The typical owner-occupied home in Saint Helens is worth about $394,200, 17% below the Oregon median of $477,600 and 18% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,916 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, lower than the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $82,865 a year, so the median home costs 4.8 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 82% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Saint Helens at a glance
| Saint Helens | Oregon | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $394,200 | $477,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,916 | $3,876 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.74% | 0.81% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $82,865 | $83,011 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 62% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 82% | 65% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,733 | $2,157 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 23.2% | 22.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,413 | $1,525 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.9% | 31.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1985 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 4.9% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 14,258 | 4,254,293 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Saint Helens
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Saint Helens home of $394,200 with 20% down costs about $2,529 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,185, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $108,377 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Saint Helens household income of $82,865; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $301,000.
The median rent here is $1,413 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,116 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $78,840 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $315,360 |
| Principal and interest | $2,121 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $243 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $164 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,529 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $13,797 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $387,060 |
| Principal and interest | $2,604 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $243 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $164 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $174 |
| Total per month | $3,185 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Saint Helens
What is the median home value in Saint Helens?
About $394,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Saint Helens?
Homeowners pay a median $2,916 a year, which is about 0.74% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Saint Helens?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,529 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $108,377 a year.
More about Saint Helens
- Mortgage Refinance in Saint Helens
- Debt Relief in Saint Helens
- Home Equity Loans in Saint Helens
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data