Interstate 205 - Oregon, 2009
Gladstone’s story
136 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,069 in 1920, 12,017 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 7 maps from 1914 on.
- 1890Gladstone is settled
GladstoneOR
A town of 11,865, settled in 1890.
Population
11,865
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$502K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
44.8
years
Jobs based here
2,784
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#63 of 142 in OR
Is Gladstone a good place to live?
Gladstone grades C overall, 63rd among Oregon's 142 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 94% of U.S. towns and 14% of its land is conserved. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $502K for a typical one and 5.2 times the Portland metro’s $97K median household income. 14% of the land in Gladstone is conserved, above both the Oregon town median (4.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Meldrum Bar Park, at 86 acres.
What makes Gladstone stand out
Where Gladstone beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Gladstone for work
Where Gladstone’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,784jobs based in Gladstone
4%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Gladstone grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Gladstone is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.3 of 20; 3.4% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →HealthKaiser Sunnyside Medical Center 3.7 miles awayBOpen →SafetyC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →Jobs & income$91K median household incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsAOpen →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life4.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$502K typical home, up 0.1% in a year; 16 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.8; 26% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 186 attractions →Moda Center and 170 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gladstone. Close and well known come first.
11 mi Stadium & arenaModa Center
11 mi Stadium & arenaProvidence Park
27 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
3 mi WaterfallWillamette Falls
11 mi MuseumPittock Mansion
13 mi GardenForest ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Moda Center: Lugnuts, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Providence Park: Pdx.rollingthunder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Multnomah Falls: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Willamette Falls: The original uploader was Cacophony at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pittock Mansion: PittockBack.jpg: Cacophony derivative work: Tiptoety talk, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Forest Park: EncMstr, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Gladstone: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gladstone, and how to reach them.
PowerPortland General Electric18.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Gladstone water system8 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offMetro South Transfer Station, 1 miOpenStreetMap
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 codes97027, 9726797027 99% · 97267 1%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 Gladstone.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most of Gladstone’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Gladstone for work: only 4% work in town. 21% of Gladstone workers work from home, where Oregon’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 11%. Jobs based in Gladstone grew to 2,784 in 2023, 211 more than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Gladstone | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 21% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Gladstone4%
Portland33%
Oregon City5%
Milwaukie3%
Tigard3%
9 mi
median commute distance
2,784
jobs based in Gladstone
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Gladstone’s public schools outperform 60% of Oregon districts
Its public schools are run by Gladstone SD 115. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Gladstone High School, with 559 students.
60%of OR districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Wetten Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 1–5 | Grades 1–5 | 589 | – |
| Gladstone High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 559 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Gladstone faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Gladstone.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesCold waves
11
paid flood claims since 1996
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Gladstone
Gladstone has mild winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Gladstone is 82°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–48°
Spring43–62°
Summer55–79°
Fall46–64°
Nov 18
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA
Gladstone has set aside 13.8% of its land for conservation
1.8 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves.
#80for trails in OR
13.8%
conserved · 218 of 1,582 acres
1.8 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Meldrum Bar Park | 0.1 mi | 86 |
| 2. Dahl Beach | — | 13 |
| 3. Gladstone Nature Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB
Gladstone is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns
Gladstone tracks Oregon closely on all 26 CDC measures. 30% of Gladstone adults have been diagnosed with depression.
62%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Gladstone | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 73% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center
3.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
59th
percentile among OR towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC+
Crime per resident in Gladstone is higher than in 61% of U.S. towns
Gladstone’s property crime rate is 16.3 per 1,000 residents. Within Oregon, it does better than 64% of towns. Gladstone’s violent crime rate is 1.1 per 1,000 residents.
39%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Gladstone | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 16.3 per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Gladstone1.1
Oregon3.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Gladstone16.3
Oregon21.8
U.S.15.5
39th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
64th
percentile among OR towns
13
violent crimes reported in 2025
193
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade D
Gladstone earns a D for cost of living
$502KZillow home value
Typical home value
Gladstone$502K
Oregon$493K
Market temperature
16
days on market
100.1%
sale-to-list price
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gladstone
20pages on Gladstone
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 60% of OR districts · 5 schoolsSafetyC+1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than OR on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingD$502K typical home · up 0.1% in a yearWork & commuteB$91K median household income · 2,784 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 72% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
16 within 15 miles of the center of Gladstone
Clackamas Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oregon City4.4 mi$6,345 in-state tuitionLewis & Clark CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Portland5.8 mi$64,828 tuitionOregon Health & Science UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Portland9 mi
About 4 of every 100 Gladstone residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
About Gladstone
City in Oregon, United States
Gladstone is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 12,017 at the 2020 United States census. Gladstone is an approximately 4-square-mile (10 km2) suburban community, about 12 miles (19 km) south of Portland at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette rivers. Gladstone has held several important cultural and social events, hosting both the inaugural Clackamas County Fair and the Oregon State Fair, before both were moved to more spacious locations. Both Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan and presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt gave public speeches in the city.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1911
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 56 ft
- ZIP code
- 97027
- Area code
- 503
Gladstone’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Gladstone.
All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C; Jennings Lodge (B−) is closest.
OatfieldJennings LodgeOregon CityWest LinnGladstone
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OR rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gladstone | #63 | C | D | C+ | B | B |
| Oatfield | #33 | B | D | — | B+ | B+ |
| Jennings Lodge | #50 | B− | D | — | B+ | B− |
| Oregon City | #44 | B− | D | C+ | B | B+ |
| West Linn | #6 | A | D− | B+ | A | A |
Oatfield and Jennings Lodge report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Gladstone with a neighbor →
Questions about Gladstone
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gladstone, OR a good place to live?
Gladstone grades C overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #63 of 142 in Oregon. It grades B for health, C+ for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Gladstone, OR safe?
Within Oregon, it does better than 64% of towns.
Is Gladstone, OR expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.