Portland OR
Oregon · Pop. 641,165
Portland, OR: median household income of $90,919, median rent of $1,655/mo, 5.9% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$90,919
per year
Median Rent
$1,655
per month
Median Home
$582k
home value
Unemployment
5.9%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
12.8%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
24 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Portland, OR Reality Check"
In Portland, the rent-to-income burden runs around 22% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $90,919 and median rent is $1,655/month. 50% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $581,500 — that's 6.4× the median income. 54% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — a highly educated workforce that drives (and inflates) this local economy. Employment picture: 5.85% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 12.8%. Average commute: 24 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 55.7/100k avg monthly rate (17469 reported); Property crime: 470.1/100k avg monthly rate (147497 reported). The city covers 145.1 sq miles at 4,419 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 499 ft — modest elevation. Portland has 7 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 62/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Weather
/100Average high 63.7°F, low 45.8°F. 23 days per year above 90°F. 50.3 inches of annual precipitation.
Safety
/100Violent crime: 55.7/100k avg monthly rate (17469 reported); Property crime: 470.1/100k avg monthly rate (147497 reported).