Prospect Hotel · National Register of Historic Places
Prospect’s story
137 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2010.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1889Prospect is settled
ProspectOR
A town of 723, settled in 1889.
Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
723
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$332K
−1.8% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
56.2
years
Jobs based here
81
A commuter town
Is Prospect a good place to live?
Prospect’s average trip to work is 36 minutes, against 23 minutes in Oregon’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 4 of the 141 Oregon towns we compare have a lower midpoint rent than Prospect. 11% of the land in Prospect is conserved, against 4.4% in Oregon’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Imnaha Guard Station and Union Creek Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Prospect has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
723 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Prospect: who provides what
Prospect is unincorporated, so Jackson County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCascade Gorge Properties water system20 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesJackson CountyJackson County provides services here
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 hereJackson County Clerk, Elections OfficeJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9753697536 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 Prospect.
Natural hazards
Prospect stands out in Oregon and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Prospect once, in 2020. Expected losses in Prospect break down as 73% from wildfires and 20% from inland flooding.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Prospect’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Prospect SD 59. The town’s only public school teaches 215 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Charter SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 215 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Prospect has 0.7 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Among working residents in Prospect, 3.4% work locally. The median commute is under 35 miles. The top destinations are Medford (20%), Grants Pass (5%) and Eagle Point (4%).
3%work in town
| Prospect | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Prospect3%
Medford20%
Grants Pass5%
Eagle Point4%
Ashland4%
35 mi
median commute distance
81
jobs based in Prospect
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A typical Prospect home is worth about $332K
For households in Prospect, the share who live in a home they own is 85%. Home values are down 1.8% over the year to September 2026.
$332KZillow home value
Typical home value
Prospect$332K
Oregon$493K
−1.8%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–48°
Spring35–61°
Summer48–83°
Fall38–66°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 19
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
Prospect has set aside 11.3% of its land for conservation
2.6 miles of trail. In Prospect, the density of trails is 0.7 miles per square mile.
11.3%conserved
11.3%
conserved · 252 of 2,228 acres
2.6 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
A larger share of adults in Prospect have high blood pressure than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
Among adults in Prospect, 17% have diabetes and 12% binge drink. Against the Oregon average, Prospect comes out ahead on 4 CDC measures out of 26, and behind on 11. In Prospect, 80% of adults had a checkup this year.
| Prospect | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
4 better11 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Prospect | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.9% | 15.4% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 79.7% | 72.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.4% | 6.5% |
Providence Medford Medical Center
34.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Prospect
17pages on Prospect
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Prospect; the nearest are
Pacific Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Medford36.2 mi$7,168 tuitionSouthern Oregon UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ashland41 mi$12,762 in-state tuitionRogue Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grants Pass52.5 mi$5,256 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Prospect residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Oregon.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Prospect for work
Where Prospect’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
81jobs based in Prospect
3%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Prospect
Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States
Prospect is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It lies along Oregon Route 62 on the Rogue River, in the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 449.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,566 ft
- ZIP code
- 97536
- Area code
- 458, 541
Questions about Prospect
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Prospect, OR a good place to live?
Prospect has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.