50
States ranked
1,312
Cities scored
49
Data sources
11
Scoring categories
America’s Dashboard

America's Dashboard ranks and scores all 50 US states and1,312 cities using real government data. Compare economy, safety, health, education, affordability, and more — free, transparent, and updated with the latest federal statistics.

Updated as each source publishes its latest release

Explore

  • All 50 states
  • 1,312 US cities
  • State rankings
  • Best places to live
  • Custom map builder
  • Compare states
  • Affordability
  • Migration flows
  • Career-market fit
  • Data stories

Rankings

  • Economy
  • Safety
  • Health
  • Education
  • Fiscal Health
  • Growth
  • Affordability
  • Environment
  • Outdoor Access
  • Transportation
  • Livability

Best for

  • Families
  • Retirees
  • Remote Workers
  • Young Professionals
  • Small Business
  • Outdoor Enthusiasts

Resources

  • Methodology
  • About
  • Newsroom

Data sources

Rankings are computed from publicly available federal and state government datasets, supplemented by a handful of published indexes (such as the Tax Foundation, Child Care Aware of America and Zillow Research). Figures are used as each source publishes them, including the FBI's own state crime estimates; nothing is synthetic or modeled by us, and every source is cited below.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS annual averages·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, estimated crimes by state·
  • CDC NCHS U.S. State Life Tables·
  • CDC BRFSS·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (table S2701)·
  • NAEP, The Nation's Report Card·
  • EDFacts adjusted cohort graduation rate (NCES)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates·
  • Cook Political Report, PVI·
  • Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures·
  • ALEC Rich States Poor States·
  • WalletHub Tax Burden Study·
  • Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities·
  • EPA AirData, Median AQI by County·
  • EIA State Electricity Profiles·
  • FEMA National Risk Index·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS Broadband Subscriptions·
  • National Park Service API·
  • USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year Commuting·
  • FHWA Highway Statistics·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • EIA residential electricity prices·
  • EIA State Energy Data System, motor gasoline prices·
  • EIA Natural Gas Prices, residential·
  • Child Care Aware of America, Price & Supply·
  • Tax Foundation, State Income Tax Rates and Brackets·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, goods·
  • NCES Common Core of Data (CCD)·
  • EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates·
  • NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33)·
  • BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9)·
  • NASBO Fiscal Survey of States·
  • Census Bureau State Government Finances·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts, State Pension Funding·
  • S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia·
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES·
  • IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS State-to-State Migration Flows·
  • Zillow Research, Home Values, Rents & Market Metrics·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, city police agency reports·
  • CDC PLACES, city health estimates·
  • NOAA U.S. Climate Normals·
  • EPA National Walkability Index
© 2026 America's Dashboard. All rights reserved.Privacy policy·Terms of service·Not affiliated with any government agency.
America’s Dashboard
HousingMigrationStatesCities
Stories
Home/States/Oregon

2026 edition·West·Pop. 4,273,586·Capital Salem·33rd state, admitted 1859·Cook PVI D+5

Is Oregon a Good Place to Live? Oregon Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes

Oregon ranks #35 of 50 with a composite score of 50.9 and a C grade, strongest in transportation (#1) and weakest in education (#46). The median household earns $85,220 (5% above the national median), homes typically cost $496,113 (35% above the national average), and violent crime is 311 per 100,000 (5% below the national average).

Editor's verdict
Oregon works for a two-earner household that already rents or owns west of the Cascades; it fails a first-time buyer on the median income, since the typical home needs $130,378 against a median of $85,220. The tradeoff is a top combined income tax of 14.69% once Portland-area local taxes stack on, eating the sales-tax savings.
Compare Oregon with its neighbors →Best cities in Oregon →How the score works →
Composite score
50.9C
#35 of 50 · #8 in the West
Top 10 in
Transportation #1, Environment #5, Outdoor Access #5, Livability #8
Middle of the pack
Health #14, Fiscal Health #34, Safety #39, Economy #40
Bottom 10 in
Growth #42, Affordability #44, Education #46
NumbersNumbersScorecardScoresCostCostTaxesTaxesSafetySafetyJobsJobsSchools & healthSchoolsMovingMovingCitiesCitiesBest forBest forNeighborsNeighborsFAQFAQ
Top ↑

Oregon by the numbers

Six measures every state is judged on, each with Oregon's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.

Median household income
$85,220
#16 of 50, 1 = highest · US $80,903
Typical home value
$496,113
#40 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US $368,697
Cost of living index
103.4
#41 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US 100
Violent crime per 100K
311
#29 of 50, 1 = safest · US 328
Unemployment rate
5.2%
#47 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 3.95%
Total tax burden
9.06%
#31 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 8.74%

Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.

→Read the Oregon overview

Oregon scores above the national average in 5 of 11 categories and ranks #8 of 13 states in the West, behind 7 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is median household income ($85,220, 5% above the national median); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($496,113, 35% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (4) and bottom-10 finishes (3) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.

What stands out
  • No sales tax anywhere in the state, 0% against 6.66% nationally, which is why Portland big-box parking lots fill with Washington plates on weekends.
  • Transportation ranks #1: a mean commute of 23.2 minutes, 17.1% of workers at home (#2), and 2.4% on transit, mostly Portland's.
  • Public land covers 52.6% of the state, #5, and the same forests put summer smoke over Medford, Bend and Eugene most years.

Where does Oregon rank in each category?

All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Oregon is top 10 in 4 and bottom 10 in 3.

CategoryScoreRankGradeWeightUS avgThe numbers behind it
Economy32.9#40 of 50C15%47.1Its unemployment rate is 5.2% and median household income is $85,220.
Safety59.6#39 of 50C12%68.9The FBI estimates 311.2 violent crimes and 2,118 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Health63.8#14 of 50B+12%54.4Life expectancy is 77.7 years, 33.5% of adults have obesity, and 5.2% of residents are uninsured.
Education35.6#46 of 50D12%57.5Eighth graders average 268 in NAEP math and 255 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 81.3%.
Affordability45.1#44 of 50D10%65.2Typical home value $496,113 (5.8x median income); cost of living index 103.4 (100 = US); center-based infant care $21,774 a year.
Fiscal Health55.4#34 of 50C+8%58.1It carries $3,520 of debt per resident, has 85% of pensions funded, and holds a AA credit rating.
Growth23.2#42 of 50C7%38.8Population grew 0.19% last year; Census net domestic migration is +0.5 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series).
Transportation66.3#1 of 50A+7%49.8The average commute is 23.2 minutes, 2.4% of workers use public transit, and 17.1% work from home.
Livability48.0#8 of 50A7%34.3It has 2.187 restaurants and 0.035 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.225 bars and 0.076 social associations per 1,000.
Outdoor Access53.4#5 of 50A+6%29.452.6% of its land is public, with 3.43 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents.
Environment64.2#5 of 50A+4%42.5Its median air quality index is 32, 67% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 40.4.

Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.

Category shape

Oregon's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Oregon bulges toward transportation and dips at education.

How expensive is Oregon?

Oregon's cost of living index is 103.4 against a national baseline of 100, 3% above the national average and #41 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $496,113 (35% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $130,378, $45,158 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Grants Pass is cheapest (index 97.8) and Bethany priciest (105.4).

Housing market snapshot · August

Cool market
Typical home value
$496,113
-0.1% in 1 yr · +7.7% in 5 yr · national $369K
Mortgage payment
$2,552/mo
P&I, 20% down, current rates
Income needed
$130K
median earns $85K (+53%)
Rent, Portland
$1,818/mo
renting cheaper by $975 vs. a $2,793 metro payment
Price cuts · days
29% · 53
national 26% · 53 days

Ranked #11 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #42 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $45,158 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.

Full Oregon housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →

What a household keeps at $75,000

HouseholdOregonMedian stateRank
Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare−$41,836−$11,758#44 of 50
Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare+$20,952+$31,418#45 of 50
Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax+$24,110+$35,970#44 of 50

Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.

Electricity price
15.37¢/kWh
#26 of 50 · US 17.84¢/kWh
Natural gas price
$16.71/Mcf
#31 of 50 · US $15.83/Mcf
Gasoline price
$4.06/gal
#46 of 50 · US $3.32/gal
Price level for goods
105.3
#45 of 50 · US 100
Center-based infant care, per year
$21,774
#45 of 50 · US $15,633
Editor's note

Oregon's cost split runs east and west of the Cascades and, west of them, inside versus outside the Portland metro. Bend has passed Portland on price, Lake Oswego sits far above both, and Springfield, Albany and Grants Pass sell for well under the state $496,113. Newcomers miss the income tax on the first paycheck and gasoline at $4.06 per gallon. Electricity, at 15.37 cents per kWh, runs 14% below the national average thanks to hydropower, and there is no sales tax. A family of four on $75,000 comes out at a $41,836 shortfall, #44.

  • Run your own budget for Oregon →
  • Oregon housing market →
  • Housing rankings →

What are taxes like in Oregon?

Oregon's tax mix is high income tax, low sales tax, with property tax in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 9.06% of income, 0.3 points above the national average (#31 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.86% of home value (#26), and combined sales tax averages 0% (#4).

Total tax burden
9.06%
#31 of 50 · US 8.74%
Top income tax rate
14.69%
#49 of 50 · US avg 5.46%
Effective property tax
0.86%
#26 of 50 · US 1.02%
Combined sales tax
None
No sales tax

Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.

Can the state pay its bills?

Credit rating
AA
S&P / Moody's
Rainy-day fund
7.2%
of spending · #41 of 50
Pensions funded
85%
of obligations · #11 of 50
Debt per resident
$3,520
state debt · #35 of 50

Fiscal health scores 55.4 out of 100, #34 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.

Editor's note

Oregon runs on the income tax and little else. There is no sales tax, property tax sits at 0.86% (0.2 points below the national average), and the top rate reaches 14.69% once Portland-area local taxes stack on. Brackets climb fast, so a middle income is taxed near the top state rate. For a retiree, Social Security is exempt but pensions are taxed. For a homeowner the quirk is Measure Fifty: assessed value grows a few percent a year whatever the market does, so a long-held house pays far less.

  • Fiscal health rankings →
  • Best states for retirees →

Is Oregon safe?

Oregon reports 311 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 5% below the national average and #29 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 2,118 per 100,000, 38% above the national average (#48 of 50). The safety score is 59.6 out of 100, #39 of 50; among tracked cities, Lake Oswego has the lowest violent crime rate.

Oregon vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents

Violent crime#29 of 50
OR
311
US
328
Property crime#48 of 50
OR
2,118
US
1,535

FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Safest tracked cities in Oregon

CityPopulationViolent / 100KProperty / 100K
Albany56,8391641,549
Corvallis59,9601732,188
Bend103,3901931,339
Beaverton97,8122532,485
Tigard56,0112563,523

Lowest violent crime among the 20 Oregon cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.

Editor's note

Oregon is safer than the country on violent crime, 311 per hundred thousand, 5% below the national average, and worse than almost everywhere on property crime, 2,118, #48. Both numbers are mostly Portland: car theft and downtown break-ins drive the state figure, while Lake Oswego, ten minutes south, is the safest tracked city. Salem and Medford run above the state average; Bend and Corvallis run below. Portland movers should price a garage into the rent.

  • Safety rankings →
  • Best states for families →

What is the job market like in Oregon?

Oregon's unemployment rate is 5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average and #47 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $85,220, 5% above the national median. Real GDP grew +1.5% in the latest year (#37 of 50) and GDP per capita is $61,810, 4% below the national average. The population is growing 0.19% a year, 0.3 points below the national average. The economy score is 32.9 out of 100, #40 of 50.

Median household income
$85,220
#16 of 50 · US $80,903
Unemployment rate
5.2%
#47 of 50 · US 3.95%
GDP per capita
$61,810
#26 of 50 · US $64,333
Real GDP growth
+1.5%
#37 of 50 · US +1.91%
Population growth
+0.19%
#39 of 50 · US +0.51%

Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.

Highest-paying tracked occupations in Oregon, adjusted for cost of living

OccupationCost-adjustedMedian wageMetro
Family Medicine Physicians$226,980$238,329Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Lawyers$146,126$153,432Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Software Developers$137,573$144,452Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Computer Systems Analysts$106,930$112,276Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
General & Operations Managers$105,400$110,670Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.

Editor's note

Oregon's economy is semiconductors, sportswear, timber and farms, in pay order. Intel's Hillsboro fabs and Nike's Beaverton campus anchor Washington County, where Bethany, Tigard and Hillsboro carry the state's highest incomes. Among tracked metros, family medicine physicians in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro take home the strongest cost-adjusted wage, $238,329. Outside the metro it thins: Medford leans on health care and retail, Eugene and Corvallis on universities, the coast on tourism and logging. Unemployment is 5.2%, #47, and GDP growth of +1.5% trails the country; the economy ranks #40.

  • Economy rankings →
  • Wages by occupation and metro →

How are Oregon's schools and healthcare?

Oregon's education score is 35.6 out of 100, #46 of 50. Eighth graders average 268 in NAEP math (#40 of 50) and 255 in reading (#36 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 81.3%, 4.3 points below the national average (#44 of 50).

Education score
35.6
#46 of 50 · US 57.5
Graduation rate
81.3%
#44 of 50 · US 85.6%
NAEP math, grade 8
268
#40 of 50 · US 273 · grade 4: 229
NAEP reading, grade 8
255
#36 of 50 · US 257 · grade 4: 207

Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate

CityGrad rateStudents / teacherPer pupil
Lake Oswego96%17$17,455
McMinnville92%17.8$15,368
Corvallis90%20.4$17,566

NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.

Editor's note

Education is Oregon's weak spot, #46: graduation is 81.3% and the gap between districts is wide. Lake Oswego posts the highest tracked rate; Springfield and Grants Pass post the lowest. Schools are funded largely from the state general fund, since property-tax limits capped local levies, so budgets depend on Salem more than local wealth. Portland suburb kids still do better, from parents and stability, not because their district outspends Eugene.

  • Education rankings →

Oregon is #14 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 77.7 years, 0.8 years above the national average. 33.5% of adults have obesity (#22 of 50) and 5.2% of residents have no health insurance (#9 of 50). The health score is 63.8 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.

Health score
63.8
#14 of 50 · US 54.4
Life expectancy
77.7 years
#21 of 50 · US 76.9 years
Adults with obesity
33.5%
#22 of 50 · US 34%
Uninsured
5.2%
#9 of 50 · US 7.6%

CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.

Editor's note

Oregon ranks #14 for health with life expectancy of 77.7 years, 0.8 years above the national average. Portland has the hospitals; the rest has distance. Eastern Oregon and the south coast are hours from a specialist; Medford is the hub for everything south of Eugene. Mental health and addiction services are the known gap. Summer smoke is the other story: wildfire season puts Medford, Bend and Eugene under hazardous air for days.

  • Health rankings →

Who is moving to Oregon, and who is leaving?

Oregon's flows are close to even: 64,386 households moved in and 64,431 moved out in the latest IRS release, a net of -45, or -0.0 per 1,000 residents (#27 of 50), too small to call a direction. Arriving households report an average income of $74,782 against $82,124 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +5.2K people (117.9K in, 112.6K out, ±12.2K), pointing the other way, so treat the direction as uncertain.

Households moving in
64,386
top origin California
Households moving out
64,431
top destination Washington
Net per 1,000 residents
-0.0
#27 of 50 · -45 households
Avg income, arrivals
$74,782
leavers $82,124 · leavers earn more

Where they come from

  1. 1California16,765 · $87,846
  2. 2Washington12,212 · $72,788
  3. 3Texas3,335 · $75,654
  4. 4Arizona3,130 · $71,877
  5. 5Idaho2,534 · $56,060

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.

Where they go

  1. 1Washington15,339 · $89,730
  2. 2California10,369 · $83,282
  3. 3Texas4,018 · $89,679
  4. 4Arizona4,007 · $97,834
  5. 5Idaho3,156 · $73,292

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.

Editor's note

Oregon is roughly a wash on migration: 64,386 households in, 64,431 out, net -45. California sends the most arrivals, and Washington is the top destination, mostly Portlanders crossing the river to Clark County. Arrivals earn $74,782 on average and departures $82,124, consistent with higher-income households leaving for Washington's no-income-tax side and lower-income ones arriving from the Bay Area for cheaper rent. Idaho takes retirees and land buyers.

  • All Oregon migration flows →
  • State-by-state migration →

Where should you live in Oregon?

By composite score, the best of the 20 Oregon cities we track are Bethany (75.7), Lake Oswego (68.7), and Bend (62.2). Grants Pass is the cheapest (cost index 97.8), Bethany the richest ($167,735), and Redmond the fastest growing (+2.6% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Oregon cities we cover, not every city in the state.

Standout cities in Oregon

Best forCityMeasure
SafestLake Oswego55 violent crimes per 100K
CheapestGrants Passcost of living index 97.8
Most walkablePortlandwalkability 15.7 of 20
Cleanest airBendmedian AQI 23 (county)
Best schoolsLake Oswego96% graduation rate
RichestBethany$167,735

Among the 20 Oregon cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.

Editor's note

Regions of Oregon

Portland metro (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties)

Most of the jobs and most of the property crime; Lake Oswego, Tigard and Bethany are the expensive suburbs, Gresham and Aloha the affordable ones, Portland itself the transit-served core.

PortlandLake OswegoTigardHillsboroBeavertonBethanyAlohaGreshamOregon City
Willamette Valley (Salem to Eugene)

Farm and university towns an hour or two south of Portland, cheaper on housing, wetter, with Salem as the government payroll and Corvallis and Eugene as college towns.

SalemKeizerMcMinnvilleCorvallisAlbanyEugeneSpringfield
Central Oregon

High desert, sun and skiing on the dry side of the Cascades; Bend is the remote-worker magnet with fast growth and prices to match, Redmond the cheaper next town.

BendRedmond
Southern Oregon (Rogue Valley)

Warmer and drier, with the cheapest tracked homes in the state, an older population, and the worst summer smoke; Medford is the hub, Grants Pass the budget option.

MedfordGrants Pass
The Coast and Eastern Oregon

Small towns with no tracked cities: fishing and tourism on a rainy coast, ranching and wheat east of the mountains, both far from a hospital and from the Portland economy.

All 20 tracked cities, best to worst

#CityGradeScorePopulationIncomeViolent / 100KCost index
1Bethany
A+
75.733,106$167,735—105.4
2Lake Oswego
A+
68.740,381$141,54955105.4
3Bend
B+
62.2103,390$96,394193103.6
4Hillsboro
B+
60.9108,231$106,409288105.4
5Tigard
B+
60.956,011$108,823256105.4
6Beaverton
B+
60.097,812$98,622253105.4
7Aloha
B+
58.852,389$101,934—105.4
8Redmond
B
58.736,092$84,164204103.6
9Oregon City
B
57.837,755$97,829265105.4
10Corvallis
B
56.759,960$65,012173104
11Portland
C+
54.3641,165$90,919702105.4
12McMinnville
C+
54.234,596$73,736163105.4
13Keizer
C+
54.139,082$84,813217103.6
14Albany
C
52.256,839$78,114164102.1
15Gresham
C
52.0112,378$77,795362105.4
16Eugene
C
51.9179,591$66,562347101.6
17Salem
C
51.9178,865$75,487424103.6
18Springfield
C
50.761,499$68,761285101.6
19Medford
C
49.786,315$73,230406101.4
20Grants Pass
D
47.539,311$59,64636997.8

Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Oregon cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.

Best cities in Oregon for…

#CityScoreEducationSafetyAffordability
1Bethany67.7——35.6
2Lake Oswego67.169.696.530.5
3Bend62.347.084.942.4
4Beaverton60.658.872.848.4
5Redmond60.449.778.356.4
All Oregon cities for families →Best states for families →
  • All 1,312 cities →

Who is Oregon best for?

The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Oregon cities for each.

Families
#42of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Retirees
#20of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Remote Workers
#28of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Young Professionals
#39of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Small Business
#42of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Outdoor Enthusiasts
#9of 50
Best Oregon cities →
Oregon fits
  • Remote workers with a salary from elsewhere: 17.1% of Oregon workers already work from home, #2 in the country, and Bend was built for them.
  • Households that hate sales tax and drive little: 0% sales tax and an average commute of 23.2 minutes, #15 shortest.
  • Retirees who own outright: Social Security is untaxed, the retiree persona ranks #20, and life expectancy is 77.7 years.
Oregon does not fit
  • A family of four on $75,000 trying to buy: the budget lands at a $41,836 shortfall and infant childcare runs $21,774.
  • Job seekers without a Portland-area offer: unemployment is 5.2%, #47, and the economy ranks #40.
  • Anyone who keeps a car on the street in Portland: property crime is 2,118 per hundred thousand, #48 of 50.

Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →

How does Oregon compare with its neighbors?

Oregon ranks #35. Among its bordering states, Idaho ranks highest (#4) and California lowest (#47). Nevada is the most similar on the composite score and Idaho the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.

StateOverallScoreMedian incomeTypical homeCost indexViolent crimeTax burdenCompare
Oregon#3550.9$85,220$496,113103.43119.06%
Idaho#478.4$81,166$478,74495.52177.54%Compare →
Washington#2061.8$99,389$591,8791072848.61%Compare →
Nevada#4045.8$81,134$442,0271003798.62%Compare →
California#4740.2$100,149$764,158110.743311%Compare →
United States—57.9$80,903$368,6971003288.74%

Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.

People also compare
Oregon vs. Texas →Oregon vs. Arizona →
Other West states
  • Wyoming#2
  • Utah#6
  • Montana#7
  • Hawaii#17
  • Colorado#18
  • Arizona#38
  • Alaska#42
  • New Mexico#49
Editor's note

The Oregon-Washington line is the sharpest tax border around: Oregon has no sales tax, Washington no income tax. A Vancouver, Washington resident working in Portland pays Oregon income tax anyway, so the arbitrage works for retirees and remote workers who live north and shop south. Nevada is the neighbor closest on the scorecard.

  • Compare Oregon with any state →

How the score works

Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.

The weights

Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.

From raw numbers to scores

Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.

Letter grades

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.

Cities, budgets and neighbors

The 20 Oregon city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.

Editor's notes

Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.

Always the latest release

Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.

What the score cannot tell you

Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.

Category briefs

Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →

Key takeaways

What the Oregon numbers say when read together.

  1. 01

    Transportation is Oregon's strongest suit

    Oregon is a #35 state overall but #1 of 50 for transportation, 34 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 66.3 against a national average of 49.8. Environment (#5) is next. Transportation carries 7% of the composite.

  2. 02

    Education is where Oregon falls furthest behind

    Oregon ranks #46 of 50 for education, 11 places below its overall #35, with a score of 35.6 against a national average of 57.5. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.

  3. 03

    Median household income is 5% above the national median

    Oregon's median household income is $85,220, 5% above the national median of $80,903, #16 of 50 (1 = highest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $496,113, 35% above the national average. Source: Census Bureau ACS, latest release.

  4. 04

    Migration is a wash

    Net -45 households on 128,817 moves is too small a margin to call a direction; Oregon ranks #27 of 50 on net flow per 1,000 residents. The households arriving report $7,342 less in average income than those leaving ($74,782 against $82,124), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. The largest source is California; the largest destination is Washington.

  5. 05

    A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states

    A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $41,836 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#44 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $20,952 surplus; a retiree couple at a $24,110 surplus. Infant childcare runs $21,774 a year, 39% above the national average.

  6. 06

    Oregon sits 3rd among its 5-state neighborhood

    2 of Oregon's 4 bordering states rank above its #35; the closest match on the composite is Nevada. Median income among them runs from $81,134 in Nevada to $100,149 in California; Oregon is at $85,220.

Editor's note

The tradeoff

+No sales tax: 0% against 6.66% nationally, on everything from groceries to a car.

−The income tax makes up for it, with a top combined rate of 14.69% in the Portland area.

+Electricity costs 15.37 cents per kWh, 14% below the national average, thanks to cheap Columbia River hydropower.

−Gasoline is $4.06 per gallon, 22% above the national average, and most of the state is a long drive from anything.

+Outdoor access ranks #5 with 52.6% of the state in public hands.

−Wildfire smoke and the Cascadia fault put disaster risk at 40.4, 36% above the national average.

Frequently asked questions about living in Oregon

Is Oregon a good place to live?

Oregon ranks #35 of 50 with a C grade, #8 of 13 in the West. It is top 10 in transportation, environment, outdoor access, and livability and bottom 10 in growth, affordability, and education. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 2 of 6 (income and violent crime) and trails on home prices, cost of living, unemployment, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.

Where does Oregon rank among US states?

Oregon ranks #35 of 50 overall with a composite score of 50.9 (grade C), and #8 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #1 (transportation) and its worst #46 (education). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C means rank 35–42.

Is it expensive to live in Oregon?

At #41 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Oregon is 3% above the national average: its index is 103.4 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $496,113 (35% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $130,378 against a median household income of $85,220. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $41,836 shortfall after all costs, #44 of 50 (1 = most left over).

Does Oregon have a state income tax?

Yes. Oregon's top state income tax rate is 14.69% (#49 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 9.06% of income, 0.3 points above the national average. Property tax is 0.86% of home value and combined sales tax 0%.

What is the crime rate in Oregon?

Oregon reports 311 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 5% below the national average and #29 of 50 (1 = safest), and 2,118 property crimes per 100,000, 38% above the national average (#48). Its safety score is 59.6 out of 100, #39 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.

Does Oregon have good schools?

Oregon is #46 of 50 for education (score 35.6 out of 100). Its public school students average 268 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#40) and 255 in eighth-grade reading (#36), and the high school graduation rate is 81.3%, 4.3 points below the national average (#44). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Lake Oswego has the highest graduation rate at 96%.

Is Oregon gaining or losing people?

Neither, to any meaningful degree: Oregon netted -45 households in the latest IRS release on 64,386 arrivals and 64,431 departures, -0.0 per 1,000 residents (#27 of 50), a flow too small to call a direction. The largest source of arrivals is California (16,765 households) and the most common destination is Washington (15,339). Arriving households report an average income of $74,782 against $82,124 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.

Is Oregon a red or blue state?

Oregon leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+5, meaning it votes about 5 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.

Is Oregon tax-friendly for retirees?

Split decision. Social Security is not taxed, sales tax does not exist, and a long-held home carries a Measure Fifty assessment below market. Against that, pensions and IRA withdrawals reach the top bracket fast, and a retired couple on $75,000 comes out at a $24,110 surplus, #44. Social Security plus a paid-off house does well; a large pension pays more than in Washington.

Does Oregon get wildfires and earthquakes?

Yes to both. Wildfire is annual: the Rogue Valley, the Cascade foothills and Central Oregon burn or breathe smoke most summers, and Portland gets the haze. The earthquake is the Cascadia subduction zone offshore, a very large quake on a centuries-long cycle; the state expects the coast to lose bridges and power for weeks. FEMA's index puts Oregon at 40.4, #39. Quake cover is separate.

What is the best part of Oregon to live in?

Depends on whether you need a Portland paycheck. For a family with a metro job, Tigard or Hillsboro get the schools without Lake Oswego prices. For a remote worker, Bend, though it now costs more than Portland. For a budget, Albany, Springfield or Grants Pass, all under the state home value. Bethany scores highest of the tracked cities; Corvallis is the quiet college-town pick.

Why is housing so expensive in Oregon?

Because the state chose it. Oregon's urban growth boundaries limit where cities can expand, so land inside the line is scarce and priced like it; the price-to-income ratio is 5.8x, 26% above the national average. Population growth is only +0.19%, so this is not a demand story like Texas. Values are flat, -0.1% over a year, which helps buyers a little and sellers not at all.

Do I need a car in Oregon?

In Portland proper, no; everywhere else, yes. Portland's rail and bus network is why 2.4% of Oregon commuters use transit, #13 nationally, and Corvallis and Eugene are bikeable. Bend, Medford, Salem and the suburbs are built around driving, and the coast and Eastern Oregon have no alternative. The average commute is a short 23.2 minutes, so driving costs time less than gasoline at $4.06 per gallon.

All the numbers

Every metric behind Oregon's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.

Median Household Income
$85,220
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: $80,903
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
BLS LAUS · Nat'l avg: 3.9%
Population Growth
+0.19%
Census, year over year · Nat'l avg: +0.5%
32.9Economy Score · National avg: 47.1
Violent Crime Rate
311.2
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 313
Property Crime Rate
2,118
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 1,475
59.6Safety Score · National avg: 68.9
Life Expectancy
77.7 yr
CDC NCHS · Nat'l avg: 76.9 yr
Adults With Obesity
33.5%
CDC BRFSS · Nat'l avg: 34%
Uninsured
5.2%
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 7.6%
63.8Health Score · National avg: 54.4
HS Graduation Rate
81.3%
EDFacts · Nat'l avg: 85.6%
NAEP Math, 8th Grade
268
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 273
NAEP Reading, 8th Grade
255
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 257
35.6Education Score · National avg: 57.5
GDP Per Capita
$61,810
BEA · Nat'l avg: $64,333
GDP Growth Rate
+1.5%
Real, year over year · Nat'l avg: +1.9%
Credit Rating
AA
S&P / Moody's, latest
Fiscal Score
55.4
of 100 · Nat'l avg: 58.1
Budget Balance
+3.2%
Surplus · % of revenue · NASBO
State Debt Per Capita
$3,520
Census state finances · Nat'l avg: $3,506
Rainy Day Fund
7.2%
of expenditures · Pew Fiscal 50
Pension Funded Ratio
85%
Pew · Nat'l avg: 74.3%
Tax Burden
9.06%
of income · Nat'l avg: 8.74%
Income Tax Rate
14.69%
Top rate, state + local
Property Tax Rate
0.86%
Effective rate · Nat'l avg: 1.02%
Sales Tax Rate
None
State + local avg · Nat'l avg: 6.66%
55.4Fiscal Health Score · National avg: 58.1
Typical Home Value
$496,113
Latest month · Nat'l avg: $383,360
Cost of Living Index
103.4
BEA Regional Price Parity · National = 100
Price-to-Income Ratio
5.8x
Home value ÷ median income · Nat'l avg: 4.6x
Electricity
15.37¢/kWh
EIA
Natural Gas
$16.71/Mcf
EIA
Gasoline
$4.06/gal
EIA
Infant Care (Center)
$21,774/yr
Child Care Aware of America
Goods Prices
105.3
BEA price level for goods · US = 100
45.1Affordability Score · National avg: 65.2
Air Quality Index
32
EPA annual median · Nat'l avg: 38.8
Renewable Energy
67%
EIA, % of electricity · Nat'l avg: 29%
Natural Disaster Risk
40.4
FEMA NRI per capita · Nat'l avg: 30
64.2Environment Score · National avg: 42.5
Public Land
52.6%
of state area · USGS PAD-US
Recreation Facilities
3.43
per 10K residents · Census CBP
Park Acreage per Capita
0.05
NPS acres per resident
53.4Outdoor Access Score · National avg: 29.4
Mean Commute Time
23.2 min
Mean travel time to work · Census ACS
60+ Min Commute
5.9%
of workers · Census ACS
Drive Alone
65.2%
of commuters · Census ACS
Public Transit Use
2.4%
of commuters · Census ACS
Walk / Bicycle
4.7%
active commuters · Census ACS
Work From Home
17.1%
of workers · Census ACS
Vehicle Miles Traveled
8,768
per capita · FHWA
Carpool Rate
9.2%
of commuters · Census ACS
66.3Transportation Score · National avg: 49.8
Restaurants per 1K
2.187
Census County Business Patterns
Arts & Entertainment
0.035
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Social Associations
0.076
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Bars & Breweries
0.225
per 1K residents · Census CBP
48.0Livability Score · National avg: 34.3
Net Domestic Migration
+0.5
per 1,000 residents · Nat'l avg: +1.1
Migration Trend
Gaining
More people moving in than out
Broadband Subscription
93.7%
Households, any type · Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 92.7%
Households Moving In
64.4K
Top origin: California
Households Moving Out
64.4K
Top destination: Washington
23.2Growth Score · National avg: 38.8

Also consulted for the Oregon editor's notes

  • Clatsop County Assessment: Measure 50 and Oregon's property tax system ↗