The Town FilesStayton, Oregon
City in Marion County · population 8,244 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $409,700
- Household income
- $78,268
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 38.3
Stayton is a city of 8,244 people in Marion County, Oregon. The median home is worth $409,700, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more walkable than 77% of Oregon towns, more vibrant than 74% of Oregon towns.
How Stayton 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 Stayton is worth $409,700, close to the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $78,268, which is more affordable than 49% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,172 a month. 68.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stayton | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $409,700 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,172 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $78,268 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 68.9% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stayton
| People | Stayton | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 13.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Stayton
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 34.4°F. About 52.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.0 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stayton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on December 14, 2010 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 29, 2018.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 24, 2023 | Fire | FM-5483: Liberty Fire |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542: Wildfires |
| September 8, 2020 | Fire | FM-5356: Beachie Creek Lionshead Fire Complex |
Jobs and pay in Marion County
Marion County had 171,271 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,787 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Stayton itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Stayton
4 public schools with 1,562 students, about 18.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayton High School | 9-12 | 676 | 19.3 |
| Stayton Middle School | 4-8 | 457 | 16.3 |
| Stayton Elementary School | K-3 | 327 | 15.6 |
| North Santiam Options Academy | K-12 | 102 | 34.0 |
Towns near Stayton
- Sublimity, OR1.7 mi · 2,967 people · home $480,800
- Aumsville, OR4.4 mi · 4,234 people · home $296,400
- Jefferson, OR11.8 mi · 3,327 people · home $373,000
- Four Corners, OR12.0 mi · 16,740 people · home $340,200
- Salem, OR13.7 mi · 175,535 people · home $416,900
- Silverton, OR13.7 mi · 10,484 people · home $484,800
- Hayesville, OR14.7 mi · 21,891 people · home $365,400
- Millersburg, OR16.0 mi · 2,919 people · home $567,200
Stayton questions
Is Stayton, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stayton scores better for retirees than 23% of Oregon towns and quieter than 25%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in Stayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Stayton is valued at $409,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,268, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,172 a month.
What is the weather like in Stayton?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 34.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.0 inches of snow.
Does Stayton get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on December 14, 2010. 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)