City Hall, 2016
Mount Vernon’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 451 in 1950, 548 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 4 maps from 1940 on.
- 1877Mount Vernon is settled
Mount VernonOR
Photo: Orygun · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
545
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$332K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
50.3
years
Jobs based here
67
A commuter town
Is Mount Vernon a good place to live?
Mount Vernon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Mount Vernon stand out
Where Mount Vernon beats most towns.
Small town
545 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 Mount Vernon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mount Vernon, and how to reach them.
PowerOregon Trail El Cons Coop11.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Mount Vernon water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Mount Vernon’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 hereGrant County Clerk, Elections OfficeGrant County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9786597865 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 Mount Vernon.
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Mount Vernon, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities. Nearly two thirds of Mount Vernon’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by wildfires at 24%.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Compared with most of Oregon and the rest of the country, the average trip to work in Mount Vernon is longer
Since 2013, Mount Vernon has lost 27 jobs, to 67 in 2023. 1.7% of working residents work locally here. Half commute less than 28 miles. The top destinations are John Day (27%), Portland (6%) and Long Creek (4%).
2%work in town
| Mount Vernon | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 55 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Mount Vernon2%
John Day27%
Portland6%
Long Creek4%
Canyon City3%
28 mi
median commute distance
67
jobs based in Mount Vernon
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Mount Vernon’s typical home value is about $332K
86% of households are owner-occupiers in Mount Vernon, above both Oregon’s towns (65%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$332KZillow home value
Typical home value
Mount Vernon$332K
Oregon$493K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Mount Vernon
The town’s midsummer high is 88°F, above both the Oregon town median (82°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–43°
Spring32–60°
Summer46–84°
Fall32–64°
Sep 18
typical first frost
May 28
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Mount Vernon is
Among adults in Mount Vernon, 14% binge drink and 75% had a checkup this year. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Mount Vernon is ahead of Oregon on 2 and behind on 7. Mount Vernon: 38% of adults have high blood pressure.
| Mount Vernon | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
2 better17 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Mount Vernon | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.7% | 71.4% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.7% | 84% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.4% | 12.5% |
Blue Mountain Hospital
7.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 433 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mount Vernon Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mount Vernon
16pages on Mount Vernon
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mount Vernon; the nearest are
Eastern Oregon UniversityUniversity or college · Public · La Grande79.9 mi$11,076 in-state tuitionBlue Mountain Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pendleton88.3 mi$7,076 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Mount Vernon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Mount Vernon for work
Where Mount Vernon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
67jobs based in Mount Vernon
2%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Mount Vernon
City in Oregon, United States
Mount Vernon is a city in Grant County, Oregon, United States. Its post office was established in 1877 and named after a black stallion that belonged to settler David W. Jenkins. The stallion's stable, a small stone building, is still standing in a field on the north side of U.S. Highway 26 about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) east of the main intersection in town. In 1915 the ranching community had a population of 60 and a hotel at a hot springs resort approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north. The population had grown to 451 by the 1950 census. There are a few motels and restaurants in Mount Vernon. As of the 2020 census, Mount Vernon had a population of 548.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1948
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,864 ft
- ZIP code
- 97865
- Area code
- 541
Questions about Mount Vernon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mount Vernon, OR a good place to live?
Mount Vernon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.