Compare towns
Seneca vs Imbler 104 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (4.4× in Imbler) and jobs per worker (6.1× in Imbler).
Where each one shines Two towns, two different strengths What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.
Imbler A small town of 189
Quiet strengths Imbler doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Imbler →
The biggest differences Where they differ most The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs $770 more a month in Imbler A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.
Down payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Seneca $860 /mo
Typical home $156K (Census) · tax rate 0.34% · Housing →
Imbler $1,640 /mo
Typical home $275K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · Housing →
The difference: $770 a month , about $9,300 a year , between Imbler and Seneca.
Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.
Report cards Grades and rankings, side by side Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Oregon ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.
Life in each What daily life feels like in each The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.
Seasons
Growing season (days) — 146d Outdoors & history
A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.
Where they are 104 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Seneca ↔ Imbler 104 miles apart
Everything, side by side What matters to you? Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
109 Lowest 189 Highest
Median age
67.8 ±16.2 Highest 68% above OR 57.8 ±4 Lowest 43% above OR
Kids under 18
9.2% ±24.3 Lowest OR: 19.9% 18% ±17 Highest OR: 19.9%
Age 65+
51.4% ±32.3 Highest OR: 19.1% 27% ±11.7 Lowest OR: 19.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.2% Highest OR: 36.8% 18.3% Lowest OR: 36.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±16.9 OR: 5.7% 0% ±9.7 OR: 5.7%
Household incomemedian
$39,821 ±$39k Lowest 52% below OR $66,250 ±$18k Highest 20% below OR
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$156,300 ±$29k Lowest 67% below OR $275,000 ±$23k Highest 42% below OR
Property taxmedian, yearly
$538 Lowest 86% below OR $2,346 Highest 39% below OR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50% ±100 Lowest OR: 52.5% 100% ±100 Highest OR: 52.5%
Below poverty line
22% Lowest OR: 11.9% 27.5% Highest OR: 11.9%
Homeownersof occupied homes
85.9% Lowest OR: 63.3% 92.2% Highest OR: 63.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947 Lowest 34 yrs older than OR 1977 Highest 4 yrs older than OR
Average commuteone way
17 min Highest 25% below OR 17 min Lowest 26% below OR
Work from home
0% ±27.7 Lowest OR: 19% 13.6% ±8.8 Highest OR: 19%
Work in townworking residents
1.5% Lowest 7.6% Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
116.3 mi Highest 12.3 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.23 Lowest 1.41 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
John Day (8%) La Grande (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Imbler Few work in Seneca
Conserved landshare of the town
0.5% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
0.8 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
1.0 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
1 Highest 0 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
38.0 Lowest 129 Highest
School district
John Day SD 3 —
High school in town
None in town —
“±” Census margin of error ACS 2020–2024
Deciding? Ask the people who live there The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.
Seneca or Imbler: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Seneca? → Moving to Seneca: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Seneca’s Town Square.
Imbler or Seneca: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Imbler? → Moving to Imbler: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Imbler’s Town Square.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.
Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · The guide for every city and town in America · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support usBrowse by state · Privacy · Terms 
+ Compare
+ Compare
+ Compare
+ Compare