The Dalles is divided between the east side and the west side, and I am not going to give you a sales pitch about either one. Here is the honest version of the west side, which is that your money goes further and there is more here than people expect.
What your budget does over here
Price per square foot runs lower on the west side than on the heights or the east side. That is the plain fact of it, and for a first-time buyer it can be the difference between owning and renting for another two years. The same budget that gets you a small two-bedroom elsewhere in town often gets you more house, more yard, or a garage you can actually use out here.
More Craftsmans than people realize
This is the part that surprises buyers. Everyone associates the early-1900s houses with midtown, and plenty of them are there, but the west side has its own share of them: porches, original woodwork, the good bones. Some have been restored beautifully. Some are waiting for somebody. Because the housing stock varies so much block to block, the west side rewards driving it slowly with somebody who knows what has sold where, and it punishes buying off a listing photo.
Practical things
Chenowith Elementary is the elementary school serving the west side. As always, the boundary for a specific address belongs to North Wasco County School District 21, and if you want to evaluate schools yourself, the district and GreatSchools are the sources I point people to rather than my own opinion. Everyday shopping, the grocery run and the big stores, mostly sits on the west end of town, which is a real convenience when you live out here and stops being one when you do not.
How I actually talk about it
The west side is a tradeoff conversation, not a no. What matters is which tradeoffs are yours: how far you want to be from work, what you want your commute and your school run to look like, what condition of house you are willing to take on, and how much you care about being up on the heights. Those answers are different for every family I work with, and I would rather ask them than assume.
Tell me what you are working with and what you want it to feel like when you pull into the driveway. We will look at both sides of town honestly, and you can decide with real information instead of a reputation.
The numbers, honestly
What homes go for here.
What this means
Inventory in 97058 is thin (47 homes on the market at last count), so well-prepared listings get outsized attention. Homes are going under contract in a median of 31 days, which is at a moderate pace. Sellers are getting about 98.4% of asking price, and 23% of sales close above list.
Straight answers
West Side questions, answered.
Is the west side of The Dalles more affordable?
Generally yes. Price per square foot runs lower on the west side than on the heights or the east side, which is why it is often where first-time buyers find the most house for their budget.
Which elementary school serves the west side?
Chenowith Elementary. Attendance boundaries are set by North Wasco County School District 21, so confirm the boundary for a specific address, and use the district or GreatSchools if you want to compare schools yourself.
What do homes cost in West Side?
Zillow's home value index puts the typical The Dalles 97058 home at $395,056 as of July 2026, and the median recent sale was $399,250.
How fast do homes sell in West Side?
The median time to pending in 97058 is 31 days, based on Redfin data through May 2026.
Keep exploring
Other neighborhoods.
Cascade Locks → Cherry Heights → Columbia View Drive → Dufur → Hood River → Midtown → Mosier → Park Place → Parkdale → Scenic View Drive → The Dalles →
Thinking about West Side?
Grace grew up here and walks these streets with buyers every week. Ask her what a listing sheet will not tell you.