Jeffers Gardens is riverfront community near downtown Astoria
Situated where the Youngs River and the Lewis and Clark River flow into Youngs Bay, Jeffers Gardens is a quiet riverfront community south of downtown Astoria. “It’s just a short drive to the marina and the beaches,” says Kathren Rusinovich, a broker with Windermere Community Realty. “We have salmon fishers in the commercial fishing industry, which is a big part of the economy.” With real estate prices lower than those in nearby communities, Jeffers Gardens also presents investment opportunities. Many residents have stuck around for decades, maintaining homes passed down among generations.
Bungalows and Cape Cods built before the 1950s
Real estate in Jeffers Gardens is priced lower than some of the areas nearby; the average home value is about $150,000 less than that of the Astoria metro area. Bungalows and Cape Cods with two bedrooms sit on gravel lots, mostly built between the 1920s and 1940s. These homes usually cost between $225,000 and $375,000, though investment properties in need of significant repairs can sell for about $100,000 less. “It’s great for people starting out, and they can keep [the home] as a rental,” Rusinovich says. “In other neighborhoods, you will have to resell. If you want to invest in a rental property, that is viable in this neighborhood, and you can still get pretty good rent.” Several multi-acre lots are available as well, ranging between $90,000 and $170,000. Because of the neighborhood’s lower elevation and its proximity to several bodies of water, Jeffers Gardens may be at risk of potential flooding.
Salmon fishing and boating on the rivers
Since Jeffers Gardens lies at the intersection of two major bodies of water, some neighborhood homes are well-positioned for immediate access to the rivers. Kayakers leisurely float across the water, while commercial fishermen make more intentional trips out into the river for salmon.
Just east of the neighborhood, there are two baseball diamonds adjacent to Lewis and Clark Elementary School. “Baseball is a big, big part of the community,” Rusinovich says. “We have All-Stars and all of that good stuff.” Further east, the Lewis & Clark Golf and RV Park has a nine-hole course for campers staying overnight.
Fisheries biology and tech at Astoria High School
Children may attend John Jacob Astor Elementary School for kindergarten through second grade before potentially moving forward to Lewis and Clark Elementary School for grades third through fifth. Both schools earn B overall grades from Niche. Astoria Middle School receives a B grade too, as does Astoria High School, which has been part of the Astoria community for over 100 years. It offers science courses focused on the surrounding natural environment, including fisheries biology, fisheries tech, geology of the Pacific Northwest, marine biology, along with forestry and wildlife management.
Where Jeffers Gardens locals go for seafood, coffee and groceries
Ship Out Fish and Chips takes advantage of the region’s coastal access, serving fried fish, battered shrimp and golden fries with a side of coleslaw. The restaurant has a greenhouse dining area, where wooden chairs and checkered tablecloth-covered tables are arranged around a swan water sculpture. A whimsical arrangement of colorful wind chimes, birdhouses and bronze sculptures of the sun liven up the walls.
In the center of the neighborhood, Taps Espresso Grub and Pub hosts live music within its nostalgic, wood-paneled walls, serving burritos and sandwiches, as well as an extensive selection of flavored lattes and mochas. For groceries, residents will have to cross the Youngs River to reach Costco, Walmart, Fred Meyer and other big-box retailers, all in Astoria.
Warrenton-Astoria Highway connects to two major communities
The Warrenton-Astoria Highway carves across Jeffers Gardens, traveling west across the Lewis and Clark River toward Warrenton and curving north across the Youngs River toward downtown Astoria. Lewis and Clark Road runs through the area and past the popular neighborhood eatery, Ship Out Fish and Chips, as well as Lewis and Clark Elementary School. With few sidewalks, the area is mostly car-dependent.
