The Town FilesGates, Oregon
City in Marion County · population 548 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $349,200
- Household income
- $65,670
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 57.2
Gates is a city of 548 people in Marion County, Oregon. The median home is worth $349,200, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Oregon towns, quieter than 89% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of Oregon towns.
How Gates 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 Gates is worth $349,200, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $65,670, which is more affordable than 46% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,152 a month. 84.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gates | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $349,200 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,152 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $65,670 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 84.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Gates
| People | Gates | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.2 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 15.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Gates
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 36.3°F. About 93.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.2 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 46 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Gates since 1950.
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 Gates itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Gates
- Mill City, OR2.8 mi · 1,971 people · home $297,600
- Lyons, OR9.5 mi · 1,202 people · home $488,900
- Stayton, OR18.9 mi · 8,244 people · home $409,700
- Sublimity, OR18.9 mi · 2,967 people · home $480,800
- Lacomb, OR19.8 mi · 575 people · home —
- Scio, OR21.5 mi · 956 people · home $404,800
- Aumsville, OR22.9 mi · 4,234 people · home $296,400
- Silverton, OR24.6 mi · 10,484 people · home $484,800
Gates questions
Is Gates, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gates scores better for retirees than 80% of Oregon towns and quieter than 89%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.2).
How much does a house cost in Gates?
The median owner-occupied home in Gates is valued at $349,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,670, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,152 a month.
What is the weather like in Gates?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 36.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 93.6 inches of precipitation a year and 10.2 inches of snow.
Does Gates get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Gates in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)