Boathouse on Svensen Island (south side of the Columbia River at River Mile 24), 1972
Svensen’s story
131 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1972 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 1895Svensen is settled
SvensenOR
The town, settled in 1895, counts 784 residents.
Photo: Tedder · CC BY 3.0
Population
784
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$383K
Census ACS
Household income
$89K
median
Median age
47.7
years
Jobs based here
28
A commuter town
Is Svensen a good place to live?
Svensen’s typical July afternoon high is 70°F, against 82°F in Oregon’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Only 3 of the 143 Oregon towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Svensen. Svensen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
By the sea
Svensen lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 20% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
20%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
0thpercentile for hurricane risk
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
Getting set up
Moving to Svensen: who provides what
Svensen is unincorporated, so Clatsop County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWickiup Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesClatsop CountyClatsop 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 hereClatsop County Clerk, Elections OfficeClatsop County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code9710397103 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 Svensen.
Natural hazards
Svensen has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from earthquakes
On expected storm and flood damage, Svensen sits above 85% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Svensen break down as 55% from earthquakes and 23% from inland flooding.
85risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCoastal flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Fewer of Svensen’s working residents work locally than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
The top destinations are Astoria (25%), Warrenton (10%) and Portland (7%). 24% of Svensen residents live below the poverty line. Half the trips to work are shorter than 13 miles. In Svensen, the mean commuting time is 26 minutes.
1%work in town
| Svensen | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Svensen1%
Astoria25%
Warrenton10%
Portland7%
Salem4%
13 mi
median commute distance
28
jobs based in Svensen
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–49°
Spring40–57°
Summer50–69°
Fall43–61°
Nov 18
typical first frost
Mar 30
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Svensen is
In Svensen, 27% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Among adults in the town, 16% report frequent physical distress and 31% sleep under 7 hours.
| Svensen | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
0 better18 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Svensen | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.9% | 12.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.3% | 3.3% |
Columbia Memorial Hospital
8.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Open space protected for good: 4.4% of Svensen
1.7 miles of trail. The trail network density in Svensen is 0.8 miles per square mile.
4.4%conserved
| Svensen | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
4.4%
conserved · 63 of 1,437 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
A home in Svensen sells for about $533K at the median
Svensen’s rent at the middle of the market is $1,644 a month. For households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 83%.
$533Kmedian sale price
| Svensen | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,644 a month | $1,414 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 47 attractions →Fort Clatsop and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Svensen. Close and well known come first.
11 mi LandmarkFort Clatsop
8 mi LandmarkAstoria Column
15 mi LandmarkFort Stevens
23 mi LighthouseTillamook Rock Light
22 mi State parkCape Disappointment State Park
22 mi State parkEcola State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Fort Clatsop: Glenn Scofield Williams from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Astoria Column: The original uploader was Decumanus at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Stevens: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Attribution · Tillamook Rock Light: Jwyoung, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cape Disappointment State Park: Adbar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ecola State Park: Brmuchim (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Svensen
16pages on Svensen
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Svensen
About 1 of every 100 Svensen residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
Small town
784 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Svensen
Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States
Svensen is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) on the Columbia River in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States, named after early settler Peter Svensen. As of the 2020 census, Svensen had a population of 853. There was a post office in Svensen from 1895 to 1944. Since the closure of the Svensen Post Office, mail service has been provided by rural carriers of the Astoria, Oregon post office. Svensen is within the Knappa School District.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 203 ft
- Area code
- 503, 971
Questions about Svensen
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Svensen, OR a good place to live?
Svensen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.