Median Income
$98,341
household / year
Median Home Value
$435,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,503
gross / month
Cost of Living
107
national avg = 100

Is Sandy, OR a Good Place to Live?

Sandy is a small city of 12,592 in Oregon, with a median household income of $98,341 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 107 (US average = 100), which is 7% above the national average.

Strengths: Sandy stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Sandy is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Sandy city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 106.6

Sandy's overall cost of living index is 106.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sandy costs roughly 7% more than the average American city.

Metric Sandy, OR National Avg
Median Home Value $435,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,503 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 76.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $98,341 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Sandy's violent crime rate is 61.3 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
61.3 /100k
Property Crime
1518.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Sandy is served primarily by Oregon Trail SD 46. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Sandy, OR National Avg
School District Oregon Trail SD 46 —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 20.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Sandy sees average highs of 43.8°F in January and 76.6°F in July, with 55.3 inches of annual precipitation and 2.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricSandy, OR
Average High — January43.8°F
Average High — July76.6°F
Annual Precipitation55.3"
Annual Snowfall2.9"

Demographics

MetricSandy, ORNational Avg
Population12,592—
Median Age34.538.9
Unemployment Rate4.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)87.4%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.0%18.9%
Asian1.8%6.3%
Under 1823.3%22.2%
65 and over13.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Boring, OR 6 mi Orient, OR 6 mi Estacada, OR 8 mi Damascus, OR 9 mi Gresham, OR 11 mi

Sandy vs Other Cities

Sandy, OR vs Boring, OR Sandy, OR vs Orient, OR Sandy, OR vs Estacada, OR Sandy, OR vs Damascus, OR Sandy, OR vs Gresham, OR

Frequently Asked Questions

Sandy's cost of living index is 107, where 100 is the national average. That puts Sandy roughly 7% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $435,100 and median rent is $1,503/month.
Sandy's violent crime rate is 61.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1518.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Sandy are operated by Oregon Trail SD 46. The district has 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.4:1. 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sandy, OR has a population of 12,592, a median household income of $98,341, and an unemployment rate of 4.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Sandy averages 43.8°F in January and 76.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.3 inches with about 2.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Sandy, Oregon is 12,592 with a median age of 34.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Sandy: cost of living index 107 (100 = US average), median home $435,100, median household income $98,341, crime index 39 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sandy side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.