O'Brien’s median age is 66.7 years, where Oregon’s towns sit at 39.4 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Of the 143 Oregon towns we compare, none has a higher home-ownership rate than O'Brien. The biggest park or preserve is Rough and Ready Botanical Area, at 48 acres. O'Brien has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

379 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Cave Junction · 7 mi

McCloud River Railroad Caboose, 2007

O'Brien’s story

98 years in pictures

The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2007.

1928O'Brien is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to O'Brien: who provides what

O'Brien is unincorporated, so Josephine County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

Internet3 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesJosephine CountyJosephine County provides services here

SchoolsThree Rivers School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereJosephine County Clerk, Elections OfficeJosephine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023

ZIP code9753497534 100%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 O'Brien.

Natural hazards

The FEMA risk score in O'Brien is higher than in most of Oregon or the rest of the country

FEMA puts 38% of O'Brien’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 31% to wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 96% of U.S. communities.

96risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes

Full pageO'Brien’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters23 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

O'Brien stands out in Oregon and nationally, with the median household income lower than most

The top destinations are Cave Junction (25%), Grants Pass (14%) and Medford (8%). 13% of residents live below the poverty line in O'Brien. This Oregon town had 7 jobs in 2023, down 30 from 2013. The median commute is under 33 miles.

0%work in town

	O'Brien	Oregon towns	U.S. towns
Median household income	$29,000	$81,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	13%	11%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In O'Brien0%

Cave Junction25%

Grants Pass14%

Medford8%

Beaverton3%

33 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in O'Brien

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageO'Brien’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here7 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work0% work in O'Brien Commute timesCommute times How far they goHalf commute less than 33 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Outdoors

21% of O'Brien is conserved land

Trails total 4.2 miles in 3 parks and preserves. For O'Brien, the trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile.

21%conserved

21%

conserved · 698 of 3,330 acres

4.2 mi

of trails · 0.8 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Rough and Ready Area of Critical Environmental Concern	1.3 mi	394
2. Rough and Ready Botanical Area	0.9 mi	48
3. Oregon Mountain Botanical Area	—	2

Full pageO'Brien’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map4.2 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk1.3 miles of trail · Rough and Ready Area of Critical Environmental Concern Conserved land21% conserved · 698 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in O'Brien?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

The climate in O'Brien brings four seasons and hot summers

In O'Brien, the midsummer high is 89°F.

7″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter33–50°

Spring37–64°

Summer49–86°

Fall40–68°

Oct 12

typical first frost

May 1

typical last frost

+1.6°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageO'Brien’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 33°Rain & snow7″ of snow a winter · 63 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy O'Brien is

Of the 143 Oregon towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than O'Brien. The town does better than the Oregon average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and worse on 15. In O'Brien, 45% of adults have high blood pressure.

	O'Brien	Oregon towns	U.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	19%	11%	12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	20%	15%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	45%	33%	35%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	29%	20%	19%

26 measures vs. Oregon

3 better8 too close to call15 worse

What stands out	O'Brien	OR
Fewer binge drinkers	12.2%	15.4%
More adults treating high blood pressure	79.4%	71.4%
More adults with COPD	13.8%	6.8%

Asante Three Rivers Medical Center

29.9 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageO'Brien’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby29.9 miles to an ER · Asante Three Rivers Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than OR on 3 of 26

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about O'Brien

16pages on O'Brien

The big questions

HealthBetter than OR on 3 of 26 CDC measures Cost of livingWork & commute$29K median household income · 7 jobs here Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 96% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

Outdoors4 mi of trails · 21% conserved land PlacesAttractions9 nearby · Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve 6 mi LibraryIllinois Valley Branch Library Colleges

The story

HistorySettled 1928 Climate89° summer highs · 7″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 97534 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of O'Brien; the nearest are

Rogue Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grants Pass27.9 mi$5,256 in-state tuition Southern Oregon UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ashland52.2 mi$12,762 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 O'Brien residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave O'Brien for work

Where O'Brien’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

7jobs based in O'Brien

0%of working residents work in town

33 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About O'Brien

Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States

O'Brien is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, O'Brien had a population of 470. The unemployment rate is 6.9%, slightly higher than the national average of 5.2% The community was named after John O'Brien, who was one of the first settlers to arrive at the locality. In 2012, a small group started protecting the town when the police were cut due to budget cuts.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 5.2 sq mi
Elevation: 1,414 ft
ZIP code: 97534
Area code: 458, 541

Questions about O'Brien

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is O'Brien, OR a good place to live?

O'Brien has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

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