ZIP Code 97846 — Wallowa Lake CDP, OR Demographics & Data

ZIP code 97846 covers Wallowa Lake, OR in Wallowa County with a population of about 2,259.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 55.9 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 458, 541; U.S. House district OR-2; the SPOKANE media market.

Wallowa Lake, OR fits a retirement-oriented profile (high share of residents 65+ (35.8%)). Residents and relocators commonly research healthcare access, everyday amenities (dining, personal services), and housing costs rather than tech or campus life.

Median household income in ZIP 97846 is about $69,167 — about 8% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 3.9%; unemployment rate near 2.9%; 38.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 5.2 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Professional services, Agriculture, and Education; about 18.2% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 3.0 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $373,300 — about 7% above the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $707 (about 39% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 75.9% (about 10.5 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 97846 in Wallowa Lake, OR, a household would need roughly $103,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $2,398. That is about 49% above the local median household income ($69,167), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Wallowa Lake CDP, OR as Very Low (composite score 34.0), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (92.7) and flood (48.9). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Wallowa Lake CDP, OR show little to no average snow and around 16.9 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 115 for ZIP 97846 (Wallowa Lake CDP, OR) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.