The Town FilesSt. Helens, Oregon
City in Columbia County · population 13,817 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $394,200
- Household income
- $82,865
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.8
St. Helens is a city of 13,817 people in Columbia County, Oregon. The median home is worth $394,200, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more walkable than 93% of Oregon towns, more of a college town than 93% of Oregon towns, more vibrant than 83% of Oregon towns.
How St. Helens 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 St. Helens is worth $394,200, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $82,865, which is more affordable than 62% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,413 a month. 62.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Helens | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $394,200 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,413 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $82,865 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 62.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Helens
| People | St. Helens | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in St. Helens
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 42.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Helens since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 29, 1989 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 11, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 31, 1991.
Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996
Columbia County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| August 8, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4328: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| February 17, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4258: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Columbia County
Columbia County had 11,981 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,228 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in St. Helens itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in St. Helens
6 public schools with 2,485 students, about 19.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Helens High School | 9-12 | 813 | 22.0 |
| St Helens Middle School | 6-8 | 564 | 17.1 |
| McBride Elementary School | K-5 | 467 | 21.2 |
| Lewis & Clark Elementary School | K-5 | 392 | 17.0 |
| St Helens Arthur Academy (charter) | K-5 | 150 | 16.7 |
| Plymouth High School | 9-12 | 99 | 33.0 |
Towns near St. Helens
- Woodland, WA5.3 mi · 6,531 people · home $438,800
- La Center, WA6.8 mi · 3,424 people · home $584,600
- Scappoose, OR7.3 mi · 8,010 people · home $455,700
- Ridgefield, WA7.5 mi · 10,319 people · home $613,500
- Felida, WA11.0 mi · 9,526 people · home $674,000
- Kalama, WA11.2 mi · 2,959 people · home $471,500
- Mount Vista, WA12.1 mi · 10,051 people · home $586,600
- Salmon Creek, WA12.5 mi · 21,293 people · home $530,100
St. Helens questions
Is St. Helens, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Helens scores better for retirees than 14% of Oregon towns and quieter than 19%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in St. Helens?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Helens is valued at $394,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,865, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,413 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Helens?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does St. Helens get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Helens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 29, 1989. 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)