Population
1. Corvallis Population
The population of Corvallis was estimated at 59,434 on December 31, 2022, and represents an 3.18% increase from the previous year’s data. The City of Corvallis assumes an annualized 0.732% growth rate to project and plan for our community’s future. Using this method, Corvallis has a projected population of 65,823 in 2036. Corvallis needs 177 new housing units per year every year until 2036 to meet the demands of our projected population growth and per Executive Order 23-04, Corvallis needs 500 new housing units per year to meet production goals. Sources: Portland State Population Estimates, Corvallis 2016 Urbanization Study.
2. OSU Enrollment & City Population
Corvallis is home to Oregon State University. Between 2002 and 2022, enrollment at OSU’s Corvallis Campus increased from 18,384 students to 23,598 students, with the largest increase occurring between2008-2009. The chart above shows the total number of students enrolled at OSU Corvallis, including those students who are enrolled here but may live in other communities outside of the City. The City does not have access to data on the number of students who are enrolled at OSU Corvallis and living within the City limits. However, even when including all enrolled students, living in Corvallis or not, while OSU had periods of notable growth, the proportion of OSU students in relation to the overall Corvallis population has remained relatively consistent. Please note that the chart above only includes OSU Corvallis campus enrollment and does not include satellite campuses or its online-only community. Sources: Oregon State University, Portland State Population Estimates.
3. OSU Student Enrollment
The proportion of students living on and off campus has varied only slightly since 2002, and OSU houses between 19-23% of its students on campus in any given year. In 2022, OSU housed 5,334 students on campus and approximately 18,264 enrolled students lived off campus, including in Corvallis, Albany, and other surrounding communities. Although Oregon State University did not build any residential units on campus in 2019 or in 2022 to-date, though an additional Upper Division Undergraduate and Graduate Student Housing project is currently under construction. The new hall will feature approximately 221 beds and updates can be viewed here. Sources: Oregon State University, City of Corvallis Development Services.
4. Corvallis Commuters
In-commuters are people who travel to Corvallis for work but live somewhere else. US Census data (2020) shows that 19,412 in-commuters enter Corvallis every day for work.
An ECONorthwest study commissioned in 2014 found that 40% (or 7,765 people in 2020) of in-commuters may prefer to live in Corvallis if they could find the housing they desire here. The number of units needed to make room for in-commuters who work in Corvallis but are not able to live in our community is further discussed on the Housing Stock & Production page. Sources: US Census Data, ECONorthwest Corvallis Housing Survey.
5. Housing Production Versus Need
Based on the Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) completed in 2016, Corvallis needs 177 new housing units per year every year until 2036 to meet the pent-up demands of our projected population growth. In addition to this, per Executive Order 23-04, Corvallis needs 500 new housing units per year to meet production goals. This projection does not include existing needs associated with in-commuters. Data from the US Census Bureau shows that 19,412 in-commuters enter Corvallis every day for work (2020). This is only a slight decrease of 1,395 in-commuters from the previous year and is expected due to the pandemic. But, as we return to normalcy, this amount is expected to increase again. An ECONorthwest study commissioned in 2014 found that 40% (or 7,765 people in 2020) of commuters would prefer to live in Corvallis if they could. Please see the 2020 Land Development Information Report for additional data and analysis. Sources: Corvallis Development Services, US Census Household Estimates.
