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Community Profile - Silverton, Oregon 97381 Like so many other Oregon cities nestled at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Silverton was once a timber town. But today, little remains of the city's timber roots. A community was established here along the banks of Silver Creek in the mid-1800s. The city was incorporated in 1885, and became one of the more progressive small towns in Oregon, inviting businesses into its midst. By 2003, the original city of 900 residents had grown to 7,980.
Silverton has a picturesque western-style downtown, lined with shops and cafés. A theatre at the center of town shows first-run movies. Two supermarkets and a variety of specialty stores make it easy for shoppers to find almost anything they need. For those hard-to-find items, the state's capitol of Salem is just 11 miles west. For those who crave small-town life, but can't live without the big city, downtown Portland is 42 miles to the north, while Portland International Airport is 46 miles away. Silverton's growth over the decades has been steady, though somewhat slow. But in recent years, the city has seen something of a new housing boom as home buyers have discovered the beauty of the quaint small town, combined with moderate prices relative to Portland and Portland's suburban communities. Dozens of new homes have been sold in Silverton in the last year alone.
As of the second quarter this year, the median price for a home in Silverton was $241,450, more than 15 percent below the median price for a home in the Portland metropolitan area. An average home sold in Silverton during the second quarter had 1,710 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on a lot of about 7,500 square feet. This average home sold in 159 days from listing to closing and at a price of $280,576. More interesting facts about Silverton: Annual Events Silverton Hospital Fun Run ¾ The Saturday before Mother's Day features a 5-kilometer run open to all comers, preceded by a 1-mile run for kids 10 and under. For more information, call Silverton Hospital at 503-873-1789. Silverton Pet Parade ¾ Following the Great Depression, the Pet Parade was started as a way for kids to get out and have fun. People, young and old, parade through town the third Saturday in May with everything from ladybugs to llamas. For more information, call the Silverton Chamber of Commerce at 503-873-5615. Silverton Hills Strawberry Festival ¾ The Strawberry Festival is a day of family fun in the shady setting of Coolidge-McClaine Park. Usually set for Father's Day, the festival offers sweet local berries served with biscuits and ice cream, all topped with whipped cream—and seconds are free! In addition to strawberries, the event offers performances by local musical acts and a small arts and crafts fair. First held in 1951 as a function of the Silverton Hills Community Club, the festival moved to Coolidge-McClaine Park in 1995. Call 503-873-5615 for more information. Homer Davenport Days ¾ The first full weekend in August commemorates the life of Silverton's native son, Homer C. Davenport (1867-1912), a cartoonist and author who hailed from the Waldo Hills, several miles south of Silverton. Davenport worked as a political cartoonist and commentator for Hearst Newspapers in San Francisco and New York. He also was a horse enthusiast who was reported to have been largely responsible for the introduction of the Arabian Horse breed to the United States. Homer Davenport Days features a variety of events including 10-kilometer and 2-mile runs, a parade, arts and crafts fair, car show, music, food and other festivities. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 503-873-5615. Silverton Fine Arts Festival ¾ At Coolidge-McClaine Park the third weekend in August, this exhibition showcases the work of more than 80 artists selected by a panel of the Silverton Fine Arts Association. The event also features music and food, and gives kids the opportunity to try their hands at an art project. Call 503-873-2480 for details. Mayor's Ball ¾ The September event gives the public the chance to come together with event sponsors and the Mayor to have a good time while honoring local volunteers and raising money for local charities. The event features music, dancing and both silent and oral auctions. Call 503-551-3577 for more information. Demographics
* State and national total population figures based on U.S. Census Bureau
estimates for 2004. Demographic figures based on Census Bureau
classifications and report data. Not all category percentages may add up to 100
due to rounding.
Major Employers
School District Contact Information Silver Falls School District 1456 Pine St. Silverton, OR 97381 Phone: 503-873-5303 Key Crime Statistics Data reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed the overall, per-capita crime rate for Silverton to be near the national average. However, the rate of violent crime in Silverton was about half the statewide average for violent crime and nearly a quarter of the national violent crime rate.
* Figure does not include reported arsons. Source:
FBI Uniform Crime Reports. Population adjusted figures are based on estimated
population and number of crimes for 2005. Local Newspapers Appeal Tribune Statesman Journal Local Economic Development Organizations Silverton Chamber of Commerce City of Silverton |
Silverton's
boundaries contain two public elementary schools (one with kindergarten through
third grades and one with fourth through sixth grades), a middle school
and a high school. As of the 2004-05 school year, Silverton High School had 1,137 students and a student-teacher ratio of
21 to 1. According to figures from the
Oregon Department of Education, 28 percent of students attending schools inside
the city were eligible for free
or reduced lunch, and 16 percent were classified as minorities. The Oregon
Department of Education reported in figures for the 2003-04 school year and the
2002-03 school year, respectively, that 8.5 percent of Silverton High's students spoke
English as a second language and 7.6 percent dropped out by the fourth year.
| Craig Loughridge has been an Oregon-licensed real estate practitioner and consultant since 1999. He has represented buyers and sellers in dozens of real estate transactions involving millions of dollars worth of residential, agricultural and investment properties. He is a graduate of the Oregon Realtor® Institute, and a member of the elite Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council. He can be reached at 503-632-8258. |  |
