Fossil is a city in Wheeler County, Oregon, home to about 535 people across 0.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 97830.
Homes sold for a median of $119 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Fossil. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Fossil’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Portland International Airport (PDX)128 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Roberts Field (RDM)68 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Portland, OR129 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Los Angeles, CA759 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Fossil; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Fossil had 447 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.
It’s the 277th largest of 420 towns in Oregon by population.
Wheeler County grew from 2,443 residents in 1900 to 1,451 in 2020.
Wheeler County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 24°F. About 15.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Fossil, OR weather station (6 miles away).
166 jobs at 29 businesses in Wheeler County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
11 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Fossil.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 5 |
| Mental health providers | 3 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Public schools here are run by Fossil SD 21J. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fossil Charter SchoolFossil | K–12 | 2,494 | Charter | 6.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.