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Silverton, OR

Frequently asked questions

Silverton, OR

Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The city is situated along the 45th parallel about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Salem, in the eastern margins of the broad alluvial plain of the Willamette Valley. The city is named after Silver Creek, which flows through the town from Silver Falls into the Pudding River, and thence into the Willamette River. The community of Milford was founded in 1846 with a sawmill, store, and several other buildings two miles upstream from the present location of Silverton. In about 1853 a second sawmill was built on Silver Creek near where the Silverton city hall now stands. In 1854 the town of Silverton was platted and registered with Marion County. Human habitation of the Silverton area extends back approximately 6,000 years before the present. In historical times, the region was dominated by the Kalapuya and Molala peoples, whose seasonal burns of the area made it plow-ready and attractive to early 19th-century Euro-American settlers. Farming was Silverton's first major industry and has been a dominant land-use activity in and around Silverton since the mid-19th century.  Silverton is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area and the population core of the Silver Falls School District. The population was 10,484 at the time of the 2020 census.

Silverton is situated on the eastern edge of the Willamette Valley, a fertile and alluvial plain that stretches from the western foothills of the Cascade Range on the east, known as the Waldo Hills, to the eastern foothills of the Oregon Coast Range on the west. Silverton lies on either side of Silver Creek, a tributary of the Pudding River, which joins the Molalla River before emptying into the northward-flowing Willamette River. Abiqua Creek also empties into the Pudding River; it flows across the eastern valley north of Silverton, further draining the land around the city.

Silverton's elevation is between 200 and 250 feet (61 and 76 m) above mean sea level with the steep-sided, heavily-wooded Waldo Hills to the south rising an additional 200 feet (61 m). The agricultural richness of the environs is due to massive and repeated floods from prehistoric Lake Missoula in western Montana. Beginning approximately 13,000 years before the present, repeated flooding from Lake Missoula scoured eastern Washington and Oregon, carved out the Columbia River Gorge, and periodically swept down the Columbia River; when floodwaters met ice jams in southwest Washington, the backed-up water spilled over and filled the entire Willamette Valley to a depth of 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) above current sea level, creating a body of water known as Lake Allison. The gradual receding of Lake Allison's waters left layered sedimentary volcanic and glacial soils to a height of about 180 to 200 feet (55 to 61 m) above current sea level throughout the Tualatin, Yamhill, and Willamette Valleys.

Until the mid-19th century, the Silverton area was a broad, open grassland with small stands of Oregon white oak, ponderosa pine, and Douglas fir. Stands of Oregon white oak, red alder, big leaf maple, and black cottonwood lined streams and river banks. While these tree species are extant today, widespread farming in the Willamette Valley between 1850 and 1870 altered the land through the discontinuation of widespread seasonal burning in the valley plains previously employed by the Kalapuya people. Large stands of Douglas fir and western red cedar, mixed with Oregon white oak, remain in the Silverton area, especially on eastern ridge tops and on the slopes of the Waldo Hills to the south. Due to decades of intensive timber extraction, mature second and third-growth trees comprise existing evergreen stands. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.47 square miles (8.99 km²), of which 3.43 square miles (8.88 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) is water.

The city places a strong emphasis on health and wellness, with numerous facilities and programs dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Residents have access to quality healthcare services, including the Legacy Silverton Medical Center system, ensuring that medical needs are met promptly. Silverton Fitness, Anytime Fitness, and Jazzercise provide a range of fitness classes and personal training sessions. If you prefer a holistic approach, Shanti Recovery & Wellness offers yoga and meditation classes to help you find peace and balance. Silver Creek Lanes provides a fun way to stay active with bowling. Silverton Community Pool is perfect for swimming and aquatic exercises. 

Top sites in Silverton, OR are Oregon Garden, Silver Falls State Park, and Silverton Country Historical.

Population: 10,341 (2023). ZIP code: 97381. Area code: 503. Elevation: 266 ft (81 m). Area: 3.54 sq mi (9.18 km²).

FAQs

What river runs through Silverton, OR?

Silverton lies on either side of Silver Creek, a tributary of the Pudding River, which joins the Molalla River before emptying into the northward-flowing Willamette River. Abiqua Creek also empties into the Pudding River; it flows across the eastern valley north of Silverton, further draining the land around the city.

What are the demographics of Silverton, OR?

Silverton is a city located in Marion County Oregon. Silverton has a 2024 population of 10,294. Silverton is currently declining at a rate of -0.45% annually and its population has decreased by -1.77% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 10,480 in 2020. According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Silverton was: White: 80.19%, Two or more races: 10.66%, Other race: 3.77%, Black or African American: 3.38%, Native American: 1.66%, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.27%, Asian: 0.07%.

Is Silverton, OR a good place to live?

Silverton is in Marion County. Living in Silverton offers residents a sparse suburban feel and most residents own their homes. Many families live in Silverton and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Silverton are above average.

Sources

City of Silverton

Wikipedia

World Population Review

Niche

Oregon Garden

Silver Falls State Park

Silverton Country Historical

Legacy Silverton Medical Center

Silverton Fitness

Anytime Fitness

Jazzercise

Shanti Recovery & Wellness

Silver Creek Lanes 

Silverton Community Pool

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.