Places › Oregon › McMinnville

Living in McMinnville, OR

Small city in Oregon

McMinnville is a small city in Oregon, home to about 34,000 people, with 1.2 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is McMinnville a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 1.2 million people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how McMinnville ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
34,000
1.2 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
48°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 13″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$460k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,620/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
104
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,084
State income tax per resident · 0.88% property tax
Safety
0.5× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 19 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
26%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PDX
39 mi away

Living in McMinnville: common questions

What is the cost of living in McMinnville?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $460k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,620 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 104, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in McMinnville?

Oregon collects about $3,084 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.88% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is McMinnville safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.5× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in McMinnville?

Public schools in McMinnville test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 19 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in McMinnville?

McMinnville has cool winters: winter days average around 48°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 13″ of snow a year.

Does McMinnville get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.37 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to McMinnville?

The nearest major airport is PDX, about 39 mi away.

How McMinnville scores

Each bar compares McMinnville with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingAverage
💸Low taxesAverage
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersAverage
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like McMinnville

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Albany, ORSmall city53 $421k$2,030/moVery safe Lacey, WASmall city60 $479k$2,610/moSafe Mount Vernon, WASmall city54 $576k$2,390/moVery safe Tumwater, WASmall city56 $504k$2,610/moSafe Marysville, WASmall city57 $586k$3,270/moVery safe Springfield, ORSuburb47 $416k$2,350/moSafe

Nearby

Keizer, ORSuburb · 17 mi away50 $433k$2,160/moVery safe Woodburn, ORSuburb · 17 mi away52 $426k$2,160/moSafe Salem, ORMid-size city · 21 mi away49 $419k$2,160/moSafe Forest Grove, ORSuburb · 22 mi away58 $485k$2,620/moVery safe Tualatin, ORSuburb · 23 mi away66 $559k$2,620/moSafe Tigard, ORSuburb · 25 mi away69 $552k$2,620/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Oregon.

Is McMinnville right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.