Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety36#591/924
Economy23#710/925
Housing64#338/925
Health46#498/925
Healthcare69#288/923
Environment55#415/917
Education62#356/925
Infrastructure51#451/925
Community95#46/925
Leisure & amenities62#350/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Baker City, OR micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Preventable hospital stays · low642 /100k
100/100Oregon 1,868 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high4.2 /10k
100/100Oregon 0.5 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · high3.6 /10k
99/100Oregon 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Average commute time · low15.1 min
98/100Oregon 23.0 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Mental health providers · high854 /100k
98/100Oregon 776 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Physical inactivity · low19.1%
93/100Oregon 20.9%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
1/100Oregon 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Flu vaccinations · low25.0%
2/100Oregon 39.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Traffic deaths · high35.6 /100k
3/100Oregon 13.3 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low0.6 /10k
4/100Oregon 0.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Job growth · low-3.6%
5/100Oregon -1.3%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Unemployment rate · high5.5%
11/100Oregon 5.2%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
1.8 /10k (2020) → 3.0 /10k (2025)
+67%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k
Flu vaccinationsWorsening
37.0% (2019) → 25.0% (2023)
−12 pts4 yearsUS 48.0% → 44.0%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
76.3% (2015-2019) → 87.8% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drought exposureImproving
93% (2021) → 83% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−10 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New business applicationsImproving
7.8 /1k (2020) → 11.3 /1k (2025)
+46%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Property crime rateImproving
2,485 /100k (2019) → 1,435 /100k (2024)
−42%5 yearsUS 2,082 /100k → 1,761 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Baker City, OR micropolitan area improved on 10 of 19 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 0 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved10

Arts & recreation+67%1.8 /10k → 3.0 /10k
Real income+40%$41,346 → $58,082
Broadband+11 points76.3% → 87.8%
Rent burden−1.1 points43.3% → 42.2%
Violent crime−25%232 /100k → 173 /100k

Declined3

Restaurants−12%14.9 /10k → 13.2 /10k
Firearm deaths+12%20.3 /100k → 22.8 /100k
Suicides+6.3%24.0 /100k → 25.5 /100k

All 19 measures

Change of every measure of Baker City, OR micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	1.8 /10k2020	3.0 /10k2025	+67%	Improved	98%
Average commute time	15.4 min2015-2019	15.1 min2020-2024	−0.3 min	Little change	73%
Bachelor's degree or higher	23.7%2015-2019	26.1%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Improved	41%
Broadband subscriptions	76.3%2015-2019	87.8%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	74%
Distance to an airport	112 mi2020	112 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	16.5 /100k2020	13.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−19%	Improved	43%
Firearm deaths	20.3 /100k2020	22.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+12%	Declined	32%
Grocery stores	3.6 /10k2020	3.6 /10k2025	+0.4%	Little change	52%
High school diploma or higher	91.0%2015-2019	92.2%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Improved	38%
Income adjusted for local prices	$41,3462019	$58,0822024	+40%	Improved	91%
New business applications	7.8 /1k2020	11.3 /1k2025	+46%	Improved	50%
Pharmacies	0.6 /10k2020	0.6 /10k2025	+0.4%	Little change	74%
Public libraries	4.3 /10k2019	4.2 /10k2024	−3.8%	Little change	31%
Rent-burdened households	43.3%2015-2019	42.2%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Improved	68%
Restaurants and bars	14.9 /10k2020	13.2 /10k2025	−12%	Declined	9%
Suicide rate	24.0 /100k2020	25.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+6.3%	Declined	45%
Traffic deaths	35.0 /100k2015-2019	35.6 /100k2020-2024	+1.9%	Little change	58%
Unemployment rate	7.7%2020	5.5%2025	−2.2 points	Improved	28%
Violent crime rate	232 /100k2020	173 /100k2025	−25%	Improved	66%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Baker City, OR micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Baker City, OR micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Baker City, OR micropolitan area itself moved +0.7 points in standing on average over the same 20 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

16,840 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

7,355 households (±192)

Baker City, OR micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k20%1,504
$25k–50k20%1,493
$50k–75k17%1,252
$75k–100k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

7,355 households (±192)

Baker City, OR micropolitan area
United States share

Own71%5,258
Rent29%2,097

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

6,170 workers (±345)

Baker City, OR micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone72%4,438
Carpool9.9%†609
Public transit0.2%†10

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Baker City, OR micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Baker City, OR has 521 employer establishments, 309 for every 10,000 residents (1.24× the US rate of 248), with 4,507 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,902. The Census Bureau also counts 1,268 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 521; 1,268 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 309; US 248
Paid employees: 4,507
Average annual pay: $45,902; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Baker City, OR by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	40	23.7	1.29×More than typical	453	$22,912	6
Specialty trade contractors	39	23.1	1.49×More than typical	141	$44,745	79
Construction of buildings	34	20.1	2.66×More than typical	104	$38,404	51
Ambulatory health care services	30	17.8	0.85×About typical	280	$51,657	42
Full-service restaurants	23	13.6	1.77×More than typical	237	$23,624	3
Religious organizations	18	10.7	1.92×More than typical	69	$19,783	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	17	10.1	1.49×More than typical	35	$26,714	58
Building equipment contractors	16	9.5	1.57×More than typical	59	$52,102	7
Accounting, tax preparation and payroll services	14	8.3	2.04×More than typical	73	$43,247	19
Traveler accommodation	14	8.3	4.59×More than typical	81	$23,235	11
Automotive repair and maintenance	13	7.7	1.53×More than typical	46	$36,435	21
Lessors of real estate	13	7.7	0.62×Fewer than typical	23	$39,826	164

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 16,886 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $45.7M on contracts performed in Baker City, OR micropolitan area: $2,746 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $45.7M; +381% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,746; US $1,994
Sole-source: 13%; US 30%
Single offer: 73%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

ELKHORN AVIATION, INC.$1.6M3.6%
TOP GUN LIGHTING AND INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES, LLC$1.4M3.2%
NU-WAY, INC.$1.4M3.0%
RGZ FORESTRY LLC$1.3M2.8%
IRON TRIANGLE LLC$1.2M2.7%

Spending by fiscal year

3.3MFY2017
2.8MFY2018
1.8MFY2019
2.2MFY2020
8.5MFY2021
25.4MFY2022
9.6MFY2023
13.1M

Top industries (NAICS)

Support activities for forestry · 1153$29.6M65%
Special food services · 7223$2.9M6.4%
Other ambulatory health care services · 6219$2.6M5.7%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812$2.6M5.6%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment rental and leasing · 5324$2.2M4.8%
Investigation and security services · 5616$1.1M2.4%

Largest awards

2022 NATIONAL AIR ATTACK, LIGHT FIXED WING ATGS BASE AND 4 OPTION YEARS SAN BERNARDINO, CA$5.4M
ELKHORN AVIATION, INC.· Baker County, OR· Facilities & utilities· Apr 27, 2022 – Sep 29, 2026· 1202SA22K9149
COR: [name removed] [email removed] PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE FOR ALL ITEMS IS DATE OF AWARD THROUGH: DECEMBER 31, 2024 FOR MANDATORY ITEMS DECEMBER 31, 2025 FOR OPTIONAL ITEMS THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC$3.7M
HENDERSON LOGGING, INC.· Baker County, OR· Facilities & utilities· Sep 25, 2023 – Jan 12, 2026· 12363N23F4311
SPE APPROVED 3/11/2025 - ID#892. GAOA ELKHORN SCENIC BYWAY ROAD PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE AND CHIP SEAL TASK ORDER$2.2M
JAL CONSTRUCTION, INC.· Baker County, OR· Construction & real property· Jul 2, 2025 – Sep 3, 2026· 1240BH25F0011

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $147.3M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Baker City, OR micropolitan area: $8,840 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $147.3M; −5.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,840; US $12,955
Loan face value: $6.8M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 4.8%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$89.9M61%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$17.1M12%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$10.2M6.9%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$7.3M4.9%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$3.7M2.5%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$2.9M2.0%
10.912 · Environmental Quality Incentives Program$2.3M1.6%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$1.8M1.3%

Top recipients (organizations)

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$5.4M3.7%
SALEM, OR
BUILDING COMMUNITIES, INC.$650K0.4%
BAKER CITY, OR
ARM WARD RANCHES$527.3K0.4%
BAKER CITY, OR
FOSTER RANCH INC$240.7K0.2%
BAKER CITY, OR
STATE OF OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE$184.1K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$110.3M75%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$19.5M13%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$5.4M3.7%
Department of Transportation
Natural Resources Conservation Service$4.1M2.8%
Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency

Assistance by fiscal year

129.1MFY2021
132MFY2022
133.4MFY2023
154.3MFY2024
156.4MFY2025
147.3MFY2026

County aggregates

90%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Baker City, OR

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Baker CountyCentral county5316,658

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Baker CityPrincipal city10,210

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Oregon

Areas based in Oregon, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M12520

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved10

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Baker City, OR micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Baker City, OR

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Oregon

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved10

Declined3

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought