City comparison
Bend, OR is about 150 miles (225 km) from Medford, OR in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Bend, OR to Medford, OR takes about 17 min, covering roughly 150 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Bend has a population of 99,442, vs 85,539 in Medford — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Bend covers about 35 sq mi vs 29 sq mi for Medford.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bend | Medford | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,649/mo | $1,214/mo | 35.8% higher in Bend |
| Median home value | $576,900 | $355,600 | 62.2% higher in Bend |
| Median household income | $82,671 | $65,647 | 25.9% higher in Bend |
| Groceries index | 105.2 | 105.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 104.3 | 2.4% higher in Bend |
| Transportation index | 100.7 | 100.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.6 | 100.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bend, you'd need $94,131 in Medford to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Medford, OR is about 5.9% cheaper overall than Bend, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 15% higher in Bend than in Medford. If you earn $80,000 in Bend, you'd need about $75,305 in Medford to keep the same standard of living.