Ruch, Oregon, 2005
Ruch’s story
129 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005.
- 1897Ruch is settled
RuchOR
A town of 1,151, settled in 1897.
Population
1,151
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$401K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
50.1
years
Jobs based here
161
A commuter town
Is Ruch a good place to live?
The best of Ruch’s subject grades is a B+ for schools; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. No town in Oregon scores lower than Ruch on hazard risk. Homes are expensive, about $400K for a typical one and 5.4 times the Medford metro’s $74K median household income. Only 10 of the 143 Oregon towns we compare have a higher average trip to work than Ruch. 35% of the land in Ruch is conserved, above both Oregon’s towns (4.4%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Ruch has 5 places on the National Register. Ruch has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Small town
1,151 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Ruch grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Ruch is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingDOpen →Jobs & income$84K median household incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →HealthProvidence Medford Medical Center 11.8 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Ruch: who provides what
Ruch is unincorporated, so Jackson County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRyans Outpost water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
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 code9753097530 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 Ruch.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
The FEMA risk score in Ruch is higher than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
At 99 of 100, Ruch’s FEMA risk score is above both the Oregon town median (64 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100).
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB+
Public schools in Ruch beat 65% of Oregon districts
Its public schools are run by Medford SD 549C. Its one school is below.
65%of OR districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruch Outdoor Community SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 197 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsC
Nearly a third of Ruch is conserved land
1.2 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Ruch’s trail density is 0.2 miles per square mile.
34.9%conserved
34.9%
conserved · 1,494 of 4,284 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in three of Ruch’s working residents commute to Medford
Most working residents leave Ruch for work: only 4% work in town. 16% of Ruch residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Ruch fell to 161 in 2023, 59 fewer than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Ruch | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 11% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Ruch4%
Medford36%
Grants Pass15%
Ashland4%
Portland4%
14 mi
median commute distance
161
jobs based in Ruch
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 25% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Oregon overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 51% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (23% statewide). The median age in Ruch is 50.1 years. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across Oregon.
50.1median age · OR 40.4
| Ruch | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.1 years | 39.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 18% | 18% |
RuchOregonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
29%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school19%
Some college35%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s31%
Graduate4%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 45% and 67% women
The Census survey reached too few of Ruch’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±11.1 points. Across Oregon, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Ruch | OR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.6% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 28.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.1% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.2% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.3% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.8% | 22.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 34.8% | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.9% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31.2% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.1% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,200, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Ruch, expect mild winters and hot summers
Ruch has mild winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 32° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–49°
Spring39–63°
Summer53–85°
Fall42–68°
Oct 13
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB−
Ruch is less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns
Ruch beats the Oregon average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 39% of adults have high blood pressure in Ruch.
49%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Ruch | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
3 better16 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Ruch | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.9% | 12.5% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 76.9% | 72.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6.8% |
Providence Medford Medical Center
11.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Ruch sells for about $249K
$249Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in April
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 7 attractions →Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ruch. Close and well known come first.
19 mi National MonumentOregon Caves National Monument and Preserve64K visitors a year
20 mi Ski areaMount Ashland39 runs · 1,160 ft vertical
17 mi GardenLithia Park
18 mi MuseumScienceWorks MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Ashland: Alex Lockhart, Public domain · Lithia Park: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · ScienceWorks Museum: Roberto J. Galindo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ruch
17pages on Ruch
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ruch
About 2 of every 100 Ruch residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Ruch for work
Where Ruch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
161jobs based in Ruch
4%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ruch
Unincorporated community in Oregon, US
Ruch is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Oregon Route 238, southeast of Grants Pass. As of the 2020 census, Ruch had a population of 819. Ruch was named after Casper M. Ruch, who bought a tract of land where the community now stands in 1896. He built a blacksmith shop, a store and a house. When he was appointed postmaster of the new post office in 1897 and allowed to name it, he named the post office after himself. The post office closed in 1939. There are two structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Ruch—McKee Bridge and Star Ranger Station. The Ruch area is home to several Orego…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,527 ft
- Area code
- 458, 541
Questions about Ruch
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ruch, OR expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $401,000, 19% below the Oregon typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.