St. Helens, OR

Oregon · Metropolitan Area

St. Helens is a small city in Oregon with a population of 14,152. Residents earn $82,123 per year, which is 9% above the national average.

3.0 /5.0
B Good
14,152 Population 2,912/sq mi density
$82,123 Median Income $35,240 per capita
$350,900 Home Value
$1,269 Median Rent
52°F Avg Temperature
115 Violent Crime/100K 2,961 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.5 / 5.0
$82,123 median income, 2.7% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.3 / 5.0
$350,900 home value, $1,269/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
115 violent crimes/100K (70% below avg)
C
Education
2.3 / 5.0
16.0% bachelor's degree or higher
Median Income $82,123
9% higher than US avg
Home Value $350,900
24% higher than US avg
Violent Crime 115/100K
70% lower than US avg
Bachelor's+ 16.0%
53% lower than US avg
Median Rent $1,269
9% higher than US avg
Obesity Rate 33.7%
5% higher than US avg
Unemployment 2.7%
25% lower than US avg
Poverty Rate 5.7%
54% lower than US avg

How St. Helens Compares to the U.S. Average (100% = U.S. avg)

People

Population14,152
Median Age36.7 yrs
Density2,912/mi²
Male / Female52% / 48%
Largest GroupWhite 84%

Economy

A+
Median Income$82,123
Per Capita$35,240
Unemployment2.7%
Poverty5.7%
County GDP$33,425M
Commute33 min

Housing

A
Home Value$350,900
Rent$1,269
OwnershipN/A

Crime

F
Violent115/100K
Property2,961/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault77/100K
Burglary436/100K

Health

Obesity33.7%
UninsuredN/A
Depression29.1%
Heart Disease5.7%

Climate

Avg Temp52°F
AQI32 (Good)
Elevation95 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+16.0%
High School+90.6%
School Score5.14

Community

2024 VoteR 45% / D 52%
Commute33 min
EV Stations5
Libraries10

Is St. Helens a Good Place to Live?

Based on current data, St. Helens receives an overall livability score of 3.0 out of 5.0, earning a grade of B. Key strengths include low unemployment, low crime rates, a low poverty rate, high health insurance coverage. St. Helens offers a solid quality of life with a good balance of affordability, safety, and opportunity.

Economy & Jobs

The median household income in St. Helens is $82,123, roughly in line with the national average of $75,149. The job market is very strong with unemployment at just 2.7%. Only 5.7% of residents live below the poverty line, well below the national rate of 12.4%. Workers commute an average of 33 minutes.

Cost of Living & Housing

The median home value in St. Helens is $350,900, 24% above the national median. Renters pay a median of $1,269 per month. A price-to-income ratio of 4.3x indicates a reasonably affordable housing market.

Safety & Crime

St. Helens is a very safe community with a violent crime rate of 115 per 100,000 residents — well below the national average of 380. Property crime occurs at a rate of 2,961 per 100,000, 51% above the national average.

Education

16.0% of residents hold a bachelor's degree, below the national average of 33.7%. 90.6% have completed high school. Area schools have an average test score of 5.1/10.

Climate & Weather

St. Helens experiences four distinct seasons with an average temperature of 52°F. Winters average 38°F in January while summers reach 67°F in July. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 32.

St. Helens has a population of 14,152 with a density of 2,912 people per square mile. The median age is 36.7 years, 6% younger than the national median of 38.9. The city is predominantly White (84.1%), with 3.4% Hispanic.

Population

14,152
Total Population
2,912
People / sq mi
36.7yrs
Median Age
6% below US avg
4.9mi²
Land Area

Gender Distribution

Male 51.7%
Female 48.3%

Race & Ethnicity

St. Helens vs U.S. Average

Language Spoken at Home

English Only93.1%
19% above US avg
Spanish6.9%
49% below US avg

Social Characteristics

St. Helens vs U.S. Average

The median household income in St. Helens is $82,123, which is 9% above the national average of $75,149. The unemployment rate is 2.7% (below the 3.6% US average). 5.7% of residents live below the poverty line. Workers commute an average of 33 minutes.

Income: St. Helens vs U.S.

Commute Mode

Income

Median HH Income$82,123
9% above US avg
Per Capita Income$35,240
Avg Weekly Wage$1,398
IRS Avg AGI$98,017

Employment & Poverty

Unemployment2.7%
25% below US avg
Poverty Rate5.7%
54% below US avg
Establishments (County)15,322
County GDP$33,425M

Business (County)

Restaurants903
Healthcare1,402
Retail1,062
Manufacturing427

Tax & Cost of Living

Property Tax (IRS)$6,201
77% above US avg
Effective Tax Rate1.77%

Commute & Transportation

Commute Time32.8 min
Work from Home9.1%

Walkability

The median home value in St. Helens is $350,900, 24% above the national average. Monthly rent averages $1,269 (9% above US avg).

Home Value Sources

Ownership Split

Home Values

Census Median$350,900
24% above US avg
Median List Price$440,000

Real Estate Market (Redfin)

Median List Price$440,000
$/Sq Ft$240
Homes Sold13
Sale-to-List Ratio99.6%
Price Drops25.7%
Inventory35

Rental Costs

Census Median Rent$1,269
9% above US avg

HUD Fair Market Rent

Studio$1,051
1 Bedroom$1,143
2 Bedrooms$1,425
3 Bedrooms$1,963
4 Bedrooms$2,318

Ownership & Property

Owner-Occupied62.8%

Property Tax

Avg Tax (IRS)$6,201
77% above US avg
Effective Rate1.77%
In St. Helens, 33.7% of adults are obese (above the 32.1% national rate). 29.1% report depression. 21.9% are physically inactive.

Health Metrics: St. Helens vs U.S. Average (%)

Chronic Conditions

Obesity33.7%
5% above US avg
Diabetes10.0%
Heart Disease5.7%
High Blood Pressure29.9%
Asthma12.7%
COPD7.0%
Stroke3.1%

Behaviors & Mental Health

Binge Drinking17.3%
Physical Inactivity21.9%
Depression29.1%
Mental Distress20.4%
Physical Distress14.4%

Healthcare Access

Insurance Rate94.7%
Checkup Rate68.5%
Premature Death6,422/100K

Food & Exercise

Food Environment8.7/10
Exercise Access90.5%
Healthcare Facilities1,402
St. Helens has a violent crime rate of 115 per 100,000 residents, 70% below the national average of 380. Property crime stands at 2,961 per 100,000 (51% above US avg). The murder rate is 0.0 per 100,000.

Crime Rates: St. Helens vs U.S. Average (per 100,000)

Violent Crime

Total Violent114.8/100K
70% below US avg
Murder0.0/100K
100% below US avg
Rape23.0/100K
Robbery15.3/100K
Assault76.5/100K

Property Crime

Total Property2,961.4/100K
51% above US avg
Burglary436.2/100K
Theft2,425.8/100K
Vehicle Theft99.5/100K
Arson0.0/100K

Traffic Safety

Fatal Crashes (County/yr)38
FEMA Disasters182

Safety Score

Safety GradeF
Safety Score1.0 / 5.0
St. Helens has an average annual temperature of 52°F (11°C). Winters average 38°F in January while summers reach 67°F in July. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 32.

Temperature

38°F Jan (3°C) 67°F Jul (19°C)
Annual Average51.6°F
4% below US avg
January Average38°F (3°C)
July Average67°F (19°C)

Precipitation & Snow

Air Quality

AQI Median32.0
RatingGood

Geography

Elevation95 ft (29 m)
Area4.9 sq mi (12.6 km²)
Population Density2,912/sq mi
Coordinates45.8568°N, 122.8163°W
County FIPS53011
It is classified as Metro — 1 million+. 16.0% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher (53% below US avg). In the 2024 election, the county voted Democrat by a 7-point margin.

2024 Presidential Election (County)

R 45.1%
D 52.1%

Winner: Democrat by 7 points

Education

Bachelor's Degree+16.0%
53% below US avg
High School+90.6%
School Test Score5.14
C Education Grade (2.3/5.0)

Urban-Rural Classification

RUCC Code 1Metro — 1 million+
Population Density2,912/sq mi
Total Area4.9 sq mi

Infrastructure & Services

EV Charging Stations5
Alt Fuel Stations5
Public Libraries10
Healthcare Facilities1,402
Restaurants903
Retail Stores1,062

Safety & Disasters

Fatal Crashes (County/yr)38
FEMA Disaster Declarations182
F Safety Grade (1.0/5.0)

Commute & Transportation

Avg Commute32.8 min
Work from Home9.1%

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