Dallas, OR — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Polk County · Salem · population 17,911

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Dallas stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $477,293
1-year +1.3%
5-yr CAGR +4.1%
vs 5-yr peak -0.2%
Population +1.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$477k$216k$310k$404k$497k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
80/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 23.3
Lean rent

At a 23.3 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Dallas. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
56 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
59 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
73 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
78 · w10%
Long thesis

Dallas has held up across the cycle: home values at $477,293 with +4.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Dallas's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Dallas

Dallas is a city in Polk County, Oregon, with an estimated population of 17,911. It anchors the Salem metro area. The population grew 1.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Dallas is $477,293 as of 2026-04, up 1.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Dallas average $1,704 per month. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Net positive migration: population up 1.5% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
Held the highs: currently -0.2% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Polk County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Polk County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Dallas

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
47° / 35°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 53°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
178
~49% of year
Annual precip
28″ rain
12″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
High
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Dallas listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Salem area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$80,400
Oregon state median
Top industries (state-level)
Tech (Intel)ManufacturingForestry

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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