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Living in
Sandy.
About
Life in Sandy
Sandy is a community of 12,738 people in Oregon. The median household income is $108,984, median rent runs about $1,861 per month, and median home values are around $470,300. The average commute is 29.8 minutes.
Sandy at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Foreign-Born
3.5%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
+5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.5% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Sandy: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sandy, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (22.2%), and 2.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
12.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.2%
of households
Married Couples
60.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.85
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 22% above OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Sandy
In Sandy, rent runs 22% above the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
67.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,123
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $515,755 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OR
Unemployment in Sandy and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Clackamas County, which includes Sandy, is close to the OR average.
Unemployment rate
Sandy: Clackamas County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clackamas County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Sandy is about 3% of Clackamas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Sandy 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
Commute26.1 min avg
How Sandy residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sandy, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 142 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 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sandy runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
114.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,262
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sandy 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).
Clackamas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clackamas County, which includes Sandy, 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
Sandy is about 3% 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 Sandy, 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
Sandy is about 3% of Clackamas County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate74°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sandy has mild summers (avg high 74°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
55.3"
Annual Snowfall
2.9"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
32
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
190
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 35°F | 10.26" |
| Feb | 47°F | 36°F | 7.95" |
| Mar | 52°F | 37°F | 8.50" |
| Apr | 57°F | 41°F | 7.34" |
| May | 64°F | 46°F | 5.72" |
| Jun | 69°F | 50°F | 3.96" |
| Jul | 77°F | 54°F | 0.95" |
| Aug | 78°F | 54°F | 1.20" |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 3.42" |
| Oct | 60°F | 45°F | 7.37" |
| Nov | 49°F | 40°F | 10.62" |
| Dec | 43°F | 35°F | 11.67" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sandy
Uninsured
3.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Sandy's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.7 mi away · Gresham
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Clackamas
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.
Education24.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sandy
Sandy's student/teacher ratio is 24.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 29.7% 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
29.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
24.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sandy (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 3,856 students · in-state tuition $5,418 · 25% graduate · median earnings $46,423 (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, 24 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sandy
Sandy has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (24 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
24 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sandy
Sandy Public Library
38980 Proctor Blvd, Sandy
Cities Near Sandy
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sandy?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sandy FAQ
Is Sandy, Oregon affordable?⌄
Sandy's median rent is $1,861/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $108,984/year. Median home value is $470,300.
Is Sandy, Oregon safe?⌄
Sandy's violent crime rate was 115 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1262 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sandy, Oregon?⌄
Clackamas County, which includes Sandy, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sandy, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Sandy is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,861/month and median household income is $108,984/year. The median home value is $470,300. About 67% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sandy, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Sandy is 26 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