Grass Valley, Oregon, 2009
Grass Valley’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 342 in 1910, 149 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 2 maps from 1962 on.
- 1882Grass Valley is settled
Grass ValleyOR
A town of 170, settled in 1882.
Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
170
2025 Census estimate · +11.8% since 2020
Median home value
$109K
Census ACS
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
40.6
years
Jobs based here
49
Balanced
Is Grass Valley a good place to live?
27% of residents live below the poverty line in Grass Valley, where Oregon’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Grass Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
170 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Grass Valley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Grass Valley, and how to reach them.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGrass Valley Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers86% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Grass Valley’s trash rules yet
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 hereSherman County Clerk, Elections OfficeSherman County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9702997029 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 Grass Valley.
Natural hazards
Wildfire leads a very high hazard risk in Grass Valley
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Grass Valley, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Grass Valley has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 27° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–41°
Spring36–59°
Summer51–81°
Fall39–61°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Grass Valley has 0.9 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Grass Valley for work: only 0% work in town. At 19 minutes, Grass Valley’s average trip to work is below both Oregon’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). The median household income in Grass Valley is $62,000.
0%work in town
| Grass Valley | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Grass Valley0%
The Dalles18%
Portland11%
Moro5%
Rufus5%
42 mi
median commute distance
49
jobs based in Grass Valley
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Grass Valley is
Grass Valley beats the Oregon average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 17% of Grass Valley adults report frequent physical distress.
| Grass Valley | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
1 better14 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Grass Valley | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.1% | 71.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.3% | 12.5% |
Mid-Columbia Medical Center
24.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Grass Valley
16pages on Grass Valley
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Grass Valley; the nearest are
Columbia Gorge Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · The Dalles25.4 mi$5,940 in-state tuitionOregon Health & Science UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Portland92.7 mi
About 0 of every 100 Grass Valley residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
About Grass Valley
City in Sherman County, Oregon, U.S.
Grass Valley is a city in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, Grass Valley had a population of 149.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1900
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,257 ft
- ZIP code
- 97029
- Area code
- 541
Questions about Grass Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Grass Valley, OR a good place to live?
Grass Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.