Along the coast of southern Oregon, Coos Bay is located on a peninsula next to the city of North Bend. Together, the neighboring cities are known as Oregon’s Bay Area. Coos Bay’s population has declined slightly since peaking in 2019; it’s now around 15,000 residents. Since the lumber industry died down, Coos Bay has struggled to attract a replacement industry, though healthcare is a major employer. The most recent proposed development, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, has been backed with over $25 million in federal funding. Hopes are high that this will create its proposed 8,000 jobs, a welcome relief to the area whose graduates tend to leave to find jobs elsewhere. But with Coos Bay School District, rated B-minus on Niche, protected land and access to water, Coos Bay offers a quiet, humble home base in the largest city on the Oregon coast.
Coos Bay sits on a peninsula on the southern Oregon Coast.
Marshfield Senior High School is a public school in Coos Bay, Oregon and serves grades 9-12.
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From fixer-uppers to vacation homes
There are a handful of sprawling, contemporary million-dollar homes. “The number of vacation homes is growing,” says Sandi Tomas, Managing Principal Broker at Pacific Properties based in Coos Bay. “The draw is outdoor recreation: hunting, fishing, the dunes.” The median single-family home price is $340,000, below the national median. Ranch-style homes are common in the city. Fixer-uppers sell in the $100,000s, and there is some acreage for sale. Manufactured homes range from about $30,000 to $475,000; those at the top of the price range are typically newer and larger.
To combat the city’s housing shortage, a proposed subdivision called Timber Cove would add 400 new three-to-four-bedroom homes priced at about $400,000. The first round of construction is projected to be complete by the spring of 2026. However, even with this new project, Coos Bay still needs more rental properties for its population and homes affordable for the median family annual income of $70,000. Local organizations and short-term housing assist those experiencing homelessness.
A number of vacation homes sit on the west side of Coos Bay along the Pacific Ocean.
Ranch-style homes can be found throughout the city of Coos Bay, Oregon.
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Walking through the trees and getting out on the water
Mingus Park is the place to go for a peaceful stroll through bamboo and Japanese maple trees. Locals taking the loop around the pond may spot dogs out for a walk, like Wild Thang, the proud winner of the world's ugliest dog competition in 2024. Mingus Park also has an outdoor public pool, a disc golf course, tennis courts and a skatepark. John Topits Park, also known as Empire Lakes, is a large, forested area with hiking and biking trails. No motorboats are allowed at Empire Lakes, but it’s a great spot for kayaking, canoeing, birdwatching and fishing for trout. While Coos Bay overlooks the biggest estuary in the state, the closest sandy beach is about 9 miles north at Horsfall Beach. Folks can go off-roading about 7 miles north on the famous Oregon sand dunes.
Residents of Coos Bay enjoy walks in Mingus Park which has ponds, bamboo forests and many more activities.
John Topits Park, also known as Empire Lakes, is a popular hiking and fishing spot in Coos Bay, Oregon.
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Summer festivals and year-round art education
Coos Bay has summer festival traditions going back 40 years. Blackberry Arts Festival features local musicians and a recipe contest, and the Oregon Coast Music Festival hosts concerts over a two-week period. Located in a former U.S. Post Office, Coos Art Museum offers art lectures and classes in addition to its permanent and rotating collections.
Coos Bay is home to the Blackberry Arts Festival during the summer.
There are a number of art installations throughout the City of Coos Bay, including its famous jellyfish made from marine debris that washed ashore.
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Strolling down Coos Bay Boardwalk
The local restaurants and watering holes in Downtown Coos Bay are mainly concentrated between Central and Curtis Avenues. The Coos Bay Farmers Market features live music and food access programs every Wednesday from May through October. Locals walk past docked boats, antique shops and gift boutiques on the Coos Bay Boardwalk. Further inland, shoppers can find Walmart Supercenter off Newmark Avenue. More shopping and a movie theater await at Pony Village Mall in North Bend.
The Coos Bay Boardwalk is a popular spot for people to walk alongside docked boats.
Antique stores are found downtown with a number of other locally owned shops.
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U.S. Highway 101 runs through the city
U.S. Highway 101, also called Tremont Avenue, runs north-south through the city and up and down the Oregon coastline. It typically takes drivers a couple of hours to get to Interstate 5, Oregon’s main highway connecting Eugene, Salem and Portland. Coos Transit connects bus passengers throughout the city and to North Bend. Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend offers domestic flights, including daily nonstop trips to San Francisco.
What to expect: weather and crime
Overall, Coos Bay experiences mild weather. It has over 180 days of sun each year, more than other parts of the state, balanced with over 150 days of rain. The commercial area downtown is at risk for flooding. According to FBI statistics, property and violent crime rates in Coos Bay are consistently higher than state and national levels. There is a hotspot around Laclair Street, while Eastside has lower crime rates.
Written By
Laura Copan
Photography Contributed By
Lester Tsai
Video By
Luke Basinger
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Coos Bay by the Numbers
16,144
Population
58
Average Days on Market
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)$340,000
Median Single Family Price$350,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft$227
Months Of Supply2
Demographics and Finance
Population Density2 ppl/acre
Median Household Income$50K
Lower than National Average$71K
% Owners58%
Lower than National Average63%
College Graduates19%
Lower than National Average34%
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Coos Bay, OR
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 Hillcrest Elementary School
B+
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#2 Eastside School
B
Niche
#3 Madison Elementary School
B-
Niche
#4 Millicoma School
B-
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#5 North Bay Elementary School
B-
Niche
3
GreatSchools
#6 Sunset School
C
Niche
2
GreatSchools
#7 Bunker Hill Elementary School
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 Marshfield Junior High School
C+
Niche
#2 North Bend Middle School
C
Niche
6
GreatSchools
Best Public High Schools
#1 North Bend Senior High School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#2 Marshfield Senior High School
B
Niche
4
GreatSchools
#3 Destinations Academy
C
Niche
2
GreatSchools
Best Private Schools
#1 Alternative Youth Activities
#2 Alternative Youth Activities
#3 Christ Lutheran Church & School
#4 Gold Coast Seventh-day Adventist Christian School
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
