Oregon · 147th largest metro area

Buying a home in Eugene, Oregon

In Eugene, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $460,400, Lane County's effective property tax rate is 0.82%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $8,584 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,402 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Eugene home costs, fact by fact

About Eugene

Looking at Eugene, Oregon: median gross rent is $1,402 a month, and 47.9% of homes are owner-occupied. Eugene lies in the Eugene-Springfield, OR metro area, ranked 147th in the country, and Lane County has an effective property tax rate (median tax as a share of home value) of 0.82%.

Reading the Eugene figures

Eugene lies below the Oregon state value. Owners estimate $460,400, against $507,900 for the state. Portland, Hillsboro and Bend are higher, at $581,500, $521,100 and $718,400, while Gresham ($458,700) is almost level and Salem ($416,900) lower.

Tenure leans toward renting. Owners are 47.9% of households, fewer than in Salem (55.9%), Portland (52%) or Bend (61.7%). Rent is $1,402 a month, almost level with Salem's $1,400 and under Gresham's $1,586 and Hillsboro's $1,978. HUD's benchmark for the Eugene-Springfield metro is $1,546, above the census rent.

Lane County applies a 0.82% effective rate, and the median annual tax is $3,536, with county homes holding a median value of $430,600. A rate under 1% can still add up to a sizeable yearly amount at these prices.

The most notable figure is the cost of borrowing. In 2025 Lane County recorded a median loan cost of $8,584 over 2,767 loans, and the central range ran from $5,302 to $13,212. The top of that range is the highest of the Oregon counties in this set, so ask lenders for a written estimate before you set a purchase budget.

Calculate for Oregon

If you buy

Oregon state transfer tax

Oregon has no real estate transfer tax. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$507,900
State transfer tax$0
Share of the price—

Default price: the Oregon median value of owner-occupied homes, $507,900 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: No tax is calculated on the price. Recording fees do not rise with the price. Who pays: No transfer tax to assign. Who pays the recording fees is a term of the purchase agreement. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Oregon transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Oregon state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Questions about buying a home in Eugene

How much is property tax in Eugene?

Homeowners in Lane County pay a median $3,536 a year in property tax, 0.82% of the county median home value of $430,600 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Eugene?

Home-purchase mortgages in Lane County carried median total loan costs of $8,584 in 2025; half of the 2,767 loans fell between $5,302 and $13,212 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Eugene?

Oregon has no state transfer tax. Article IX, Section 15 of the Oregon Constitution bars the state, cities and counties from taxing the transfer of real property or measuring a tax by its price, except taxes in effect on December 31, 2009. In Multnomah County a deed costs $86 to record for the first page and $5 per extra page.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Eugene?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Eugene ($460,400) equals 27.4 years of the median gross rent ($1,402 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Eugene?

Across Oregon, the main hazards for home insurance are earthquake, tsunami, wildfire, flood and landslide, and the insurer of last resort is Oregon FAIR Plan Association. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management gives about a 37% chance of a 7.1+ Cascadia megathrust earthquake in the next 50 years, and the Oregon FAIR Plan requires two turn-downs from standard insurers with a $600,000 dwelling limit.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Oregon rules that apply in Eugene

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Sources

Oregon · All states · Federal guides