The Oregon city of Saint Helens may be named after the iconic volcano less than 80 miles away, but it’s the Columbia River that first put the city on the map. Once a bustling port in competition with Portland that earned the moniker “Paycheck City,” Saint Helens bid farewell to its last industrial mills in the 2000s. Today, the city of more than 14,000 is in the midst of a revival—businesses are repopulating its historic downtown, a fresh waterfront development is in the works and the Columbia River continues to be a source of opportunity.
“It’s so lovely to have the Columbia River in your front yard. It’s really stunning, and people don’t realize how beautiful it is,” says Amy Trull, a real estate broker with John L. Scott Realty who has been a resident of the surrounding Columbia County since 1999 and of Saint Helens for more than 5 years. “I love living in Old Town Saint Helens. It has a very small-town feel, which you don’t get very often, where people know each other by first name.”
Stretching along the banks of the storied Columbia River, Saint Helens has ample access to water recreation.
Columbia View Park is one of the city’s main gathering places and access points to the river.
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Waterfront events year-round at Columbia View Park
Stretching along the banks of the storied Columbia River, Saint Helens has ample access to water recreation. Sand Island Marine Park is a man-made island across from downtown with boat docks, nature trails, fire pits, campsites and games like horseshoe and corn-hole.
Columbia View Park is one of the city’s main gathering places and access points to the river. Near the park’s boat docks, life jackets are available to loan, while a playground and a splash pad provide on-land entertainment. The green space is also the setting for several community events throughout the year. Thirteen Nights on the River is a summer concert series that echoes through the park, which offers one of the best views of the festive Christmas Ships Parade that marks the holiday season.
Stretching along the banks of the storied Columbia River, Saint Helens has ample access to water recreation
Sand Island Marine Park is a man-made island across from downtown.
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Several spooky movies filmed in Saint Helens
Saint Helen’s Riverfront District—a Nationally Registered Historic District—consists of 10 blocks lined with restaurants, antique shops and other local businesses that occupy some of the city’s oldest buildings. “It’s quite vibrant,” Trull says. “Within Old Town, there are five restaurants to walk to, and coming soon, there will be two more.”
The Columbia Theatre was constructed in 1928, though modern moviegoers enjoy high-definition visuals, 3D technology and other innovations. The city itself has several connections to the big screen. Parts of the cult-favorite “Twilight” saga and the 1998 “Halloweentown” movie were filmed in Saint Helens. To celebrate its standing as the original Halloweentown, the city gathers throughout the month of October for a series of spooky celebrations.
The Nationally Registered Historic District—consists of 10 blocks lined with restaurants, antique shops and other local businesses.
The Columbia Theatre was constructed in 1928, and parts of the cult-favorite “Twilight” saga and the 1998 “Halloweentown” movie were filmed in Saint Helens
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Abandoned mills make way for waterfront development
After several industrial mills on the Columbia Riverbank closed in the 2000s, part of the Saint Helens waterfront remained inactive for years. The city has since purchased the land and secured funding to reenergize the waterfront with more pedestrian access; it also hopes to attract various businesses and residential developers. “It’s going to bring a lot to the community and to the businesses. It’s going to be a destination place to come and live and hang out,” Trull says.
Beautiful modern homes with stunning water views are popping up throughout the city of Saint Helens.
After several industrial mills on the Columbia Riverbank closed in the 2000s, part of the Saint Helens waterfront remained inactive for years.
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Original and new traditional Craftsman homes
Craftsman architecture is prevalent throughout the city. Original Arts and Crafts-era homes from the beginning of the twentieth century were built closer to the historic city center, while new traditional takes on the architectural style from the early 2000s are common as well. Between the waves of Craftsman houses, ranch-style homes and bungalows sprang up on residential streets from the 1950s through the 1970s.
The median home sales price in Saint Helens is about $435,000, hovering above the greater Columbia County’s median of $396,000 and well below Portland’s median of roughly $528,500. The city’s median home sales price has trended upward by 4% yearly.
Between the waves of Craftsman houses, ranch-style homes and bungalows have become popular.
Original Arts and Crafts-era homes from the beginning of the twentieth century were built closer to the historic city center.
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Direct public transit lines to downtown Portland
Oregon state Route 30 traverses Saint Helens, traveling south through nearby Scappoose to Portland, which is a little less than 30 miles—or 45 minutes, depending on traffic—away. The Columbia County Rider, widely known as the CC Rider, maintains two daily departing and two daily arriving buses between the Saint Helens Transit Center and downtown Portland.
Real-world work experience at Saint Helens High
The St. Helens School District consists of six schools, a virtual academy and a charter school, which earn a C-minus overall grade from Niche. The district serves over 2,800 students, many of whom will attend C-minus-rated St. Helens High School. Home to robust career and technical education programs, St. Helens High’s student-based auto diagnostic and repair business is the first high-school-based shop recognized as an “Approved Care Center” by AAA in the country. The school’s Renovations and Remodeling Program guides students through the process of buying, restoring and reselling fixer-upper homes.
St. Helens High’s student-based auto diagnostic and repair business is the first high-school-based shop recognized as an “Approved Care Center” by AAA in the country.
The St. Helens School District consists of six schools.
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Falling property crime rates and moderate weather
Property crime in Saint Helens fell by a little over 11% between 2020 and 2023, from 250 reports to 221. On the other hand, violent crime saw roughly a 32% increase during the same period, with reports rising from 86 to 114. Saint Helens has a mild climate with rainy, overcast winters—much like the rest of the Pacific Northwest region.
Written By
Julia Straka
Photography Contributed By
Vanessa Weber
Video By
Luke Basinger
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