History

Dufur is a resilient agricultural town of roughly 840 residents that serves as a living tribute to Oregon’s pioneer and farming heritage. Dufur’s history is a classic Oregon tale of pioneers, iron-willed farmers, and the challenges of the arid high prairie. Before it was Dufur, the area was known as Fifteen Mile Crossing because it sat 15 miles south of The Dalles on the Barlow Road, a key segment of the Oregon Trail. In the early 1900s, Dufur briefly claimed the title of the largest dryland apple orchard in the world, with over 4,000 acres planted. This caused a population boom, employing hundreds of workers during harvests. By 1921, the orchard experiment failed due to a lack of natural moisture; most trees were pulled and burned. The town pivoted to dry-land wheat farming, which remains its economic backbone today. 

 

Today

Life in Dufur today remains defined by its "Andy Griffith Show" charm, though recent shifts in business and cost of living have subtly modernized the local experience. The Dufur Market has become the town's social and economic hub. Recently taken over by Azure Standard, it now operates as a fully organic and non-GMO grocery store. It features a wine-tasting room, a deli serving grass-fed beef, and a coffee counter, blending traditional rural utility with modern health trends.

 

Living Here

Dufur serves as a gateway to the Mt. Hood National Forest and the Deschutes River, making it popular for outdoor enthusiasts and road bikers. While agriculture remains a cornerstone, many residents work in retail and healthcare, often commuting roughly 17 minutes to nearby The Dalles.

 

Housing         

In Dufur,  rental availability is rare often leading many renters to look toward the neighboring city of The Dalles for more consistent availability.                                   

Median Home Price: $402,500.00 to $432,500.00

 

Hospitals:

14 miles north - Adventist Health Columbia Gorge is a faith-based, nonprofit healthcare organization that includes a 49-bed medical center in The Dalles, Oregon.

 

Schools

Dufur is centralized in a single public K-12 building, Dufur School, which serves as the social and academic heart of the community.

 

Weather

Dufur features a warm-summer Mediterranean climate characterized by four distinct seasons with significant temperature swings and very low humidity. Winter is the coldest and wettest time of year, with average highs near 40°F and approximately 21 inches of annual snowfall, often peaking in December. Spring brings a breezy transition from chilly March days into mild, pleasant afternoons in the low 70s by May. Summers are consistently warm, dry, and sunny, with average highs reaching the upper 80s and almost no rainfall during the peak months of July and August. As Fall arrives, the air becomes crisp and cooling, with temperatures dropping steadily until the first frost typically arrives in late October.