Mt Hood, 2003
Government Camp’s story
95 years in pictures
The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 3 maps from 1962 on.
- 1931Government Camp is settled
Government CampOR
Photo: Mt. Hood Territory · CC BY 2.0
Is Government Camp a good place to live?
Government Camp’s midsummer high is 71°F, below both the Oregon town median (82°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Of the 143 Oregon towns we compare, none has a lower home-ownership rate than Government Camp. 43% of the land in Government Camp is conserved, against 4.4% in Oregon’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest place to walk is Mount Hood National Forest, 202 acres with 2.1 miles of trail. Government Camp has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Government Camp stand out
Where Government Camp beats most towns.
Small town
147 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby attractions
All 168 attractions →Mount Hood and 29 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Government Camp. Close and well known come first.
Big draw6 mi MountainMount Hood
26 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
28 mi Canyon & gorgeColumbia River Gorge
25 mi DamBonneville Dam
5 mi National forestMount Hood National Forest5 mi Ski areaMt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort94 runs · 2,775 ft verticalSources: 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 · Columbia River Gorge: Hux, Public domain · Bonneville Dam: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain · Mount Hood National Forest: Andy Barrett (User:Big Smooth), CC BY 2.5
Getting set up
Moving to Government Camp: who provides what
Government Camp is unincorporated, so Clackamas County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPortland General Electric18.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGovernment Camp Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers94% 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 code9702897028 100%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 Government Camp.
Work & commute
Government Camp stands out in Oregon and nationally, with the average trip to work shorter than most
In Government Camp, 2.8% of working residents work locally. Among 143 Oregon towns, just 10 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Government Camp. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 39, to 194. For half of commuters, work is under 42 miles away.
3%work in town
| Government Camp | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Government Camp3%
Portland32%
Sandy7%
Gresham7%
Hillsboro6%
42 mi
median commute distance
194
jobs based in Government Camp
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Outdoors
Trail density in Government Camp is higher than in most of Oregon or the rest of the country
Walkers can cover 2.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
43.4%conserved
43.4%
conserved · 205 of 474 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 3.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mount Hood National Forest | 2.1 mi | 202 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Government Camp, with inland flooding at the top
Among 143 Oregon towns, just 5 have a higher FEMA hazard score than Government Camp. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 45% come from inland flooding and 29% from avalanches. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 91% of U.S. communities.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Government Camp has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The January low in Government Camp is 27°F.
233″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–37°
Spring33–48°
Summer47–67°
Fall38–52°
Oct 9
typical first frost
May 27
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Government Camp is
Government Camp: 32% of adults have obesity. Two figures for adults in the town: 18% get no exercise outside work, 10% smoke cigarettes.
| Government Camp | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
4 better22 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Government Camp | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.8% | 12.5% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6% | 8.5% |
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital
29.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$615Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Government Camp
16pages on Government Camp
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Government Camp; the nearest are
Columbia Gorge Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · The Dalles33.8 mi$5,940 in-state tuitionOregon Health & Science UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Portland47.3 mi
About 0 of every 100 Government Camp residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
A job hub
Every workday, about 192 people come to Government Camp for work
Where Government Camp’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
194jobs based in Government Camp
3%of working residents work in town
42 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Government Camp
Census-designated place in Oregon, United States
Government Camp is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, on the base of Mount Hood and north of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain. It is the only town within 5 miles (8 km) of Mount Hood and therefore is the de facto "mountain town" or "ski town". It is the gateway to several ski resorts, with the most popular being Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Skibowl. Government Camp also has its own, smaller ski resort, Summit Pass. The community is located within the Mount Hood Corridor on U.S. Route 26 (the Mount Hood Highway), near its intersection with Oregon Route 35 and the Barlow Pass summit of the Cascade Range. As of the 2020 cen…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,416 ft
- ZIP code
- 97028
- Area code
- 503, 971
Questions about Government Camp
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Government Camp, OR a good place to live?
Government Camp has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.