 10th percentile approval$23,000
- 90th percentile approval$951,200
- Largest single approval$3,775,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)272
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals27
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter29
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals5.4 percent
- Most active lenderColumbia Bank (8)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.0 m
- Average 504 approval$748,583
- Median 504 approval$603,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval15.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.0
- Most active CDCCapital Matrix, Inc. (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.6 m
The average approval of $421,157 sits well above the median of $55,300, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Malheur County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Malheur County
Do SBA loans in Malheur County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 10 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Malheur County
SBA lending by place in Malheur County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Ontario, approvals24
- Nyssa, approvals7
- Vale, approvals3
- Jordan Valley, approvals2
- Bend, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 24 | $13,476,700 |
| Nyssa | 7 | $1,438,300 |
| Vale | 3 | $115,800 |
| Jordan Valley | 2 | $50,000 |
| Bend | 1 | $502,000 |
Ontario accounts for 24 approvals against 7 in Nyssa. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Malheur County
How large is Malheur County?
- Land area9,888 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Oregon counties2nd of 36
- Width, east to west66.9 mi
- Height, north to south169 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land3
- Establishments per square mile0.07
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Malheur County
Flood risk in Malheur County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Malheur County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 410149
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Malheur County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Malheur County (community 410149), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Malheur County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Malheur County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Malheur County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,954
- Households10,292
- Average household size3.10
- Median household income$54,519
- Median age36.1
Common questions
Malheur County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Malheur County, Oregon?
The Census Bureau estimates 32,315 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 31,954, in 10,292 households, ranking 20th of 36 Oregon counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Malheur County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.36 percent since the 2020 census base of 31,569, to 32,315 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 409 births against 373 deaths, with net migration of 16. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Malheur County?
$54,519. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $248,900, which is 4.6 times income, and median gross rent is $821 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Malheur County?
718 establishments, employing 8,527 people with an annual payroll of $356.2 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Malheur County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,261 jobs, 16.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,488 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,708, or $937 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Malheur County?
37 7(a) approvals totaling $15.6 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $55,300, plus 12 504 approvals worth $9.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Malheur County?
45 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $14.9 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Malheur County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Malheur County come from?
The largest single origin is Payette County, with 154 households. Arriving households report an average income of $43,824 against $42,901 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Malheur County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Malheur County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Malheur County
Cities and places in Malheur.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Malheur County. All 9 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | city | 11,842 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Nyssa | city | 3,240 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Vale | city | 2,348 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Annex | CDP | 340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Adrian | city | 299 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Harper | CDP | 219 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jordan Valley | city | 180 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Brogan | CDP | 38 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Juntura | CDP | 18 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 37 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Malheur County, the largest being Bend (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.