St. Helens: Housing & Real Estate
Housing in St. Helens centers on a median value of $394,200 (estimated market value runs 9% higher at $428,052), with median rent $1,413 (1.2× higher than Columbia County median $1,211; about the same as Oregon median $1,355). Homeownership rate: 62.0%. That's 1.1× higher than the Columbia County median ($365,100); 1.1× below the Oregon median ($420,936). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 4.2%. New construction makes up 11.1% of stock. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 4.8× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Oregon 5.0×).
- 23.2 years to break even renting at the median (vs Oregon 26y).
- 4-BR rent is 2.0× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 26% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $394,200 — 0.9× the Oregon median ($420,936). Median rent $1,413/month. homeownership rate 62.0% — below the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Price To Income Ratio | 4.8× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Rent To Income Pct | 20.5% |
| Affordability · Interpretation | moderate |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $1,570 |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $1,677 |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $1,922 |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $2,619 |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $3,109 |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $428,052 |
| Median Home Value | $394,200 (vs Oregon $420,936) |
| Median Rent | $1,413 (vs Oregon $1,355) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 4.2% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 11.1% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | 12.3% |
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Systems (1)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 40.1% |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 6,275 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 14.70¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 1,868,012 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $2,906 |
| Electricity · Year | 2024 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0% |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 100% |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 100% |
| Mobile Home Parks Detail · County total | 1 |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · HIFLD / IRS BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Charging & Mobility
| Ev Charging · Stations | 5 |
|---|---|
| Ev Charging · Public Stations | 5 |
| Ev Charging · L2 Ports | 11 |
| Ev Charging · Dc Fast Ports | 2 |
Sources: DOE AFDC API
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1985 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12