Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Nyssa gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $274K, 4.4 years of the Ontario area’s $63K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 59th of 142 in Oregon. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country, and the median household income is $69K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Nyssa’s July high is 93°F, above both the Oregon town median (82°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Only 5 of Oregon’s 161 towns score lower on civic life. Nyssa has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Green Lantern Saloon and Hotel Western.
Where Nyssa beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Green Lantern Saloon| Widest gap | Nyssa | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 23.5% | 8.5% |
Where Nyssa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Nyssa is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 449 in 1910, 3,198 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 3 maps from 1958 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nyssa, 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 Nyssa.
Nyssa sends many workers across the state line to Nampa and has property taxes about half the Oregon norm.
2.7 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Nyssa’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile.
| Nyssa | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.8 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Park | — | 6 |
| 2. North Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Nyssa Lions Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by Nyssa SD 26.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nyssa Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 502 | C+ |
| Nyssa High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 335 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
31% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Nyssa. Only 5 of the 142 Oregon towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Nyssa. 20% of adults report frequent mental distress in Nyssa.
| Nyssa | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 20% | 19% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 21% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Nyssa | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 8.9% |
| More uninsured adults | 23.5% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The median property tax bill is $1,593, against $3,876 across Oregon, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Nyssa is $916 a month. The typical Nyssa home is worth about $274,000, up 2.8% in a year, 44% below the Oregon typical home.
| Nyssa | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $916 a month | $1,415 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 65% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
32% of working residents cross a state line to work, Nampa among the top destinations.
Most working residents leave Nyssa for work: only 15% work in town. Since 2013, Nyssa has lost 68 jobs, to 695 in 2023. The top destinations are Ontario (25%), Nampa (6%) and Fruitland (4%).
| Nyssa | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 9.5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Nyssa has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Among 142 Oregon towns, just 7 have a lower January low than Nyssa.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nyssa's reported crime rate is below Oregon's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 12 violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Nyssa | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 11.4 per 1,000 residents | 19.7 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Nyssa since 2017.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nyssa
About 6 of every 100 Nyssa residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Oregon.
4 places in Nyssa on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Nyssa.
City in Oregon, United States
Nyssa ( NISS-ə) is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. The population was 3,198 at the 2020 census. The city also holds the title of the Oregon city with the lowest median age at 25.1 years old. The city is located along the Snake River on the Idaho border, in the region of far eastern Oregon known as the "Treasure Valley". It is part of the Ontario, OR–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area. The primary industry in the region is agriculture, including the cultivation of Russet potatoes, sugar beets, onions, corn, flower seed, mint, and wheat. The city's economy relies on the surrounding agricultural area with its several large onion and potato packaging plants.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Nyssa grades C+ overall, better than 39% of U.S. towns and #59 of 142 in Oregon. It grades D for health and B+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
3 notable people were born here, including John Bates and Mary W. Hicks.
