Cove

Cove is a little slice of heaven located on the eastern edge of the Grande Ronde Valley in Union County, Oregon. Cove is on the valley’s eastern slope, nestled between the Wallowa Mountains and adjacent ridges. Cove’s name comes from the niche created by the base of Mt. Fanny, Mill Creek, and the ridges to the south. Cove is a small community with approximately 680 people within city limits. Another 1,200 people live in the greater Cove area.  Cove has a public library, K-12 charter school, corner market and fueling station, volunteer fire department, styling salon, steakhouse, and, of course, the Cove Drive-in. A wide array of home-based businesses are a testament to Cove’s robust entrepreneurial spirit.

Cove has been a fruit production center for over 100 years. Today, approximately 500 acres of commercial orchards, planted mostly to sweet cherries and peaches, grace the hillsides above town. Livestock production and processing, field crops, and small-scale produce growers make up the remaining farm operations.

For more information, visit https://coveoregon.org/

Population

Total Population

601

Population
Growth Rate

-0.47%

Median Age

48

Diversity Index

26.500

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Housing & Income

Households

270

Total Housing Units

277


Owner Occupied

221

Renter Occupied

49

Vacant

7

Median Home Value

$456,780


Average Home Value

$518,100

Income
Growth Rate

Median
Household Income

0.00%


Per Capita Income

2.72%

Income Projection

Median Household

$80,518 $85,473


Average Household

$112,275 $125,881


Per Capita

$50,440 $57,687

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Workforce

Total Businesses

17

Total Employed

102

Workers 16+

210

2025 Educational Services - Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

2

Employed

48

2025 Information Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

2

Employed

18

2025 Food Service / Drinking Est.

cp-industries

Businesses

2

Employed

10

2025 Accommodation / Food Service

cp-industries

Businesses

2

Employed

10

2025 Public Administration

cp-industries

Businesses

2

Employed

7

2025 Other Service excl Pub Admin

cp-industries

Businesses

4

Employed

5

Some
High School

22

Graduated
High School

108

Associates
Degree

52

Bachelor's
Degree

89

Graduate
Degree

64

Average Commute Time

0 min.



Resident Commuters

201

Non-Resident Commuters

9

Drive Alone

179

Carpooled

14

Public

0

Work At Home

17

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30