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Corvallis is a Willamette Valley city of approximately 59,922 residents (2020 Census; ~61,087 in 2023 estimates), the seat of Benton County, and home to Oregon State University (the state’s land-grant research university with approximately 38,000 students). Located on the west bank of the Willamette River in the central Willamette Valley, the city’s name derives from the Latin ‘cor vallis’ meaning ‘heart of the valley.’ This page aggregates publicly available facts about the community, current real estate market data from RMLS®, and active property listings.
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Searching in: Corvallis, OR
Facts about Corvallis compiled from official and public sources. Each data point shows its vintage (when the source published it) so you know what you’re looking at.
9th most populous OR city · Benton Co seat · Oregon State University
2020 Decennial Census ·
See county page
Founded 1845 by Joseph Avery as Marysville; renamed Corvallis 1853 (Latin: 'heart of the valley')
97330 north/central (most residential); 97331 OSU campus; 97333 south/SW
West bank of Willamette River · central Willamette Valley
Mix of single-family, university rental, apartment; 2024 ACS 5-year
2020 Census / 2023 ACS ·
University town · majority renter-occupied reflecting OSU student population
2020 Census ·
Youngest median age of any major OR city · ~38,000 OSU students
2020 Census ·
Via I-5 N + OR-34 · typically ~1.5 hr drive
13 schools · Corvallis HS, Crescent Valley HS · ~5,859 students
2020 Census ·
188-bed acute care · Level II trauma · 3600 NW Samaritan Dr · Samaritan Health Services flagship
Current ·
Eugene Airport (EUG) ~40 mi S · PDX ~90 mi N · Corvallis Muni (CVO) GA only
Current ·
Köppen Csb · mild Pacific NW · wet winters, dry summers
University-town economy · OSU, Samaritan Health, HP, Good Samaritan major employers
2023 ACS 5-year ·
Land-grant research university · ~38,000 students · 420-acre main campus · engineering, agriculture, oceanography
Oregon Beach Bill (1967) ·
Avery Park, Willamette River waterfront · McDonald-Dunn Research Forest (OSU) adjacent · Marys Peak ~25 mi
Corvallis is a university-town market dominated by Oregon State University (~38,000 students) and anchored by Samaritan Health Services (regional flagship hospital), HP’s 197-acre research and development campus, and a growing biotech/technology sector. The city’s housing stock of 25,784 units (2024 ACS) reflects a distinctive mix: approximately 47% detached single-family, but with a very large rental share (58%+ renter-occupied) driven by the OSU student population.
The market varies by district: Central and NW Corvallis (near OSU campus) features a mix of historic Craftsman homes, student rentals, and newer condos; South Corvallis offers larger established single-family inventory with mature landscaping; North Corvallis (toward Highland and Timberhill) features newer subdivisions, larger lots, and proximity to Good Samaritan Hospital; SW Corvallis includes Willamette Park access and the Avery Park neighborhood. The 2024 median property value sits at approximately $554,955 — notably higher than Eugene or Salem, reflecting constrained supply and university demand.
Market prices and inventory shift quarter-to-quarter based on regional rates and migration trends. The market snapshot at right uses live RMLS® data via our MLS integration rather than static figures that could go stale.
Note: Market statistics activate with our MLS integration and refresh automatically from RMLS® data. The housing units figure (25,784) is from the 2024 ACS 5-year estimate and will remain static until revised.
Corvallis spans approximately 14.4 square miles along the west bank of the Willamette River. The OSU campus and downtown sit in the central and northwest portions; South Corvallis contains larger established neighborhoods; North Corvallis includes Timberhill and Highland; SW Corvallis includes the Avery Park and Willamette Park areas. Descriptions reflect location only; price ranges populate from live RMLS® data via our MLS integration.
Distances are approximate driving distances from central Corvallis. Corvallis sits in the central Willamette Valley, about 10 miles west of I-5. It is approximately 30 miles south of Salem and 44 miles north of Eugene, forming a university-town hub between the valley’s two largest metros.
Quick answers about Corvallis, each backed by an authoritative source. For questions specific to a particular property or listing, call (800) 256-9702 to reach a licensed Oregon broker.
Corvallis had a population of 59,922 residents as recorded in the 2020 Decennial Census, with 2023 US Census estimates placing the population at approximately 61,087, making it Oregon’s 9th most populous city. The population includes approximately 38,000 Oregon State University students attending classes in Corvallis, over 5,250 of whom live in on-campus residence halls.
Corvallis was officially incorporated on January 28, 1857, per the Oregon Blue Book. The community was founded in 1845 by Joseph C. Avery at the confluence of Marys River and the Willamette. Originally called Marysville, it was renamed Corvallis in 1853 by an act of the Oregon Territorial Legislature; the name is Latin for cor vallis, meaning ‘heart of the valley.’ The city briefly served as the Oregon territorial capital in December 1855. The current mayor (as of 2026) is Charles Maughan, elected in 2022.
Corvallis is approximately 85 miles south of downtown Portland. Typical drive time is ~1.5 hours via I-5 N + OR-34. Corvallis does not have direct Amtrak service; the nearest Amtrak stations are in Albany (~11 miles east) and Salem (~30 miles north). Corvallis Municipal Airport (CVO), about 5 miles southwest of downtown, serves general aviation only; commercial service is available at Eugene Airport (EUG) ~40 miles south or PDX ~90 miles north.
Corvallis students attend schools in Corvallis School District 509J, which operates 13 schools including 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 comprehensive high schools (Corvallis High School and Crescent Valley High School), plus Franklin K-8 and Muddy Creek Charter School. Total enrollment for 2024-25 is approximately 5,859 students (not including Muddy Creek Charter).
Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center is located in north Corvallis at 3600 NW Samaritan Drive. It is a 188-bed acute care hospital with a Level II trauma center, one of six Level II trauma centers in Oregon. Founded in 1913, it is the flagship institution of Samaritan Health Services and the largest hospital in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties.
Oregon State University (OSU) is Oregon’s land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university, located on a 420-acre main campus in Corvallis. Its roots trace to 1856 (when Corvallis Academy was founded) and 1858 (when the school was incorporated as Corvallis College). On October 27, 1868 — now recognized as OSU Charter Day — the Oregon Legislature designated Corvallis College as Oregon’s land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862. The name became Oregon State University in 1961. OSU enrolls approximately 38,000 students (including online students through Ecampus) and is known nationally for engineering, agricultural sciences, oceanography, forestry, and pharmacy. The Beavers compete in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, with additional West Coast Conference affiliate participation through the 2025-26 academic year during the Pac-12’s rebuild.
Corvallis is covered by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS®), which is the primary MLS for the Portland metro area and extends south through the Willamette Valley including Corvallis and Eugene. Listings for Corvallis will populate from RMLS® via our MLS integration. All property data displayed on this site comes directly from RMLS®; no listings are manually uploaded.
Corvallis has a notably higher median property value (~$555K in 2024) than either Eugene (~$414K) or Salem (~$417K), despite being smaller. Several factors contribute: the city has a tightly constrained urban growth boundary limiting new development; HP’s 197-acre R&D campus and Samaritan Health Services provide substantial professional employment; OSU attracts both faculty/staff buyers and long-term graduate students competing for limited inventory; and the school district consistently ranks among Oregon’s top-performing districts. The result is a structurally tight market with persistent upward pressure on prices.
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