Dunes City Hall, 2012
Dunes City’s story
63 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1963Dunes City is settled
Dunes CityOR
A town of 1,400, settled in 1963.
Photo: Visitor7 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,400
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$620K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
64.5
years
Jobs based here
141
A commuter town
Is Dunes City a good place to live?
Dunes City’s weakest subject grade is a D for walkability. Dunes City’s typical July afternoon high is 68°F, against 82°F in Oregon’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. On walkability, just 13 of Oregon’s 228 towns do worse. Dunes City's schools rank behind 71% of the state's. On the outdoors, just 11 of Oregon’s 228 towns do worse. Dunes City has 1 place on the National Register. Dunes City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Small town
1,400 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Dunes City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Dunes City is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.4 of 20; 3.4% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$65K median household incomeC−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →HealthHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns; Peace Harbor Medical Center 4.6 miles awayBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 1% conserved landDOpen →HistoryDOpen →Civic life0.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dunes City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dunes City, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Lincoln People's Ut Dt11.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSouth Coast Water CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dunes City’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Oregon you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLane County Clerk, Elections OfficeLane County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP codes97439, 9749397439 89% · 97493 11%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dunes City.
Who lives here
Dunes City stands out in Oregon and nationally, with fewer of its residents who are under 18
A bachelor’s degree or higher: 27% of adults 25 and older, vs 37% across Oregon. Dunes City’s midpoint age is 64.5 years, above both Oregon’s towns (39.4 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years).
64.5median age · OR 40.4
| Dunes City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 9% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 64.5 years | 39.4 years | 40.5 years |
Dunes CityOregonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
27%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school17%
Some college40%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Oregon, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 65 to 74, 67% are men (OR 47%).
| Dunes City | OR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.3% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.9% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.9% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.2% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.2% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 26.8% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 22% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 16.6% | 22.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 40.3% | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.1% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.7% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.6% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Most of Dunes City’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
For workers in Dunes City, the share who work remotely from home is 19%. Most working residents leave Dunes City for work: only 3% work in town. Employers in Dunes City added 102 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 141. Its average commute stands at 20 minutes.
3%work in town
| Dunes City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 19% | 14% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Dunes City3%
Florence31%
Eugene8%
Portland4%
Salem3%
21 mi
median commute distance
141
jobs based in Dunes City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 12% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Dunes City, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C
Dunes City’s typical home value is about $620K
Among households in Dunes City, 79% own their home.
$620KZillow home value
Typical home value
Dunes City$620K
Oregon$493K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
The climate in Dunes City brings mild winters and pleasant summers
For Dunes City, the January low is 39°F.
69°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–52°
Spring42–58°
Summer51–67°
Fall45–62°
Nov 22
typical first frost
Mar 28
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
69°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Fewer of Dunes City’s adults binge drink than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
In Dunes City, 16% of adults report frequent physical distress. Only 10 of the 143 Oregon towns we compare have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Dunes City. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Dunes City is ahead of Oregon on 8 and behind on 8.
59%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Dunes City | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 72% | 79% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
8 better10 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Dunes City | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10% | 15.4% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 8.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 16% | 8.9% |
Peace Harbor Medical Center
4.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsD
0.6% of the land in Dunes City is protected from building
Only 10 of the 141 Oregon towns we compare have a lower share of conserved land than Dunes City. Trails total 0.1 miles in 3 parks and preserves.
0.6%conserved
0.6%
conserved · 14 of 2,194 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Siuslaw National Forest | — | 13 |
| 2. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area | — | 13 |
| 3. Westlake County Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dunes City
18pages on Dunes City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dunes City; the nearest are
Southwestern Oregon Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Coos Bay36.5 mi$7,192 in-state tuitionUniversity of OregonUniversity or college · Public · Eugene51.4 mi$16,137 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Dunes City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Dunes City for work
Where Dunes City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
141jobs based in Dunes City
3%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Dunes City
City in Oregon, United States
Dunes City is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, Dunes City had a population of 1,428.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1963
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 39 ft
- Area code
- 458, 541
Questions about Dunes City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dunes City, OR expensive?
That is 8.7 years of the area's median household income ($71,544 across the Eugene-Springfield, OR metro 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.