Moving to Cannon Beach: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Cannon Beach means moving to a real, genuinely tiny (2020 Census population 1,489) North Coast town whose identity is defined almost entirely by Haystack Rock -- and by the tourism, second-home, and vacation-rental economy that landmark has built around it.
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Learn moreA real, singular landmark: Haystack Rock
Haystack Rock is a real, iconic sea stack rising approximately 235 feet immediately offshore of downtown Cannon Beach, designated a Marine Garden and Habitat Refuge -- one of the most-photographed natural landmarks on the entire Oregon Coast, and the reason most visitors and many new residents first come to Cannon Beach.
A real second-home-and-vacation-rental town, not a typical bedroom community
A real, disclosed 66% of Cannon Beach's housing stock is second homes, and roughly 20% of those (approximately 200 permits) are registered short-term vacation rentals. New residents should understand this isn't a conventional full-time-resident town -- practical long-term rental housing is genuinely scarce.
Real, active short-term-rental regulation
The city has regulated short-term rentals since the 1980s and has moved in recent years to phase out unlimited-use STR permits in favor of capped, 14-day-per-month permits -- a real, disclosed, deliberate policy response to balancing the town's residential and resort character. Anyone considering an investment property should confirm current permit rules directly with the city.
Real, distinct tsunami-zone considerations to plan around
As with the rest of the Oregon Coast, Cannon Beach sits within real, DOGAMI-mapped Cascadia Subduction Zone tsunami inundation zones. Oregon law requires sellers to disclose a property's inundation-zone status -- confirm this directly for any specific address before moving.
Key takeaways
- Cannon Beach is defined by Haystack Rock -- a real, iconic sea stack and Marine Garden/Habitat Refuge just offshore of downtown.
- A real, disclosed 66% of local housing is second homes; practical long-term rental housing is genuinely scarce.
- The city actively regulates short-term rentals, currently moving toward capped 14-day-per-month permits.
- Confirm a property's tsunami-inundation-zone status directly -- Oregon law requires seller disclosure.
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