It is a species of the genus Peromyscus, a closely related group of New World mice often called "deermice".

[5] Deer mice inhabit a wide variety of plant communities including grasslands, brushy areas, woodlands, and forests.

[11] Deer mice breed throughout the year in the Willamette Valley, but in other areas on the Oregon coast there is usually a lull during the wettest and coldest weather.

[14] Deer mice are important prey for snakes (Viperidae), owls (Strigidae), minks (Neovison vison), martens (Martes americana) and other mustelids, as well as skunks (Mephitis and Spilogale spp.

), bobcats (Lynx rufus), domestic cats (Felis catus), coyotes (Canis latrans), foxes (Vulpes and Urocyon spp.