About

Life in Molalla

Molalla is a community of 10,168 people in Oregon. The median household income is $89,318, median rent runs about $1,654 per month, and median home values are around $447,100. The average commute is 33 minutes.

Molalla at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

32.2 yrs

Poverty Rate

4.3%

Foreign-Born

2.4%

Broadband Internet

90.5%

of households

Population Growth

-1.3%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Molalla$89,318
Oregon avg$83,011
US$80,734

Demographics2.4% foreign-born, most often from Chile

Who lives in Molalla: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Molalla, the largest foreign-born group is from Chile (30.1%), and 4.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

24.6%

of residents

65 and Older

9.3%

of residents

Households with Kids

42.3%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

21.0%

of households

Married Couples

55.6%

of households

Avg Household Size

2.76

people

Race & Ethnicity

White81.9%
Hispanic or Latino8.3%
Asian1.3%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Chile30.1%
Mexico22.1%
Singapore12.9%
Colombia11.6%
Laos9.2%
Guatemala6.8%
Philippines5.2%
Thailand2.0%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only93.1%
Spanish4.7%
Other Indo-European1.3%
Russian/Slavic0.8%
Tagalog/Filipino0.1%
Other0.0%

Cost of Livingrent 8% above OR average

Rent, home values, and income in Molalla

In Molalla, rent runs 8% above the OR average, and home values are 6% below the OR average.

Median rent (per month)

Molalla$1,654
Oregon avg$1,525
US$1,413

Median home value

Molalla$447,100
Oregon avg$477,600
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

40.0%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

23.2%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

105.4

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$3,417

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

54.8%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1997

median year built

Home Value Trend

$456,084
$501,401
$487,078
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $487,078 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OR

Unemployment in Molalla and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Clackamas County, which includes Molalla, is close to the OR average.

Unemployment rate

Molalla4.9%
Oregon avg5.2%
US4.3%

Molalla: Clackamas County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

4.4%
3.7%
3.7%
3.4%
7.3%
4.9%
3.6%
3.4%
4%
4.9%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Clackamas County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Molalla is about 2% of Clackamas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Molalla Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care23.0%
Retail14.9%
Manufacturing11.1%
Transportation & utilities3.2%
Wholesale trade2.4%
Agriculture & mining0.5%
Information0.5%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$124,590
Healthcare$107,510
Business & Finance$79,400
Education$65,840
Construction$65,630
Office & Admin$47,870
Production$47,430
Transportation$44,260

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area

Commute28.3 min avg

How Molalla residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Molalla, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone77.1%
Carpool6.2%
Public transit0.0%
Walk3.2%
Work from home13.4%
Other0.1%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min22.5%
15–29 min24.8%
30–44 min29.4%
45–59 min15.8%
60+ min7.5%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field (SLE)

    Regional airport · few flights11k passengers boarded in 2025

    26 mi
  • Portland International Airport (PDX)

    Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025

    30 mi

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 40% below national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in Molalla runs 40% below the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

197.8

per 100,000 residents

Below average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

524.2

per 100,000 residents

Below average (1,552 national, 2025)

Molalla Police Department

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).

Avalanche · HighCold wave · HighEarthquake · HighIce storm · HighLightning · High

Clackamas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Clackamas County, which includes Molalla, the most common type is heavy snow, with 11 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Heavy SnowFloodHeavy RainDebris FlowHail

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202511Heavy Snow$2,000
202410Heavy SnowNone reported
20231FloodNone reported
20227Debris Flow$151,200
20211FloodNone reported
20203FloodNone reported
20193Heavy 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

Molalla is about 2% of Clackamas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Air Quality31 median AQI — Good

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Clackamas County, which includes Molalla, 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

Molalla is about 2% of Clackamas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate78°F summers, 36°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Molalla has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

62°/42°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

78°/54°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

64°/46°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

48°/36°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

46.4"

Annual Snowfall

1.1"

Hot Days/Year

17

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

42

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

158

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
20°40°60°80°100°7"Jan: 5.90" precipitationFeb: 4.34" precipitationMar: 5.16" precipitationApr: 4.50" precipitationMay: 3.38" precipitationJun: 2.14" precipitationJul: 0.56" precipitationAug: 0.62" precipitationSep: 1.95" precipitationOct: 4.29" precipitationNov: 6.89" precipitationDec: 6.69" precipitationJJan: high 47°F, low 35°FFFeb: high 51°F, low 36°FMMar: high 56°F, low 39°FAApr: high 61°F, low 42°FMMay: high 68°F, low 47°FJJun: high 72°F, low 51°FJJul: high 81°F, low 56°F82°AAug: high 82°F, low 56°FSSep: high 77°F, low 52°FOOct: high 64°F, low 46°FNNov: high 53°F, low 39°F35°DDec: high 46°F, low 35°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan47°F35°F5.90"
Feb51°F36°F4.34"
Mar56°F39°F5.16"
Apr61°F42°F4.50"
May68°F47°F3.38"
Jun72°F51°F2.14"
Jul81°F56°F0.56"
Aug82°F56°F0.62"
Sep77°F52°F1.95"
Oct64°F46°F4.29"
Nov53°F39°F6.89"
Dec46°F35°F6.69"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Molalla

Uninsured

4.3%

of residents

No hospitals inside Molalla's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Legacy Silverton Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.2 mi away · Silverton

Not rated

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Oregon City

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity36.1%US 36.8%
Diabetes9.1%US 12.6%
High blood pressure28.0%US 37.1%
Current smoking13.0%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity21.3%US 26.6%
Depression30.7%US 23.0%
Asthma12.5%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year69.3%US 78.2%

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.

Education17.5:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Molalla

Molalla's student/teacher ratio is 17.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 18.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

3

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

18.8%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

17.5:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Molalla (within 15 miles)

Clackamas Community College

12 mi away

Public · 2-year · 4,963 students · in-state tuition $6,525 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,259 (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, 33 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Molalla

Molalla has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (33 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

National Historic Site

33 mi away

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

National Historical Park

99 mi away

Public Libraries in Molalla

Molalla Public Library

201 E 5th St, Molalla

Central library~50 hrs/week

Cities Near Molalla

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Molalla?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Molalla →

Molalla FAQ

Is Molalla, Oregon affordable?⌄

Molalla's median rent is $1,654/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $89,318/year. Median home value is $447,100.

Is Molalla, Oregon safe?⌄

Molalla's violent crime rate was 198 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 524 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Molalla, Oregon?⌄

Clackamas County, which includes Molalla, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Molalla, Oregon?⌄

The cost of living in Molalla is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,654/month and median household income is $89,318/year. The median home value is $447,100. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Molalla, Oregon?⌄

The average commute in Molalla is 28 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