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Living in
Happy Valley.
About
Life in Happy Valley
Happy Valley is a solidly affluent suburban community that's experienced explosive growth over the past decade—the population has jumped more than 20% recently. You'll find it's very family-focused, with strong schools and the kind of neighborhood feel where most people are raising kids and have at least a bachelor's degree. The median household income sits at $122,151, and about 78% of homes are owner-occupied, though median home values around $725,000 and median rents near $2,025 mean it's not cheap.
Happy Valley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Foreign-Born
18.2%
Broadband Internet
95.7%
of households
Population Growth
+23.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics18.2% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Happy Valley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Happy Valley, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (14.6%), and 4.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.7%
of residents
65 and Older
15.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.7%
of households
Married Couples
59.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.96
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 33% above OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Happy Valley
In Happy Valley, rent runs 33% above the OR average, and home values are 52% above the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,542
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2009
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $675,784 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below OR average
Unemployment in Happy Valley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Happy Valley is 0.7 percentage points lower than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Happy Valley Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area
Commute27.4 min avg
How Happy Valley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Happy Valley, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 140 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 36% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, which covers Happy Valley, runs 36% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
210.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,624.8
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Clackamas County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clackamas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clackamas County, which includes Happy Valley, the most common type is heavy snow, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Heavy Snow | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2022 | 7 | Debris Flow | $151,200 |
| 2021 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Heavy Rain | $15,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clackamas County, county-wide
Air Quality31 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clackamas County, which includes Happy Valley, is typically good — 318 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
31
Good Days
318
per year
Moderate Days
43
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Clackamas County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Happy Valley has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.4"
Annual Snowfall
3.4"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
30
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
165
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 37°F | 6.54" |
| Feb | 53°F | 38°F | 4.46" |
| Mar | 58°F | 40°F | 4.78" |
| Apr | 64°F | 43°F | 3.84" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 2.54" |
| Jun | 76°F | 53°F | 1.79" |
| Jul | 84°F | 57°F | 0.50" |
| Aug | 84°F | 58°F | 0.56" |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 1.64" |
| Oct | 65°F | 47°F | 4.23" |
| Nov | 53°F | 41°F | 6.73" |
| Dec | 47°F | 36°F | 7.20" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Happy Valley
Uninsured
3.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Happy Valley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.5 mi away · Clackamas
Adventist Health Portland
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Portland
Providence Milwaukie Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 6 mi away · Milwaukie
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Happy Valley
Happy Valley's student/teacher ratio is 22.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 46.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
46.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Happy Valley (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 19,531 students · in-state tuition $5,430 · 20% graduate · median earnings $48,571 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 13,182 students · in-state tuition $12,315 · 59% graduate · median earnings $62,447 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,963 students · in-state tuition $6,525 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,259 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,856 students · in-state tuition $5,418 · 25% graduate · median earnings $46,423 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,957 students · in-state tuition $60,100 · 80% graduate · median earnings $85,634 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,120 students · in-state tuition $68,048 · 72% graduate · median earnings $64,090 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Happy Valley
Happy Valley has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
88 mi awayPublic Libraries in Happy Valley
Happy Valley Public Library
13793 Se Sieben Park Way, Happy Valley
Cities Near Happy Valley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Happy Valley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Happy Valley FAQ
Is Happy Valley, Oregon affordable?⌄
Happy Valley's median rent is $2,029/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $122,151/year. Median home value is $725,300.
Is Happy Valley, Oregon safe?⌄
Happy Valley is policed by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 211 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1625 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Happy Valley, Oregon?⌄
Happy Valley has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Happy Valley, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Happy Valley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,029/month and median household income is $122,151/year. The median home value is $725,300. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Happy Valley, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Happy Valley is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from