Cornelius is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Portland metropolitan area. The population was 12,694 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 15,520 in 2025. The city lies along Tualatin Valley Highway between Forest Grove to the west and Hillsboro to the east. Cornelius was incorporated in April 1893 and is named for founder Thomas R. Cornelius.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Cornelius ranks

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#5Most walkable in OR #9Most new homes in OR #32Lowest depression in OR All OR rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code97113

Area code503, 971

Living in Cornelius

Housing in Cornelius

$476K▼ 2.7% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Cornelius home is worth about $476,000, down 2.7% in a year, close to the Oregon typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market51

Sale-to-list100.1%

Sold in May17

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Cornelius

C⁺

Safety Grade C+

Cornelius reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 62% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Cornelius 2.5

Oregon 3.2

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Cornelius 13.1

Oregon 21.8

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Cornelius

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Cornelius for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Hillsboro (27%), Portland (16%) and Forest Grove (9%). Half commute less than 10 miles.

Hillsboro

27%

Portland

16%

Forest Grove

Beaverton

5%Work in townlive and work in Cornelius 10 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 2,666Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Cornelius →

Health in Cornelius

C⁺

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 36% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Oregon

4better than OR·11worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 11 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▲ 2▼ 6 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 6▼ 1 close Mind 2▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.8%Fewer adults who have had cancerOR 8.9% · better 21.5%Fewer adults with arthritisOR 27.4% · better 17.3%More uninsured adultsOR 8.5% · worse

Care nearby

Hillsboro Medical CenterHillsboro · 3.6 mi · ER

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center- CorneliusCornelius · 0.3 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Cornelius · CMS · HRSAHealth in Cornelius →

Natural hazards in Cornelius

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.

🏚️ Earthquakes🌊 Inland flooding🌡️ Heat waves

3Does Cornelius flood?paid flood claims since 2007 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 13 declared for Washington County

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Cornelius →

Climate in Cornelius

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Cornelius has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

48° / 35°Winter

62° / 41°Spring

79° / 52°Summer

64° / 44°Fall

How much snow does Cornelius get?About 5 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 26, with the last in spring around Apr 16.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.3° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Cornelius →

Schools in Cornelius

All Cornelius schools →

A⁻

School Grade A-

The public schools Cornelius’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 75% of Oregon’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

See how Cornelius’s schools compare in OR →

DistrictForest Grove SD 15Schools4

Echo Shaw Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 389 students Free Orchards Elementary School C+Elementary · Grades K–6 · 385 students Cornelius Elementary School D-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 372 students Swallowtail SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 145 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within OR. Ratings are from neighbors.