Known for years as the Pear Capital, Medford is the biggest city in southern Oregon's Rogue Valley, home to about 86,000 people. Orchards and vineyards fill the valley around it, and the Harry and David gift company got its start here. It feels like a working regional hub rather than a tourist town, with chain retail on Barnett Road and a small historic downtown.
The best part is what is nearby. Ashland's Shakespeare festival is about 15 miles away, the old gold-rush town of Jacksonville hosts summer concerts at the Britt Festival, and Crater Lake is a long day trip. Locals fish and raft the Rogue River, hike Table Rock, and taste the valley's wines. Housing is somewhat above the national average, though cheaper than the coast. Summers are hot, wildfire smoke can be heavy, and winter ice is a problem on the mountain roads. Property crime and car break-ins are common, particularly along Biddle Road and Highway 99.
Cities with a similar character, anywhere on the site.
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- Known as
- Pear Capital; Gateway to Crater Lake; Rogue Valley hub
- Founded
- 1883 founded (railroad); 1885 incorporated
- Airports
- Rogue Valley International-Medford (MFR), about 5 km north of downtown; nearest alternates Klamath Falls (LMT) about 110 km; Redding (RDD) about 240 km; Eugene (EUG) about 270 km
- Tipping
- Restaurants 18-20% for table service; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; baggage $2-3 per bag; tour and wine guides 15-20%; no tipping expected at counter service beyond optional jar
About this data
Population city 86,494 and county 221,795 are Census July 1, 2025 estimates (metro = Medford MSA, which is Jackson County). Area derived from land area 25.89 sq mi. Elevation, coordinates, founding, hotel ranges, cost of living, home price and rent are approximate from general knowledge or third-party sites, not verified. Crime figure converted from 4.95 per 1,000 (FBI 2024 via NeighborhoodScout). Visitor and events URLs loaded.
