Population 175 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Surprise Valley
Household size in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Surprise Valley is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.5 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.8 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.8 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.9 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.6 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 52.9, Surprise Valley is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Surprise Valley (15.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 8.6 points, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Surprise Valley
Renters in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.5% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.9% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.5 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Surprise Valley is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over half of owners (52.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Surprise Valley: 5.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Surprise Valley run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $596 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $737 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $642 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $946 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$350 | +$731 | +$606 |
Rent in Surprise Valley runs $946 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 34.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Surprise Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Surprise Valley: 14.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.7% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.5% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Surprise Valley is close to the national rate: 90.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Surprise Valley
| Period | Surprise Valley | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Surprise Valley: 10.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Surprise Valley compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surprise Valley | 2.35 | 52.9 | 15.5% | 14.0% | 5.6% | 1972 | $946 | 14.7% | 90.2% | 10.5% |
| Riddle | 2.36 | 50.4 | 18.9% | 19.2% | 6.5% | 1967 | $851 | 12.3% | 87.6% | 11.4% |
| Canyonville | 2.34 | 48.2 | 13.7% | 27.3% | 5.6% | 1977 | $983 | 12.1% | 88.4% | 11.4% |
| Tri-City | 2.33 | 52.3 | 8.5% | 19.1% | 7.6% | 1983 | $903 | 9.8% | 90.2% | 8.3% |
| Myrtle Creek | 2.38 | 46.4 | 15.7% | 30.6% | 9.5% | 1975 | $941 | 11.8% | 91.3% | 7.8% |
| Dillard | 2.64 | 44.0 | 8.0% | 13.2% | 7.3% | 1975 | $897 | 6.9% | 87.9% | 10.3% |
| Days Creek | 2.28 | 56.6 | 5.9% | 28.4% | 11.4% | 1985 | $997 | 14.6% | 92.3% | 2.8% |
| Azalea | 1.96 | 70.6 | 5.1% | 7.6% | 24.1% | 1990 | $885 | 22.2% | 95.5% | 0.0% |
| Winston | 2.28 | 48.6 | 10.8% | 23.2% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,004 | 12.2% | 90.4% | 4.8% |
| Glengary | 2.74 | 44.9 | 3.9% | 21.9% | 11.3% | 1976 | $898 | 13.4% | 91.8% | 6.0% |
| Quines Creek | 2.12 | 68.0 | 4.7% | 7.3% | 21.5% | 1990 | $943 | 25.6% | 96.1% | 0.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hiwassee College, TN · Highland Lakes, FL · Hightown, VA · Hiles, WI · Hill City, PA · Hillcrest, WI · Hillemann, AR · Hillerman, IL · Hilltop, TN · Hinson, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Surprise Valley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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