The Town FilesSandy, Oregon
City in Clackamas County · population 12,612 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $470,300
- Household income
- $108,984
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.8
Sandy is a city of 12,612 people in Clackamas County, Oregon. The median home is worth $470,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for families than 88% of Oregon towns, better transit than 76% of Oregon towns, more walkable than 71% of Oregon towns.
How Sandy ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sandy is worth $470,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $108,984, which is more affordable than 79% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,861 a month. 74.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sandy | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $470,300 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,861 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $108,984 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sandy
| People | Sandy | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.9% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.7% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Sandy
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 35.3°F. About 79.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sandy since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 12, 1957 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 22, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 1999.
Severe weather in Clackamas County since 1996
Clackamas County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5454: Milo Mciver Fire |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Clackamas County
Clackamas County had 174,320 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,863 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Sandy itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Sandy
4 public schools with 2,668 students, about 23.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy High School | 9-12 | 1,434 | 27.1 |
| Firwood Elementary School | K-5 | 456 | 20.7 |
| Cedar Ridge Middle School | 6-8 | 439 | 23.1 |
| Sandy Grade School | K-5 | 339 | 17.0 |
Towns near Sandy
- Estacada, OR7.6 mi · 4,356 people · home $509,800
- Damascus, OR8.7 mi · 11,050 people · home $653,100
- Gresham, OR11.0 mi · 114,247 people · home $458,700
- Troutdale, OR11.5 mi · 16,300 people · home $456,100
- Happy Valley, OR11.9 mi · 23,733 people · home $725,300
- Wood Village, OR12.0 mi · 4,387 people · home $311,500
- Fairview, OR13.2 mi · 10,424 people · home $427,700
- Washougal, WA13.3 mi · 17,039 people · home $552,300
Sandy questions
Is Sandy, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sandy scores better for retirees than 12% of Oregon towns and quieter than 35%. 12.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Sandy?
The median owner-occupied home in Sandy is valued at $470,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,984, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,861 a month.
What is the weather like in Sandy?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 35.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 79.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.9 inches of snow.
Does Sandy get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sandy since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 12, 1957. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)