The Town FilesRockaway Beach, Oregon
City in Tillamook County · population 1,441 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $342,300
- Household income
- $53,872
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 68°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.7
Rockaway Beach is a city of 1,441 people in Tillamook County, Oregon. The median home is worth $342,300, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more seaside character than 98% of Oregon towns, hipper than 93% of Oregon towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of Oregon towns.
How Rockaway Beach 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 Rockaway Beach is worth $342,300, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $53,872, which is more affordable than 20% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $958 a month. 77.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockaway Beach | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $342,300 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $958 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $53,872 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 77.4% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 52.6% | — |
Who lives in Rockaway Beach
| People | Rockaway Beach | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.7 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.9% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 25.8% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 92.4% |
Weather in Rockaway Beach
July highs average 67.7°F and January lows 37.2°F. About 89.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 47 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockaway Beach since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 14, 2016 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 11, 2024.
Severe weather in Tillamook County since 1996
Tillamook County has been included in 25 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 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542: Wildfires |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | FM-5368: Pike Road Fire |
Jobs and pay in Tillamook County
Tillamook County had 9,886 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,379 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Rockaway Beach itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Rockaway Beach
2 public schools with 415 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neah-Kah-Nie High School | 9-12 | 254 | 14.1 |
| Neah-Kah-Nie Middle School | 6-8 | 161 | 12.4 |
Towns near Rockaway Beach
- Garibaldi, OR4.1 mi · 830 people · home $344,700
- Bayside Gardens, OR6.8 mi · 1,214 people · home $387,800
- Manzanita, OR6.9 mi · 603 people · home $777,500
- Bay City, OR7.0 mi · 1,389 people · home $393,600
- Tillamook, OR12.2 mi · 5,204 people · home $298,800
- Netarts, OR12.5 mi · 894 people · home $441,300
- Pleasant Valley, OR18.0 mi · 620 people · home $492,300
- Cannon Beach, OR18.8 mi · 1,489 people · home $823,200
Rockaway Beach questions
Is Rockaway Beach, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockaway Beach scores better for retirees than 66% of Oregon towns and quieter than 49%. 31.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.7).
How much does a house cost in Rockaway Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockaway Beach is valued at $342,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,872, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $958 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockaway Beach?
July highs average 67.7°F and January lows 37.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 89.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Rockaway Beach get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockaway Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 14, 2016. 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)