The Town FilesHappy Valley, Oregon
City in Clackamas County · population 23,733 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $725,300
- Household income
- $122,151
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 39.0
Happy Valley is a city of 23,733 people in Clackamas County, Oregon. The median home is worth $725,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Oregon towns, more of a college town than 92% of Oregon towns, better transit than 89% of Oregon towns.
How Happy Valley 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 Happy Valley is worth $725,300, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $122,151, which is more affordable than 30% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $2,029 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Happy Valley | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $725,300 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $2,029 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $122,151 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.9% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 2009 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Happy Valley
| People | Happy Valley | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.4% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.2% | — |
| Work from home | 23.9% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Happy Valley
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 36.7°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.4 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 30 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Happy Valley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 9, 2000 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 14, 2006.
Severe weather in Clackamas County since 1996
Clackamas County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5454: Milo Mciver Fire |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Clackamas County
Clackamas County had 174,320 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,863 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Happy Valley itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Happy Valley
12 public schools with 8,033 students, about 23.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrienne C. Nelson High School | 9-12 | 1,430 | 28.6 |
| Clackamas High School | 9-12 | 1,278 | 27.8 |
| Happy Valley Middle School | 6-8 | 1,111 | 21.8 |
| Rock Creek Middle School | 6-8 | 861 | 22.1 |
| Scouters Mountain Elementary | K-5 | 551 | 20.4 |
| Happy Valley Elementary School | K-5 | 484 | 22.0 |
| Oregon Trail Elementary School | K-5 | 477 | 19.1 |
| Mount Scott Elementary School | K-5 | 418 | 22.0 |
| Sunnyside Elementary School | K-5 | 398 | 20.9 |
| Verne A Duncan Elementary School | K-5 | 390 | 19.5 |
| Spring Mountain Elementary School | K-5 | 353 | 19.6 |
| Clackamas Middle College (charter) | 9-12 | 282 | 40.3 |
Towns near Happy Valley
- Damascus, OR3.2 mi · 11,050 people · home $653,100
- Oatfield, OR4.4 mi · 13,977 people · home $569,000
- Gladstone, OR5.3 mi · 12,017 people · home $480,700
- Milwaukie, OR5.5 mi · 21,119 people · home $505,100
- Gresham, OR5.7 mi · 114,247 people · home $458,700
- Jennings Lodge, OR5.9 mi · 7,503 people · home $462,100
- Oak Grove, OR6.3 mi · 17,290 people · home $515,700
- Oregon City, OR7.6 mi · 37,572 people · home $555,800
Happy Valley questions
Is Happy Valley, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Happy Valley scores better for retirees than 21% of Oregon towns and quieter than 15%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.0).
How much does a house cost in Happy Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Happy Valley is valued at $725,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,151, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $2,029 a month.
What is the weather like in Happy Valley?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 36.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3.4 inches of snow.
Does Happy Valley get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Happy Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 9, 2000. 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)