Entering, 2002
Sublimity’s story
174 years in pictures
Census counts: 138 in 1910, 2,967 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2002 and 5 maps from 1925 on.
- 1852Sublimity is settled
SublimityOR
Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,882
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$574K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
52.7
years
Jobs based here
531
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#65 of 142 in OR
Is Sublimity a good place to live?
Sublimity grades C overall, 65th among Oregon's 142 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $574K, 7.3 years of the Salem metro’s $79K median household income. Only 13 of Oregon’s 228 towns score higher on hazard risk. Sublimity’s median age is 52.7 years, where Oregon’s towns sit at 39.3 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years.
What makes Sublimity stand out
Where Sublimity beats most towns.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 78% of U.S. towns
2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Natural hazardsB+
Lower risk than 70% of U.S. communities
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1852
A long history
A history going back 174 years.
A growing town
Sublimity has grown 7% since 2010
2,681 counted in 2010 and 2,967 in 2020; an estimated 2,882 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 2.9%, after 10.7% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Sublimity grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oregon), ordered by how far Sublimity is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.8 of 20; 7.4% of households have no carA−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listB+Open →Jobs & income531 jobs based hereB+Open →SchoolsBOpen →HealthSantiam Hospital & Clinics 1.7 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landB−Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life6.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 82° summer afternoons, 16″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives here–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 183 attractions →Reser Stadium and 24 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sublimity. Close and well known come first.
30 mi Stadium & arenaReser Stadium
11 mi Theme parkEnchanted Forest
31 mi MuseumEvergreen Aviation & Space Museum
9 mi State parkSilver Falls State Park
37 mi WaterfallWillamette Falls
11 mi GardenOregon GardenSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Reser Stadium: Zapper258, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Enchanted Forest: Trashbag (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum: Notkeel at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Silver Falls State Park: Kelvin Kay -- Kkmd at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Willamette Falls: The original uploader was Cacophony at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Oregon Garden: Daderot, CC0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sublimity: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sublimity, and how to reach them.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Sublimity water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sublimity’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 hereMarion County Clerk, Elections OfficeMarion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code9738597385 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 Sublimity.
Sublimity carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Oregon (mostly earthquakes), but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Oregon.
Who lives here
Older than Oregon overall
People 65 and older are 35% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 12% of residents (23% statewide). Sublimity has lost 2.9% of its people since 2020, down to 2,882 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across Oregon.
52.7median age · OR 40.4
| Sublimity | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 27% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 21% | 21% | 22% |
SublimityOregonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school28%
Some college24%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.5 points. Across Oregon, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Sublimity | OR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.6% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.4% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.6% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 18.9% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.1% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.4% | 22.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.1% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.8% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
SchoolsB
Sublimity’s public schools outperform 58% of Oregon districts
Its public schools are run by North Santiam SD 29J. Its one school is below.
58%of OR districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sublimity SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 366 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OR on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Sublimity has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Sublimity for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Salem (31%), Stayton (10%) and Portland (7%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
3%work in town
| Sublimity | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Sublimity3%
Salem31%
Stayton10%
Portland7%
Albany2%
14 mi
median commute distance
531
jobs based in Sublimity
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Sublimity, with earthquakes at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 91% of Oregon towns; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
Sublimity’s FEMA risk score is 30 of 100.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Sublimity, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Sublimity has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Sublimity is 81°F.
16″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–48°
Spring41–61°
Summer52–78°
Fall43–64°
Nov 6
typical first frost
Mar 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade D
Sublimity earns a D for cost of living
At 7.3 years of the Salem metro’s $79K median household income, the typical home (about $574K) costs more against local pay than in 87% of Oregon towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. 80.2% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.5% across Oregon.
The typical Sublimity home is worth about $574,000, up 0.8% in a year, 16% above the Oregon typical home.
$574KZillow home value
| Sublimity | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,628 a month | $1,413 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 65% | 73% |
Typical home value
Sublimity$574K
Oregon$493K
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC+
On CDC estimates, Sublimity is less healthy than 57% of U.S. towns
Sublimity beats the Oregon average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 42% of Sublimity adults have high blood pressure. Only 7 of the 142 Oregon towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Sublimity.
43%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Sublimity | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
4 better13 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Sublimity | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13% | 15.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.3% | 71.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13% | 8.9% |
Santiam Hospital & Clinics
1.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
31st
percentile among OR towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 0.6% of Sublimity
0.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Among 140 Oregon towns, just 9 have a lower share of conserved land than Sublimity.
0.6%conserved
| Sublimity | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.6% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
0.6%
conserved · 4 of 600 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Church Park | 0.5 mi | 8 |
| 2. Early Settlers' Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sublimity
18pages on Sublimity
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Sublimity
Corban UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Salem9 mi$40,280 tuitionChemeketa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Salem13.7 mi$6,345 in-state tuitionWillamette UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Salem13.8 mi$51,156 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Sublimity residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Sublimity for work
Where Sublimity’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
531jobs based in Sublimity
3%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sublimity
City in Oregon, United States
Sublimity is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,967 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1903
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 551 ft
- ZIP code
- 97385
- Area code
- 503
Questions about Sublimity
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sublimity, OR a good place to live?
Sublimity grades C overall, better than 34% of U.S. towns and #65 of 142 in Oregon. It grades C+ for health and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Sublimity, 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.