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Central Oregon sits in the high desert east of the Cascades — a tri-county region anchored by Bend and served by Redmond’s regional airport. Our coverage spans 4 cities in Deschutes County: Bend, Redmond, Sisters, and Sunriver. This page aggregates publicly available regional facts on Mt. Bachelor, the Deschutes River, St. Charles Health System, schools, and market data — and routes you to the specific city guide that fits your search.
We’re rebuilding our home search. In the meantime, tell us what you’re after and we’ll send you active listings across the Central Oregon region that match — usually within one business day.
Searching in: Central Oregon
Facts about the Central Oregon region compiled from official and public sources. Each data point shows its vintage (when the source published it) so you know what you’re looking at.
Deschutes ~212,016 · Jefferson 25,536 · Crook ~27,320
2024 Census estimate (Vintage 2024) ·
Seats: Bend · Madras · Prineville
Oregon Blue Book ·
Bend · Redmond · Sisters · Sunriver (all Deschutes County)
Current
Deschutes County added more people than any other Oregon county, 2020–2025 (+7.5%). Crook County leads on growth rate (~11.4% over same period).
Census Vintage 2025
Bend-Redmond MSA (Deschutes County) · up from $85,509 in 2023
2024 ACS 1-year ·
Köppen BSk (cold semi-arid) · ~10–12" annual precipitation · dry summers, cold winters
Köppen classification ·
6th largest ski resort in the U.S. · 9,065 ft peak · 22 mi west of Bend
Current ·
Passengers (2024) · 5 airlines · 11 nonstop destinations · Oregon’s 4th largest commercial airport
2024 total ·
292-bed Level II trauma · Oregon’s only Level II east of the Cascades · system has 4 hospitals, 381 total beds
Current ·
~4,900 caregivers; plus Meta Prineville data center, Deschutes Brewery, PCC Structurals
~1,384 students (fall 2025, +3% YoY); plus Central Oregon Community College (COCC) — 4 campuses
Fall 2025 ·
Mt. Bachelor · Deschutes River · Newberry National Volcanic Monument · Three Sisters Wilderness · Cascade Lakes
Largest in the region; plus Redmond SD, Sisters SD, Crook County SD, Jefferson County SD 509J
Current ·
Rigorous counts put Bend at ~160 fully sunny + ~100 mostly sunny per year; local marketing traditionally cites "300+"
NOAA & Bend Bulletin tallies ·
High-desert plateau · east of the Cascades · volcanic terrain (Pilot Butte in city)
Current ·
~97% of Deschutes County’s 2020s growth from net migration (newcomers) — not natural increase
2020–2025 Census PEP ·
Central Oregon is the fastest-growing region in the state. Deschutes County added more residents between 2020 and 2025 than any other Oregon county — a 7.5% increase, ranking #1 statewide. Crook County posted the fastest growth rate in Oregon over the same period. Per the US Census Bureau, roughly 97% of Deschutes County’s growth this decade has come from net migration — newcomers moving in rather than births outpacing deaths.
The region’s real estate market reflects that pressure. Bend is Oregon’s 6th most populous city, and demand for single-family homes, short-term rental-eligible properties, and second homes remained elevated through the post-pandemic remote-work boom. Submarkets vary substantially: Bend itself is the urban anchor, Redmond offers more affordability and is home to the regional airport, Sisters is a small arts-and-rodeo town on the Cascade edge, and Sunriver is an unincorporated resort community south of Bend.
A single regional median obscures this variation. Pick a city below to see its specific market data, or tell us what you’re after and we’ll match you to listings across the whole region.
Median sale price (Central OR)
Median days on market
Median price / sq ft
Active listings (region)
Cities in our network
Note: Regional market statistics activate with our Oregon Datashare (MLSCO) integration and aggregate across the 4 Central Oregon cities in our network. For city-specific medians, click through to a city guide below.
Each card links to a full city guide with verified facts on schools, market data, and nearby areas. All four cities are in Deschutes County. Populations are 2024 Census Bureau estimates unless noted.
Pop ~103K
View Redmond guide →
Pop ~37K
View Sisters guide →
Pop ~3K
View Sunriver guide →
Pop ~1.4K
Regions that border Central Oregon. Regional guides marked “Coming soon” will populate as we build them out.
Quick answers about the Central Oregon region, each backed by an authoritative source. For questions specific to a particular property or city, call (800) 256-9702 to reach a licensed Oregon broker.
The Central Oregon region is traditionally defined as the tri-county area of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Our coverage includes 4 cities in Deschutes County: Bend (the regional anchor), Redmond (home to the regional airport), Sisters (a small arts-and-rodeo town near the Cascades), and Sunriver (an unincorporated resort community). Madras in Jefferson County and Prineville in Crook County are also part of the broader region but are not currently in our network. The US Census Bureau officially defines the Bend-Redmond MSA as Deschutes County only; the Bend-Redmond-Prineville CSA adds Crook County.
Growth is still happening, though the pace has moderated. Deschutes County added 1,870 residents between July 2024 and July 2025 (+0.9%), and has grown 7.5% since 2020 — the #1 absolute growth of any Oregon county. Per Bend city planners, roughly 97% of that growth is from net migration (people moving in), not natural increase (births over deaths). Nationally, population growth slowed across most US metros in 2025 — Central Oregon is an exception, continuing to gain residents while many metros plateau. The result is continued pressure on housing inventory, though price appreciation has moderated from the 2020–2022 peak.
Yes — Central Oregon has real winters, unlike western Oregon. Bend sits at 3,623 feet elevation in the high desert east of the Cascades, with a Köppen BSk (cold semi-arid) climate. That means cold, snowy winters, warm dry summers, and far less rain than Portland — Bend gets about 10–12 inches of annual precipitation (vs Portland’s ~36 inches), with about 20–25 inches of winter snowfall in town. Locals often cite the “300 days of sunshine” figure, though rigorous counts put the actual number closer to 200–260 fully or mostly sunny days per year. Temperatures swing more dramatically than western Oregon: below-freezing nights are common November through March, while summer days can reach the 80s–90s. Mt. Bachelor, about 22 miles west, typically operates mid-November through late May and averages over 400 inches of snow per year.
The main K–12 districts serving the four cities in our network are Bend-La Pine Schools (the largest in the region, serving Bend and Sunriver), Redmond School District, and Sisters School District. Crook County SD serves Prineville (outside our network). Rankings shift year-over-year, so we recommend checking Niche or the Oregon Department of Education’s school report cards for the most current data. Our individual city guides include district-specific detail for each city. Bend-La Pine in particular has expanded significantly over the past decade to keep pace with the population influx.
Roberts Field (RDM) in Redmond is Central Oregon’s commercial airport, 18 miles north of Bend. It’s Oregon’s 4th-largest commercial airport and served over 1.1 million passengers in 2024. Five airlines operate there: Alaska, American, Delta, United, and Breeze (starting March 2026). Nonstop destinations (approximately 11) include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Dallas, and Las Vegas. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Redmond, and is also home to the US Forest Service Redmond Air Center (smokejumper base).
No — Sunriver is an unincorporated census-designated place (CDP), not a city. It’s centered on Sunriver Resort in Deschutes County, about 15 miles south of Bend, with a 2020 Census population of 1,429. Because it’s unincorporated, Sunriver has no mayor or city council — local governance is handled by the Sunriver Owners Association, and county services come from Deschutes County. Real estate there is a mix of primary residences and second homes; many properties participate in the vacation rental program. This matters for buyers because rules around short-term rentals, architectural standards, and fees differ meaningfully from surrounding incorporated cities.
Yes — and they vary significantly by jurisdiction. The City of Bend regulates short-term rentals through a licensing and permitting program that caps density in some residential zones; new permits are often unavailable in certain neighborhoods. Deschutes County (covering unincorporated areas including Sunriver), the City of Redmond, and the City of Sisters each have their own rules. Sunriver Resort has additional architectural and rental-program standards administered by the Sunriver Owners Association. Because these regulations change and interact with HOA rules, verify current STR status directly with the relevant city or county before purchasing any property intended for short-term rental use. A local broker can help confirm whether a specific address is eligible.
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Our travel-side guide on VisitOregon.com covers the full visitor experience across Central Oregon — skiing at Mt. Bachelor, floating the Deschutes, Bend’s brewery scene, and more. Useful whether you’re researching a move or planning a pre-buy weekend.
