Living in Pendleton Oregon - EVERYTHING You Need to Know

Is Pendleton Oregon a Good Place to Live?
If you are reading this article you might be wondering if Pendleton Oregon is a good place to live. With good schools, great neighborhoods, beautiful surroundings and more laid back lifestyle, Pendleton, Oregon, might be a good spot for you. Below we've put together some information to show you what it's like living in Pendleton, Oregon, so you can determine if this fantastic city is the right fit for you and your family. Read on for information on Pendleton neighborhoods, schools, things to do, FAQs and much more. I think after reading this you'll see how great living in Pendleton, Oregon, could be!
Skip Ahead to:
1. The Moving to Pendleton Oregon Team
2. What's Living in Pendleton Oregon Like?
3. Living in Pendleton Oregon Tips/Info/FAQs
4. Best Neighborhoods in Pendleton, Oregon
5. Public Schools in Pendleton Oregon
6. Top Destinations & Attractions in Pendleton
7. FAQs About Living in Pendleton Oregon

The Moving to Pendleton Oregon Team
Let our team of trusted professionals help you buy or/and sell a home in Pendleton, Oregon. Elizabeth Davidson is a real estate concierge and would love to help you navigate buying or selling your home in Pendleton, Oregon. She has sold real estate in Oregon for over 12 years and has developed real estate connections throughout Oregon. With her experience and relationships, she can help you assemble a winning team to buy or sell a home in Pendleton, Oregon.
The first step in the home-buying process is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Todd Davidson is an experienced mortgage broker and can help you get the best financing option for your home purchase. Not quite ready yet? Todd can help you put together a plan to get you there. Whether you're thinking a few months or a year or more if you want to buy a home, reach out to Todd and he can help. Together our Moving to Pendleton, Oregon, team can help you make moving to or within Pendleton, Oregon, a reality!
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What is Living in Pendleton Oregon Like?
Located in Eastern Oregon, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, Pendleton sits 188 miles East of Portland, Oregon. This Eastern Oregon town is known for its blankets, whisky, and world-famous Pendleton Round-Up. With a population of around 17,000 people at the time of writing, Pendleton bills itself as "The Real West." If you want a snapshot of what the Old West was like, you need only look at Pendleton in the mid-to-late 1800s.
If you're considering a move to Pendleton, Oregon, there's a lot to like about this small town. Living in Pendleton, Oregon, might be a good option for someone more into the outdoors and looking for a more laid-back lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of a bigger city. But is living in Pendleton, Oregon, the right choice for you? Read on to learn about Pendleton schools, neighborhoods, events, and things to do. All the things you'd want to know to determine if living in Pendleton, Oregon, is right for you!
Living in Pendleton Oregon Tips/Info/FAQs

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Best Neighborhoods in Pendleton Oregon
There are some great neighborhoods to choose from if you're considering moving to Pendleton, Oregon. Below are just a few to consider:
City Center
The most populous neighborhood in Pendleton, City Center, has a sparse suburban feel. You’ll find charming, one to four-bedroom homes priced around $260,000, while the average apartment rent is $1,500.
Attractions in the neighborhood include the Pendleton Convention Center, the Pendleton Family Aquatic Center public pool, plus shopping and restaurants. The Pendleton neighborhood sits north of McKay Reservoir and is home to Blue Mountain Community College. There are plenty to do and see living in this Pendleton, Oregon, neighborhood.
Cayuse / Tutuilla
You’ll find grassy prairies and deciduous trees along country roads, with homes well-spaced apart, in this sparsely populated Pendleton, Oregon, neighborhood. Most of the houses are three to four-bedroom single-family homes. Homes in the Cayuse / Tutuilla area sell for, on average, about $325,000, and apartments rent for $950.
If you want to live in Pendleton, close to town but still in the country, where there are plenty of open spaces, then consider this Pendleton neighborhood. Historic Downtown Pendleton is 25 minutes from the center of this area, but with no traffic, it’ll feel like it’s next door.

Helix
This Pendleton neighborhood sits to the north of City Center and, like Cayuse / Tutuilla, is as sparsely populated an area as you’ll find anywhere. The southern part of this Pendleton neighborhood is home to Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. You’ll also find Pendleton Adventure Trails Recreational Area here, a great place to go on a hike, run, or ride a mountain bike.
Most of the homes in this Pendleton neighborhood sit in the southern part of the neighborhood, south of the airport. The median home value is $225,000, while the average rent is around $1,100 for an apartment.
Rieth / Nolin
Southwest of City Center is the Rieth / Nolin neighborhood, where you'll find a median real estate price is $250,000, and the average rent is $1,400. You'll find single-family and mobile homes, and the sizes range from one to four bedrooms. This Pendleton neighborhood rests right next to the City Center neighborhood.
This is a pretty area with lots of trees and golden hills in the distance. You can head over to Pendleton Community Park, west of McKay Creek, which has lots of green space and two baseball fields. As mentioned, this neighborhood is so close to downtown that it's easy to get to shopping and entertainment.
If you want more information on Pendleton neighborhoods, what living in Pendleton, Oregon, is like, or want information on homes in Pendleton, reach out to a member of our Moving to Pendleton Team. They would love to help with your move to Pendleton, Oregon, and can also help with picking the right neighborhood in Pendleton.
Public Schools in Pendleton
If you've got school-aged kids, then the quality of the Pendleton schools would be very important if you're considering a move to Pendleton, Oregon. The Pendleton school district is comprised of 8 schools and served 3013 students in the most recent school year. With a 19 to 1 student-to-teacher ratio, Pendleton had an 80% graduation rate in the 2021-2022 school year, slightly below the state average. Niche.com ranks Pendleton public schools a B or better for teachers, college prep, diversity, and sports. If you're considering a move to Pendleton, Oregon, you'll likely find better and worse school districts for your kids to attend school throughout Oregon.
Top Destinations & Attractions in Pendleton
If you desire less traffic and a slower pace of life, living in Pendleton, Oregon, might be a good fit. But what does one do for a bit of excitement living in Pendleton? There are quite a few things to keep you busy. Below are just a few:
Pendleton Round-Up
Since 1910, during the second full week of September, Pendleton, Oregon, has hosted the Pendleton Round-Up. This major annual rodeo brings roughly 50,000 people each year to the town. While the rodeo is the centerpiece of the week, other events such as Happy Canyon Night Show Pagent, the Indian Pow-Wows, the Westward-Ho! Parade and the nightly shows on Main Street, transform the town and make it a festival that all can enjoy.


The National Forests
If visiting or living in Pendleton, Oregon, you must check out the national forests in the area. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is roughly an hour and a half from Pendleton. With a mix of alpine peaks, wild and scenic rivers, spectacular grasslands, and the deepest river gorge in North America, Hells Canyon, visitors will have an experience they won't forget. The Umatilla National Forest sits less than an hour outside of Pendleton. Spanning over 1.4 million acres the park has 2,000 miles of forest roads, 715 miles of hiking/biking trails, and more than 20 campgrounds, there's more than enough to keep even the biggest adventurer entertained.
Wildhorse Resort and Casino
If visiting or living in Pendleton, Oregon, and gambling is your thing, you've got to check out the Wildhorse Resort and Casino. With an amazing golf course, cineplex, funplex, and plenty of dining options, a visit to the Wildhorse Resort and Casino will keep the entire family entertained.
Some other attractions if visiting or living in Pendleton, Oregon:
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For history buffs check out the Heritage Station Museum, Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, and Pendleton Air Museum.
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Take a tour of the Pendleton Woolen Mills
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For those into the arts check out artists or take a class at the Pendleton Center for the Arts.
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To learn about Pendleton's colorful history check out the Pendleton Underground Tours.
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Take a stroll along the Umatilla River Parkway or one of our 21 other great city parks.
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Shop and eat along Pendleton's historic Main Street.
FAQs About Moving to and Living in Pendleton Oregon
What is Pendleton known for?
Pendleton is known for the major rodeo held there the second week of September each year, the Pendleton Round-Up. The rodeo is a huge draw, bringing more than 50,000 visitors to the area each year.
What is the weather like in Pendleton, Oregon?
Living in Pendleton, Oregon, you can expect short, hot, dry, and mostly clear summers and cold, snowy, windy, and cloudy winters. Throughout the year, the temperature usually varies from 29°F to 91°F and is rarely below 16°F or above 99°F. Living in Pendleton puts you on the eastern side of the mountains, where you don't get the stereotypical wet Oregon weather.
What cities are nearby Pendleton, Oregon?
Eastern Oregon is much more spread out than the state's western portion, where you might find the closest town just down the road. The nearest cities to Pendleton are Hermiston - 29 miles, Walla Walla Wa - 39 miles, Umatilla - 43 miles, La Grande - 53 Miles, and Baker City - 95 miles. The state's largest city Portland is 209 miles away.
Is living in Pendleton Oregon a good idea?
If you are looking for a little smaller town with plenty to do and see and want to avoid messing with all the rain that the western portion of the state gets, then living in Pendleton, Oregon, might be for you. It's a smaller town not particularly close to some of the larger city conveniences/amenities, so do your research!
What is the cost of living in Pendleton Oregon?
I calculated the REAL cost of living in Pendleton, Oregon. I took into consideration today's housing expenses, utilities, food costs, transportation, healthcare, and other necessities. After adding everything up I determined it would cost someone $42,000 a year to live in Pendleton, Oregon, and rent. To move to Pendleton, Oregon, and buy a home, you'll need to make $55,000 a year to afford the house payment, maintenance, and other living expenses.
I want to move to Pendleton, Oregon? How do I make that happen?
The information on this website will help you research and prepare for your move to Pendleton, Oregon. We have other resources, including our Facebook Group > Moving to Oregon, where we have a large community of people spread throughout the state to ask questions to and who are eager to answer. You will find yourself surrounded by others going through similar challenges that can provide support during their own transitions, so don't hesitate to ask away if needed as there's plenty of experts on moving to and living in Pendleton to help!!
If you are looking to move to Pendleton and purchase a home, contact me directly. The first step would be to get pre-approved for a mortgage. I am a Mortgage Broker, and I would love to assist you and your family with all your mortgage needs during this exciting time! I also work with a number of realtors and can be of help if you need a contact.
Is Pendleton Oregon a good place to live?
The answer to this is different for everyone and depends on your circumstances. There are certainly pros and cons of living in Pendleton, Oregon. Hopefully the information in this article has answered the question "is Pendleton Oregon a good place to live?" for you.
For FAQs about moving to Oregon or living in Oregon, check out my blog, 31 FAQs About Living in Oregon. For more information about living in Oregon, check out the homepage of LIVING IN OREGON.
Helpful Links for Moving to and Living in Pendleton Oregon
Facebook Group > Moving to Oregon, Great for Questions
Facebook Group > What's Happening in Pendleton
Facebook Group > What's Happening in Pendleton
Facebook Group > Rants and Raves Pendleton
Facebook Group > Home / Apartment Rentals in Pendleton
Facebook Group > Employment / Job's in Pendleton