City profile · Oregon · Census ACS 2023

St. Helens, OR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for St. Helens - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

14,152
Residents
$82,123
Median income
$350,900
Median home
$1,922
Median rent (state)

St. Helens - the verdict

St. Helens ranks in the 64th percentile for household income and the 56th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

64th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
80th
percentile, median rent
56th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: St. Helens, OR

St. Helens is a small town in Oregon, home to 14,152 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. St. Helens households earn a median of $82,123 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Typical homes in St. Helens are valued around $350,900, and the median resident age is 36.7 years. Educational attainment runs 16.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 12 residential building permits were authorized in St. Helens (Construction Slowdown), down 91% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. St. Helens reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1197.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Oregon carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Oregon at 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,922 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Oregon run around $185, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 70.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

14,152 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oregon

Median Household Income

$82,123 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oregon average

How does St. Helens compare to other US cities?

Here's how St. Helens stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 80% pricier than other cities
Safety 56% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Oregon and the picture shifts: St. Helens ranks #24 of 85 Oregon cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares St. Helens against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Oregon only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Oregon-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places St. Helens toward the top of Oregon's cities

Among the 395 Oregon cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, St. Helens ranks #1 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares St. Helens only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#130 of 364
64th percentile in Oregon
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 395
80th percentile in Oregon
Median Home Value
#183 of 366
50th percentile in Oregon
Poverty Rate
#213 of 395
45th percentile in Oregon
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#260 of 395
34th percentile in Oregon

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Oregon only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile
56thSafety percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income · 56th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

St. Helens's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

St. Helens's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
St. Helens's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How St. Helens's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$350,900 28th percentile more affordable than 28% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. St. Helens $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - St. Helens, OR St. Helens, OR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not St. Helens, OR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution St. Helens, OR median $82,123/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
St. Helens, OR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for St. Helens, OR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
14,152
Median Income
$82,123
Median Home Value
$350,900
Median Age
36.7
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1197.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
273.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
923.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,800 residents14,000 residents14,200 residents14,400 residents14,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,892 residents 14,450 residents ▲ +4.0%
St. Helens's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
12
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 129
2020 118
2021 122
2022 22
2023 4
2024 12

Permit volume decreased 91% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
69.4%
Carpool
19.7%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
9.1%

Based on 6,401 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Oregon - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$185
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Oregon state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Oregon state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county St. Helens sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,922/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
70.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oregon

Cornelius
13,700 people
La Grande
13,059 people
Sandy
12,738 people
Oatfield
12,709 people
Coos Bay
15,867 people
The Dalles
15,973 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Helens's 14,152 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Southchase, FL
14,149 people
Wells Branch, TX
14,156 people
Chicago Ridge, IL
14,147 people
Federal Heights, CO
14,160 people
Circleville, OH
14,144 people
Collingswood, NJ
14,163 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Helens's $82,123 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Gardner, IL
$82,125 median income
Princeton, FL
$82,130 median income
Lake Junaluska, NC
$82,115 median income
Mont Clare, PA
$82,115 median income
Cedarburg, WI
$82,110 median income
La Crescent, MN
$82,109 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - St. Helens, OR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition St. Helens, OR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.1% 13.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.1% White 84.1% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 13.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How St. Helens compares to nearby Oregon cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
St. Helens (this city) 14,152 $82,123
Cornelius 13,700 $90,071
La Grande 13,059 $56,409
Sandy 12,738 $102,201
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OR FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about St. Helens, OR?

What is the population of St. Helens, OR? +

14,152 people live in St. Helens, OR according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in St. Helens, OR? +

St. Helens households earn a median of $82,123 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in St. Helens? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for St. Helens; the closest available measure is the Oregon state average, a cost of living index of 103.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Oregon vary by metro area.

Is St. Helens, OR safe? +

St. Helens has a total crime rate of 1197.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in St. Helens, OR? +

Homes in St. Helens carry a median value of $350,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.