Relocation
Moving from California: the first questions people ask
12 min read · Published October 29, 2026 · Last updated October 29, 2026
Everyone asks about the price first. The careful ones also ask about August.
When someone in California starts looking at the Rogue Valley, the first call almost always lands on the same three questions. How far will my money go? What is smoke season really like? Can I keep my job?
They deserve straight answers, with numbers you can check. Here they are, with the date each figure was pulled and a link to where it came from. Some of the answers are better than people expect. One of them, income tax, surprises people the other way.
How far does my money go?
Further on the house. Not always further on income tax. Here's the breakdown, as of October 29, 2026.
Home prices
California's statewide median single-family home sold for $899,720 in September 2026 (California Association of Realtors). Over the same stretch, the median Jackson County home sold for about $470,000 (Redfin), and the median Josephine County home for about $410,000 (Redfin).
Source: California: C.A.R. median sold price, existing single-family homes, Sep 2026 (released Oct 19, 2026). Oregon: Redfin median sale price, all home types; Jackson County Sep 2026, Josephine County Aug 2026. Pulled Oct 29, 2026.
Two honest caveats. The California figures count single-family homes only, while Redfin's Oregon figures include all home types, so treat the chart as a sense of scale, not a price for a specific house. And not every California county costs more: Shasta County sits below both of ours.
Prices here are still moving. Jackson County's median was up 8.7% from a year earlier, and Josephine County's was up 5.8% (Redfin, Jackson; Redfin, Josephine). Homes in Jackson County took a median 38 days to sell, the same as last year. In Josephine County it was about 63 days, up from about 40.
No sales tax
Oregon doesn't have a general sales tax (Oregon Department of Revenue). The one exception people run into is cars: Oregon charges a vehicle use tax on new vehicles bought in Oregon, and a vehicle privilege tax on new vehicles residents buy out of state (Oregon DOR).
Income tax: check your own bracket
This is the one that surprises people. Oregon taxes its residents on income from all sources (Oregon DOR), and its rates climb faster than California's in the middle. For a single filer in 2026, Oregon's rate reaches 8.75% at $11,400 of taxable income and 9.9% at $125,000. California's rates run from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% mental health services tax on income over $1 million (Tax Foundation, 2026).
Source: Tax Foundation, 2026
| Taxable income (single filer, 2026) | Oregon rate on the next dollar | California rate on the next dollar |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | 8.75% | 6.00% |
| $100,000 | 8.75% | 9.30% |
| $200,000 | 9.90% | 9.30% |
| $500,000 | 9.90% | 11.30% |
| $1,200,000 | 9.90% | 13.30% |
These are marginal rates, the rate on your last dollar, not your total bill. Deductions and credits differ between the states, so run your actual numbers with a tax professional before you assume the move saves you money on income tax. For many households the bigger savings show up in the house and the missing sales tax.
Property tax
Oregon's property tax runs on assessed value, not market value. Under Measure 50, passed in 1997, a property's assessed value generally can't rise more than 3% a year. New construction, additions, rezoning, and a few other changes are the exceptions (Clatsop County Assessor). Statewide, assessed value averaged 53.6% of real market value in fiscal 2025-26 (Oregon DOR, Property Tax Statistics FY 2025-26).
The average tax rate in fiscal 2025-26 was $10.13 per $1,000 of assessed value in Josephine County and $14.08 in Jackson County, against $17.52 statewide (Oregon DOR). Because each property's assessed value follows its own history, two similar houses on the same street can carry different bills. Ask for the most recent tax statement on any home you're considering.
Source: Oregon DOR, Property Tax Statistics FY 2025-26
What is smoke season really like?
Some summers bring days of bad air and some bring almost none. Over the last decade the bad years have come more often than they used to, so plan for smoke rather than hope you miss it.
What the numbers say
Oregon DEQ tracks how often wildfire smoke pushes the Air Quality Index to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" or worse. Its December 2025 report found (Oregon DEQ, Wildfire Smoke Trends Report):
Source: Oregon DEQ, Wildfire Smoke Trends Report, December 2025
- Medford, 2000 to 2012: 22 days at that level, about 1.7 a year.
- Medford, 2013 to 2025: 143 days, about 11 a year. That includes 69 "unhealthy" days, 24 "very unhealthy" days, and 7 "hazardous" days.
- The worst years were 2017 and 2020, which brought Medford five hazardous days.
- 2025 was mild. Medford recorded one day at that level. DEQ credits a cooler, wetter fire season with fewer acres burned.
In 2025, smoke arrived in a few separate episodes: mid-July, late August into early September, late September, and late October (DEQ). DEQ's analysis covers June 1 through late October, which is a fair outline of when to pay attention.
The honest read: most summers include some stretch of smoky days, a few years have been rough, and some years barely register. Don't buy expecting every August to look like 2020. Don't buy expecting none of them to.
How locals plan for it
Know where to check. DEQ's Air Quality Index map shows readings from more than 37 monitors around the state, and the free OregonAir app puts the same information on your phone (Oregon DEQ). The Oregon Smoke Blog, run by DEQ with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon Health Authority, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Weather Service, posts smoke forecasts and advisories.
Set the house up before August (Oregon Smoke Blog):
- Use a high-efficiency furnace or HVAC filter rated MERV 13 to 16, which can remove 90% or more of particles. Have an HVAC technician confirm your system can handle it.
- On smoky days, set the system to recirculate indoor air if it can.
- Keep a portable air purifier with a HEPA filter (or a non-ozone electrostatic filter), sized for the room you'll use most.
- For a low-cost backup, the Oregon Health Authority publishes instructions for a do-it-yourself box fan filter.
Look at the house with smoke in mind. When you tour, ask whether there's central air, what filter the system takes, and how well the windows seal. A house you can close up and cool comfortably makes a smoky week a lot easier.
Can I keep my job?
Often, yes, if three things line up: your employer is fine with you working from Oregon, the internet at the specific address is real, and your taxes are set up for the move.
Taxes when your employer stays in California
- California stops taxing work you do in Oregon. Once you're a nonresident, California taxes only California-source income. If you perform all your work outside California, those wages generally aren't California-source. Days you physically work in California still are, figured by the share of your workdays spent there (California Franchise Tax Board).
- Equity and deferred pay follow special rules. Stock options, RSUs, and deferred compensation can stay partly California-source even after you move (FTB). If that's a big part of your pay, talk to a tax professional before you pick a moving date.
- The year you move, you file in both states. California treats you as a part-year resident and taxes everything you earned while you lived there (FTB). Oregon taxes part-year residents on all income from the date they became residents (Oregon DOR).
- Your employer may not withhold Oregon tax on its own. Oregon asks out-of-state employers to register and withhold for Oregon residents as a convenience to the employee (Oregon DOR). Ask your payroll team early. If they won't, plan for it with your tax preparer so April doesn't bring a surprise.
- There's also a small state transit tax. Oregon residents owe a statewide transit tax of 0.1% of wages, wherever they work. Oregon can't require an out-of-state employer to withhold it, but you can ask them to as a courtesy (Oregon DOR).
Check the internet at the exact address
Internet availability is mapped address by address, so a town-level answer doesn't tell you much. The FCC's National Broadband Map lets you enter an address and see which providers say they serve it, with the type of service and speeds offered. When a listed service turns out not to be available, you can file a challenge (Calaveras County Broadband guide to the FCC map), which tells you the map isn't always right.
Before you write an offer on a house you'll work from:
- Look the address up on the FCC map.
- Call the provider and ask whether they can install service at that exact address, and how soon.
- Ask the seller who their internet provider is and what speed they actually get. A recent bill and a speed test from inside the house are worth more than any map.
- If video calls are your job, ask about the backup plan too: a second provider, cellular, or satellite.
Getting back to the office when you need to
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) lists nonstop flights to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Ana/Orange County, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Denver, on Alaska, Delta, United, American, and Allegiant (MFR). Check the airlines' current schedules against how often you'll need to travel.
Your first 30 days as an Oregonian
- Get an Oregon driver's license within 30 days of becoming a resident (Oregon DMV).
- Title and register your vehicles in Oregon within the same 30 days (Oregon DMV).
- Ask your employer's payroll team to switch your state withholding to Oregon, including the 0.1% statewide transit tax (Oregon DOR).
- Register to vote. The deadline is 21 days before an election (Oregon.gov, New to Oregon).
- Save the DEQ Air Quality Index map or download the OregonAir app before next summer.
- Keep records of your move date. Both states will want it at tax time (FTB; Oregon DOR).
Before you call the movers
The price chart gets people interested. What makes a move work is the rest: the tax setup, a house you can close up on a smoky week, and internet you've confirmed at the exact address.
Run the numbers in October. Visit in August.
If you're weighing a move from California and want to talk through any of this for the towns you're considering, call or text 541-218-7762, or email mocoyne@michaelocoyne.com.
Michael O'Coyne is an Oregon real estate broker with RE/MAX Integrity in Grants Pass, working with buyers and sellers across Josephine and Jackson Counties.
This post is general information, current as of October 29, 2026. It isn't tax, legal, or financial advice. Prices and rules change, so check the linked sources and talk with a tax professional about your own situation.
Sources
Home prices
- California Association of Realtors, September 2026 home sales and price report (released Oct. 19, 2026)
- Redfin, Jackson County, OR housing market
- Redfin, Josephine County, OR housing market
Taxes
- Oregon Department of Revenue, Personal income tax
- Oregon Department of Revenue, Statewide transit tax
- Oregon Department of Revenue, Withholding and payroll tax
- Oregon Department of Revenue, Oregon Property Tax Statistics, FY 2025-26
- Clatsop County Assessor, Measure 50: Oregon's property tax system
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026
- California Franchise Tax Board, Part-year resident and nonresident
- California Franchise Tax Board, 2025 tax rate schedules
Smoke
- Oregon DEQ, Wildfire Smoke Trends and the Air Quality Index, 2000-2025 (December 2025)
- Oregon DEQ, Air Pollution Advisories
- Oregon Smoke Blog, Preparing your home for wildfire smoke
- Oregon Health Authority, DIY air filter fact sheet
Work, travel, and moving
- FCC, National Broadband Map
- Calaveras County, How to check your service on the FCC map
- Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, Nonstop destinations
- Oregon DMV, Moving to Oregon
- Oregon.gov, New to Oregon
Common questions
Does Oregon have a sales tax?
No. Oregon has no general sales tax. It does tax new vehicles, whether bought in Oregon or bought out of state by a resident.
Is Oregon's income tax lower than California's?
It depends on your income. For a single filer in 2026, Oregon's rate on the next dollar is higher than California's at $50,000 and $200,000 of taxable income, and lower at $100,000, $500,000, and above $1 million.
How bad is wildfire smoke in Medford?
From 2013 through 2025, Medford averaged about 11 days a year when smoke pushed air quality to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" or worse. In 2025 it had one.
If I work remotely for a California company, do I still pay California income tax?
Once you're a nonresident, California generally doesn't tax wages for work you perform outside the state. Days you work in California, and some stock and deferred compensation, can still be taxed there.
How soon do I need an Oregon driver's license?
Within 30 days of becoming a resident.