Oregon · Off-grid & homestead potential

Malheur County

47BoltScore / 100
#17 of 36 in Oregon

Malheur County is a marginal bolthole (47/100). Its strengths are cheap to buy into (typical home $314k) and low natural-disaster risk. The trade-offs: 73.5% of it owned by the federal government and poor cropland soil.

How Malheur County scores

Hazard Safety65
Freedom56
Food26
Isolation60
Sovereignty22
Water27
Affordability75
$314kTypical home
0.8%Property tax
$1,851Land / acre
12.6"Annual rain
36% of yrsSevere drought
56 miNearest metro
3.2People / sq mi
73.5%Federal land
48.5°FAvg temp

Scout Malheur County

Camp here before you commitBook a few nights nearby on Hipcamp →
Land for sale LandWatchHomes for sale Zillow

Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

Living off-grid in Malheur County, Oregon

Is Malheur County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?

Malheur County is a marginal bolthole (47/100). Its strengths: cheap to buy into (typical home $314k) and low natural-disaster risk. Watch-outs: 73.5% of it owned by the federal government and poor cropland soil.

How much does land cost in Malheur County, Oregon?

Land in Malheur County runs about $1,851 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Malheur County?

Malheur County gets about 12.6" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 36% of years.

How remote is Malheur County?

The nearest major metro is about 56 miles away, and population density is 3.2 people per square mile.

How Malheur compares in Oregon

See all 36 Oregon counties ranked →