Townapedia
Mill city pedestrian bridge
Mill city pedestrian bridge · Finetooth, CC BY-SA 3.0

Mill City, Oregon

Mill City is a city of 1,920 people in Linn County, Oregon, founded in 1947.

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Population1,920 +4.4% since 2019
Elevation830 ft 253 m
Founded1947
Land area0.9 sq mi
ZIP code97360
Nearest airportSalem - Willamette Valley Airport (SLE) 28 mi

Why visit Mill City

Townapedia lists 2 parks and trails, 6 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.

August is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 36°F.

About Mill City

Mill City is a city in Linn and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Oregon on Oregon Route 22. The population was 1,971 at the 2020 census. It is on the North Santiam River, downstream from Detroit Lake.

From the Wikipedia article Mill City, Oregon (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Santiam Auditorium

Cinema and theater

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Parks, trails and playgrounds2

Kimmel Park

Park · 0.4 mi

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Wayside Park

Park

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Restaurants and cafes6

Rosie's Mountain Coffee House

Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.5 mi

647 Northeast Santiam Boulevard

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Giovanni's Mountain Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza

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Boneyard Village

Cafe · 0.5 mi

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Subway

Fast food · Sandwich · 0.4 mi

509 Northeast Santiam Boulevard, Mill City

Mo-Th 08:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 503-897-6087

Krispy Krunchy Chicken

Fast food · Chicken

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Poppa Al's

Fast food · Burger

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Churches and places of worship1

Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church

Church · Roman Catholic

Mailing: 1077 N. Sixth Ave., Stayton, OR, 97383

716 South 1st Avenue, Mill City

Open in Google Maps · +1 503-769-2656

History

The city was incorporated in 1941, and serves as the education hub of the Santiam Canyon. It was named and known for its various lumber mills, including Hammond Lumber Company and Santiam Lumber Company. Mill City is now home to two lumber mills, Frank Lumber Co. and Freres Lumber Plant 3.

One of the oldest and best-known landmarks in Mill City is the former railroad bridge, now a pedestrian bridge. The Phoenix Column Bridge, built by Phoenix Iron Works, was manufactured in 1888, moved to San Jose, California, then to Lake Oswego, Oregon, then to Mill City and installed in 1919. Abandoned by Southern Pacific Railroad around 1967, it is now a pedestrian and bike bridge. Current restoration efforts are being undertaken by the Save our Bridge Foundation.

In September 2020, the Beachie Creek Fire swept through the town. Mill City suffered heavy damage from the fire.

From the History section of Mill City, Oregon on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Shopping2

Schools, colleges and libraries3

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Map of Mill City

15 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

40°60°80°January: 13.1 in of rainFebruary: 10.0 in of rainMarch: 10.7 in of rainApril: 8.6 in of rainMay: 6.0 in of rainJune: 3.8 in of rainJuly: 0.7 in of rainAugust: 0.9 in of rainSeptember: 2.8 in of rainOctober: 8.0 in of rainNovember: 13.5 in of rainDecember: 15.4 in of rainJanuary: 43°FFebruary: 47°FMarch: 52°FApril: 57°FMay: 65°FJune: 71°FJuly: 80°FAugust: 81°FSeptember: 74°FOctober: 61°FNovember: 49°FDecember: 43°FJanuary: 36°FFebruary: 37°FMarch: 38°FApril: 41°FMay: 46°FJune: 51°FJuly: 56°FAugust: 56°FSeptember: 53°FOctober: 46°FNovember: 40°FDecember: 37°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan43°F36°F13.1 in5.6 in
Feb47°F37°F10.0 in2.2 in
Mar52°F38°F10.7 in0.9 in
Apr57°F41°F8.6 in0.0 in
May65°F46°F6.0 in0.0 in
Jun71°F51°F3.8 in0.0 in
Jul80°F56°F0.7 in0.0 in
Aug81°F56°F0.9 in0.0 in
Sep74°F53°F2.8 in0.0 in
Oct61°F46°F8.0 in0.0 in
Nov49°F40°F13.5 in0.2 in
Dec43°F37°F15.4 in1.3 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Detroit Dam (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$69,091median household income
$297,600median home value
$1,402median monthly rent
37.8median age
11.0%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
68.4%of homes are owner-occupied
33.4 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1828%18 to 3419%35 to 6438%65 and over16%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Linn County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
  • 2024-04-13: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
  • 2021-05-04: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
  • 2020-09-15: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
  • 2020-09-10: Wildfires (Fire)
  • 2020-09-08: Beachie Creek Lionshead Fire Complex (Fire)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Salem - Willamette Valley Airport (SLE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.

  • Aumsville 20 mi west, about 33 min by car
  • Silverton 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
  • Lebanon 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
  • Sweet Home 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
  • Jefferson 26 mi west, about 42 min by car
  • Four Corners 27 mi northwest, about 44 min by car
  • Molalla 28 mi north, about 45 min by car
  • Salem 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
  • Hayesville 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
  • Albany 32 mi west, about 51 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.