Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Baker City grades C+ overall, 54th of 142 graded towns in Oregon, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. On the other side, the median household income is $62K, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. 53% of working residents work locally in Baker City, above both Oregon’s towns (9.5%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 12 of Oregon’s 228 towns score higher on hazard risk. Baker City has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Baker Historic District and Baker Municipal Natatorium.
Where Baker City beats most towns.
Baker Historic District| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Primary School | 1–3 | 249 |
| Baker Early Learning Center | K | 97 |
| Baker Virtual Academy | K–8 | 40 |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Baker City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 312 in 1870, 10,099 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1874 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Baker City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Baker City.
Baker City carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Oregon (mostly inland flooding), is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has home values climbing faster than Oregon’s.
Home values rose 26% in five years, to about $261K, against 7% across Oregon.
The typical Baker City home is worth about $261,000, down 1.6% in a year, 47% below the Oregon typical home. Baker City’s median rent is $896 a month.
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $896 a month | $1,415 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by Baker SD 5J. Three of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Baker Early College, with 534 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Baker Intermediate SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6 | Grades 4–6 | 268 | B |
| Baker Early CollegeLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 534 | – |
| Brooklyn Primary SchoolTop results in townGrades 1–3 | Grades 1–3 | 249 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 96% of Oregon towns, with expected losses of about $102 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
The FEMA risk score in Baker City is 21 of 100. Since 1984, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Baker City.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Baker City has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 86° and January nights drop to 20°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 3,686 working residents takes 14.1 minutes, against 23 across Oregon.
Among 142 Oregon towns, just 4 have a lower average trip to work than Baker City. The top destinations are La Grande (5%), Portland (3%) and Pendleton (2%).
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 10% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (23% statewide). 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across Oregon.
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 18% | 18% |
| Median age | 42.6 years | 39.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 21% | 22% |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.8 points. Across Oregon, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Baker City | OR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.1% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.4% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.2% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.1% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.5% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.7% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.2% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.6% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.9% | 22.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.3% | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.3% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.9% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Baker City's reported crime rate is below Oregon's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 14 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.2 per 1,000 residents | 15.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
2.2 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Among 140 Oregon towns, just 7 have a lower share of conserved land than Baker City.
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baker County Fairgrounds | — | 19 |
| 2. Geiser Pollman Park | 0.2 mi | 5 |
| 3. Sam-O Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Against the 9,300 U.S. towns with household incomes like Baker City’s, it is healthier than 75%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Baker City beats the Oregon average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 75% of Baker City adults had a checkup this year.
| Baker City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 27% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 25% |
| What stands out | Baker City | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8% | 6.5% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Baker City; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Baker City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
6 places in Baker City on the National Register of Historic Places.
13 notable people were born in Baker City.
City in Oregon, U.S.
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward Dickinson Baker, the only U.S. Senator ever killed in military combat. The population was 10,099 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Baker City grades C+ overall, better than 43% of U.S. towns and #54 of 142 in Oregon. It grades B− for health and B+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
That is 4.3 years of the area's median household income ($60,936 across the Baker City, OR area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
13 notable people were born here, including Damon Knight and Ann A. Kiessling.
