Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Molalla grades B− overall, 46th of 142 graded towns in Oregon, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns and 12% of its land is conserved. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $487K for a typical one and 5 times the Portland metro’s $97K median household income. Only 7 of Oregon’s 79 towns score higher on safety. 12% of the land in Molalla is conserved, where Oregon’s towns sit at 4.3% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 2 of the 75 Oregon towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Molalla.
Where Molalla beats most towns.
8,108 counted in 2010 and 10,228 in 2020; an estimated 10,104 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Molalla is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 496 in 1920, 10,228 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 5 maps from 1939 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Molalla. Close and well known come first.
27 mi Stadium & arenaModa Center
37 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
26 mi Stadium & arenaProvidence Park
27 mi MuseumEvergreen Aviation & Space Museum
14 mi WaterfallWillamette Falls
27 mi MuseumPittock MansionModa Center: Lugnuts, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Multnomah Falls: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Providence Park: Pdx.rollingthunder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum: Notkeel at English Wikipedia, Public domain · 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
Who provides power, water and the rest in Molalla, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Molalla.
Most working residents leave Molalla for work: only 9% work in town. Molalla’s average trip to work is 28 minutes, above both Oregon’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Molalla has added 324 jobs, to 2,224 in 2023.
| Molalla | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by Molalla River SD 35. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Molalla High School, with 745 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molalla River Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 531 | C |
| Molalla High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 745 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
At 12.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 93% of Oregon’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Molalla has mild winters and pleasant summers. Molalla’s July high is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0.9 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The trail density in Molalla is 0.4 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clark Park | — | 13 |
| 2. Ivor Davies Nature Park | 0.1 mi | 5 |
| 3. Big Meadow Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Molalla beats the Oregon average on 9 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 69% of Molalla adults had a checkup this year. Among 142 Oregon towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Molalla.
| Molalla | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 73% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 27% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| What stands out | Molalla | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.2% | 12.5% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5% | 6.5% |
| More adults sleeping under 7 hours | 35.8% | 30.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Molalla.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
55% of households own their home in Molalla.
| Molalla | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,654 a month | $1,413 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
2 within 15 miles of the center of Molalla
About 6 of every 100 Molalla residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Oregon.
Where Molalla’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Molalla on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Oregon, United States
Molalla is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon. The population was 10,228 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Molalla grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #46 of 142 in Oregon. It grades B for health, B+ for safety and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
