The Town Files

Columbia County, Oregon

53,493 people. The median home is worth $421,600 (typical Oregon town: $394,200) and the median household earns $87,458.

Towns in Columbia County

Towns in Columbia County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
St. Helens13,817$394,200$82,86539.8
Scappoose8,010$455,700$97,70840.3

People and housing

Columbia CountyTypical Oregon town
Median home value$421,600$394,200
Median rent$1,373$1,312
Median household income$87,458$76,221
Median age43.341.7
Bachelor's degree or higher19.8%23.2%
Below the poverty line8.9%10.8%

Jobs and pay

11,981 jobs in 2024, average pay $54,228 a year.

Largest industries in Columbia CountyRetail1,592 jobs · $36,291Health care & social assistan…1,547 jobs · $48,710Manufacturing1,483 jobs · $68,331Hotels & restaurants1,335 jobs · $24,783Administrative & support758 jobs · $48,881Construction683 jobs · $68,823
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Columbia County0%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023 4.4%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 31 storm events in Columbia County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Columbia County by type since 1996Hail1Flood12Tornado3Heavy Rain9Heavy Snow2Frost/Freeze1Funnel Cloud2Winter Storm1
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Columbia County has been included in 17 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 15, 2020FireDR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds
March 28, 2020BiologicalDR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3429: Covid-19
August 8, 2017Severe StormDR-4328: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
February 17, 2016Severe StormDR-4258: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 2, 2012FloodDR-4055: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).