The Town FilesGearhart, Oregon
City in Clatsop County · population 1,793 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $688,100
- Household income
- $92,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 65°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 48.1
Gearhart is a city of 1,793 people in Clatsop County, Oregon. The median home is worth $688,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more seaside character than 98% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of Oregon towns, better for retirees than 89% of Oregon towns.
How Gearhart 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 Gearhart is worth $688,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 7.5 times the median household income of $92,250, which is more affordable than 7% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,093 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gearhart | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $688,100 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,093 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $92,250 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 41.9% | — |
Who lives in Gearhart
| People | Gearhart | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.4% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 18.8% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 16.3 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Gearhart
July highs average 65.0°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 76.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 29 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gearhart since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 3, 1967 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 5, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on January 18, 2018.
Severe weather in Clatsop County since 1996
Clatsop County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| February 17, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4258: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| February 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1956: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Mudslides, Landslides, And Debris Flows |
Jobs and pay in Clatsop County
Clatsop County had 19,287 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,967 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Gearhart itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Towns near Gearhart
- Seaside, OR3.0 mi · 7,115 people · home $459,500
- Warrenton, OR9.8 mi · 6,277 people · home $415,800
- Cannon Beach, OR10.1 mi · 1,489 people · home $823,200
- Astoria, OR11.8 mi · 10,181 people · home $444,800
- Svensen, OR15.3 mi · 853 people · home $383,100
- Knappa, OR18.9 mi · 1,007 people · home $442,100
- Ilwaco, WA20.1 mi · 1,087 people · home $370,300
- Manzanita, OR21.8 mi · 603 people · home $777,500
Gearhart questions
Is Gearhart, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gearhart scores better for retirees than 89% of Oregon towns and quieter than 37%. 31.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Gearhart?
The median owner-occupied home in Gearhart is valued at $688,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,250, so homes cost about 7.5 times income. Median rent is $1,093 a month.
What is the weather like in Gearhart?
July highs average 65.0°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 76.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Gearhart get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gearhart since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 3, 1967. 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)