Ashland at a glance

No single factor can entirely explain Ashland's demographic changes. Affordability is the broader issue: what it costs to build a life here and stay. The City of Ashland identifies rising housing costs as one reason fewer families with children move here or remain here, with consequences for school enrollment and local employment. The dashboard brings together data that help examine that connection.

Young People

Ashland has lost children much faster than population overall, and children now make up an unusually small share of the community compared with Oregon, Jackson County and several nearby cities. Ashland’s households have also become smaller, and fewer include children—so growth in the number of households has not translated into more households with children. The under-5 population is small as well, meaning fewer children are coming up behind today's students. When families live elsewhere, their children attend schools elsewhere, participate in activities elsewhere and become part of those communities instead of Ashland's.

Affordability

Nearly half of Ashland households fall below a threshold for covering basic household costs, far more than the number living below the federal poverty line. This includes households at different ages and stages of life. Some longtime older homeowners may be relatively insulated from today's housing market because they own their homes outright or have much lower housing costs than someone buying or renting today. But having a valuable home doesn't necessarily mean having a high current income, and rising costs for utilities, insurance, maintenance and other basic needs can still make it difficult for some older residents to stay.

Housing

Ashland homes cost substantially more than those in nearby communities, and buying a median-priced home generally requires a higher income than average, substantial savings, or existing equity. For working households and families trying to put down roots, nearby communities can offer cheaper housing, a better chance to buy, larger populations of children, and potentially greater access to childcare, activities and other family services. Those differences may help shape where families choose—or are able—to live.

Workforce

The majority of people who work in Ashland live outside the city. An ASD staff housing survey offers a clue as to why: 24 of the 35 respondents living outside Ashland—about 69%—said Ashland was unaffordable, while 11 said they preferred to live elsewhere. When workers and their families live in other communities, their children attend those school districts, and more of their everyday life—from childcare and activities to shopping and community involvement—happens there too.

Putting it Together

These trends may be different parts of the same story. High housing costs can make it harder for new families and younger households to establish themselves in Ashland, while rising living costs can make it harder for some longtime residents to remain. Meanwhile, many of the people who work here—and their families—are living elsewhere.