Wasco County, Oregon: commercial real estate data.
Wasco County, Oregon had an estimated 26,507 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,667, across 2,382 square miles. County output reached $2.39 bn in 2024, 735 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 31 7(a) approvals worth $12.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wasco County
How many people live in Wasco County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202426,552
- Households10,563
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$64,175
- Median age41.0
- Median gross rent$1,008 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$367,400
- Home value to household income5.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,909
- Population under 185,682
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,685
- Share 65 and over21.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,185
- Civilian labor force12,892
- Unemployment rate7.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.8 percent
- Rank by population among Oregon counties22nd of 36
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1594th of 3,222
Wasco County is the 22nd largest of 36 Oregon counties by population. A median home costs 5.7 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.4 percent against 21.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wasco County
Is Wasco County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202426,507
- Census 2020 base population26,667
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.60 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024105
- Births, 2024276
- Deaths, 2024407
- Natural change, 2024-131
- Net domestic migration, 2024177
- Net international migration, 202459
- Total net migration, 2024236
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024248
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2058th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.60 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wasco County
Where are people moving to Wasco County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving781
- People arriving, from those returns1,346
- Tax returns filed by households leaving726
- Net household movement55
- Adjusted gross income arriving$46.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$6.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$60,018
- Average income of a leaving household$55,412
- Largest single originHood River County (128 households)
- Largest single destinationHood River County (60 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hood River County | 128 | 220 | $8.0 m |
| Multnomah County | 93 | 173 | $7.4 m |
| Klickitat County | 75 | 141 | $3.9 m |
| Clackamas County | 34 | 59 | $2.3 m |
| Washington County | 25 | 42 | $1.3 m |
| Clark County | 23 | 38 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $4,606 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 Hood River 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.
Wasco County
What is the Wasco County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.39 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.15 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202411.3 percent
- GDP change over five years46.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Oregon areas BEA publishes19th of 36
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1131st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$90,124
Output grew 11.3 percent in the latest year and 46.1 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.
Wasco County
Employment by industry in Wasco County
- Covered employment, annual average11,501
- Establishments reporting1,108
- Average annual pay$56,698
- Average weekly wage$1,090
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,177
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,981
- Retail trade, employment1,582
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,546
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,219
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$27,189
- Manufacturing, employment466
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,445
- Construction, employment444
- Other services, except public administration, employment374
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,177 | 172 | $61,981 |
| Retail trade | 1,582 | 111 | $39,546 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,219 | 96 | $27,189 |
| Manufacturing | 466 | 38 | $66,445 |
| Construction | 444 | 96 | $71,837 |
| Other services, except public administration | 374 | 86 | $37,202 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 293 | 52 | $48,035 |
| Information | 268 | 22 | $232,272 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,177 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wasco County
How many businesses are in Wasco County?
- Establishments, all industries735
- Employment at those establishments7,679
- Annual payroll$394.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.7
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.
Wasco County
Building permits in Wasco County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202448
- Declared construction value permitted$15.2 m
- Single family units authorized42
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units12.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$317,500
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.5
Single-family homes are 87.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wasco County
SBA loans in Wasco County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded31
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$403,435
- Median 7(a) approval$40,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$728,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)324
- Jobs per approval10.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals22
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter25
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals6.5 percent
- Most active lenderColumbia Bank (20)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$479,000
- Average 504 approval$239,500
- Median 504 approval$239,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.4
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.0 m
The average approval of $403,435 sits well above the median of $40,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 19.4 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.
Wasco County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wasco County
Do SBA loans in Wasco County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 11 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.
Wasco County
SBA lending by place in Wasco County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- The Dalles, approvals28
- Mosier, approvals2
- Dufur, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| The Dalles | 28 | $12,410,700 |
| Mosier | 2 | $70,800 |
| Dufur | 1 | $25,000 |
The Dalles accounts for 28 approvals against 2 in Mosier. 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.
Wasco County
How large is Wasco County?
- Land area2,382 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Oregon counties14th of 36
- Width, east to west69.8 mi
- Height, north to south61 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land11
- Establishments per square mile0.31
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.
Wasco County
Flood risk in Wasco County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wasco County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 410229
- 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 Wasco 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 Wasco County (community 410229), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wasco 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 Wasco 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 Wasco County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202426,552
- Households10,563
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$64,175
- Median age41.0
Common questions
Wasco County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wasco County, Oregon?
The Census Bureau estimates 26,507 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 26,552, in 10,563 households, ranking 22nd of 36 Oregon counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wasco County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.60 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,667, to 26,507 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 276 births against 407 deaths, with net migration of 236. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wasco County?
$64,175. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $367,400, which is 5.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,008 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wasco County?
735 establishments, employing 7,679 people with an annual payroll of $394.2 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 Wasco County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,177 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,501 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,698, or $1,090 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wasco County?
31 7(a) approvals totaling $12.5 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $40,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $479,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wasco County?
48 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.2 m. Multifamily was 12.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wasco 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 Wasco County come from?
The largest single origin is Hood River County, with 128 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,018 against $55,412 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wasco 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 Wasco 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.
Wasco County
Cities and places in Wasco.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wasco County. All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dalles | city | 15,917 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| Chenoweth | CDP | 1,445 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dufur | city | 952 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Mosier | city | 714 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Hollow | CDP | 561 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maupin | city | 465 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Grove | CDP | 208 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rowena | CDP | 181 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tygh Valley | CDP | 118 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wamic | CDP | 117 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Antelope | city | 68 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sportsmans Park | CDP | 67 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shaniko | city | 14 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |