Boring, Oregon steam plant 1904, 1904
Boring’s story
123 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1904.
- 1903Boring is settled
BoringOR
A town of 1,869, settled in 1903. Public schools that outperform most of Oregon.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: incommunicado · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,869
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$713K
+1.5% in a year
Household income
$159K
median
Median age
43.9
years
Jobs based here
1,062
Balanced
Is Boring a good place to live?
The best of Boring’s subject grades are an A for incomes and an A− for schools; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Boring’s average trip to work is 51 minutes, where Oregon’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 5 of Oregon’s 228 towns score higher on incomes. Boring has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Boring stand out
Where Boring beats most towns.
How Boring grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Boring is from typical.
Jobs & income$159K median household incomeAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 5.2% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthLegacy Mount Hood Medical Center 6.3 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 81° summer afternoons, 1″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives here–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 190 attractions →Mount Hood and 167 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Boring. Close and well known come first.
Big draw33 mi MountainMount Hood
16 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
16 mi Stadium & arenaModa Center
17 mi Stadium & arenaProvidence Park
26 mi DamBonneville Dam
34 mi Canyon & gorgeColumbia River GorgeSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Hood: Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory., Public domain · Multnomah Falls: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Moda Center: Lugnuts, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Providence Park: Pdx.rollingthunder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bonneville Dam: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain · Columbia River Gorge: Hux, Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to Boring: who provides what
Boring is unincorporated, so Clackamas County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPortland General Electric18.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBoring Water District No 241 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesClackamas CountyClackamas County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Oregon you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClackamas County Clerk, Elections OfficeClackamas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes97009, 9708997009 93% · 97089 7%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Boring.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Boring are worth about $713K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Boring home is worth about $713,000, up 1.5% in a year, 45% above the Oregon typical home. 88% of households own their home in Boring, above both the Oregon town median (65%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
$713KZillow home value
| Boring | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,328 a month | $1,414 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Boring$713K
Oregon$493K
+1.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA−
On state tests, Boring’s schools beat 83% of Oregon districts
Its public schools are run by Oregon Trail SD 46. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
83%of OR districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boring Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 427 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Oregon overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (39% statewide). The median age in Boring is 43.9 years. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across Oregon.
43.9median age · OR 40.4
| Boring | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 years | 39.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 24% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 27% | 29% |
BoringOregonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school25%
Some college26%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.5 points. Across Oregon, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Boring | OR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 16.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.7% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.9% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.8% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.8% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.5% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.3% | 22.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.4% | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.2% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.9% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.8% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Boring is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Boring beats the Oregon average on 5 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 28% of Boring adults have been diagnosed with depression.
72%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Boring | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
5 better19 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Boring | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.9% | 8.5% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.5% | 12.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.9% |
Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center
6.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Boring
Boring has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Boring’s July high is 80°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–47°
Spring42–61°
Summer54–78°
Fall45–63°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Compared with most of Oregon and the rest of the country, the median household income in Boring is higher
3.8% of residents live below the poverty line in Boring. Only 3 of the 143 Oregon towns we compare have a higher median household income than Boring. Jobs based in Boring grew to 1,062 in 2023, 228 more than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Boring | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $159,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Boring4%
Portland30%
Gresham9%
Sandy3%
Troutdale3%
13 mi
median commute distance
1,062
jobs based in Boring
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 17% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
6.4%conserved
| Boring | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
6.4%
conserved · 175 of 2,745 acres
1.8 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cazdero North | — | 3 |
| 2. Boring Station Trailhead Park | — | 3 |
| 3. North Fork Deep Creek Natural Area North | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Boring
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Boring.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesCold waves
8
paid flood claims since 1996
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Boring
18pages on Boring
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
9 within 15 miles of the center of Boring
Mt Hood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Gresham5.9 mi$5,247 in-state tuitionWarner Pacific UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Portland11.9 mi$22,220 tuitionClackamas Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oregon City12.3 mi$6,345 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Boring residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Oregon.
Famous people from Boring
3 notable people were born in Boring.
About Boring
Unincorporated community in Oregon, US
Boring is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located along Oregon Route 212 in the foothills of the Cascade mountain range, approximately twelve miles (19 km) southeast of downtown Portland and fourteen miles (23 km) northeast of Oregon City. Boring is named after William Harrison Boring, a Union soldier and pioneer whose family built a farm in the area in 1856, before Oregon had received statehood. Boring's scenic, rural farming environment combined with its proximity to Portland have been noted as attributions to its status as a commuter town or bedroom community, where residents commute to the nearby city for em…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1903
- Area
- 30 sq mi
- Elevation
- 505 ft
- ZIP code
- 97009
- Area code
- 503, 971
Boring’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Boring.
DamascusBoring
How the neighbors grade
Boring has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Boring and Damascus report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Boring with a neighbor →
Questions about Boring
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Boring, OR a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Oregon.
Is Boring, OR expensive?
Yes. That is 7.3 years of the area's median household income ($97,436 across the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Boring, OR known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Bob Amsberry and Ben Musa.