What it's like to live in Canby
Canby is a small city in Oregon with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Canby deals with home prices well above the national average and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Canby compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Canby
Based on Canby's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,084
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $61,680 a year
- 39% of Canby renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$105,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $52,850
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,542/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,542 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $528,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $528,500 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Clackamas County is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Clackamas County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 51% below US
161 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 667/100k · Canby Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 36°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 15% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (25 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Canby's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,542/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Canby
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