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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Oregon using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Gresham comes out…
#1 Ranked: Gresham — cost index 107, rent $1,594/mo, income $73,608
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Oregon using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Gresham comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K. And generally speaking, the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
Gresham comes in at #1. Rent is $1,594 — we had to double-check this one — a month. Household income is $73,608. The cost of living index is 107. Fairly typical for a city this size (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
On a $60K salary, the key number is $1,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Gresham ($1,594/mo, 32%), Salem ($1,600/mo, 32%), Portland ($1,710/mo, 34%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $41,217 to $41,217/year across these top picks.
Put differently: The 5 cities we track in Oregon paint a surprisingly balanced picture. Average cost index: 110. Median rent: $1,752/month. Household income: $80,269. Oregon is known for Portland premium contrasting with inland bargains — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Gresham leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
110,685 residents · Oregon
In plain English: a closer look at Gresham: the cost index of 107 breaks down to a Utilities index of 98 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 117 (weakest). Median rent is $1,594/month — 16% below the national median — while household income sits at $73,608, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room (we double-checked this one).
177,432 residents · Oregon
Here's Salem by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 105. Rent: $1,600/month. Income: $71,900/year. Home price: $432,341. Population: 177,432. The strongest category is Utilities at 97; the most expensive is Housing at 113. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,540 per year vs. the national median. If you're debt-free, those savings go straight to building wealth.
630,498 residents · Oregon
Portland earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And for many people, the 111 cost index sits 1 points below the national baseline, and the $88,792 — whether that matters depends on your situation — median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $524,251 — $56,881 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 102, while Housing trails at 128.
107,730 residents · Oregon
Dive into Hillsboro's numbers: cost index 114 (2 points above national average), rent $1,869/month, income $103,207, and a home price of $516,726. You get the picture. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 104, while Housing runs 134. With 107,730 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
177,899 residents · Oregon
A closer look at Eugene: the cost index of 113 breaks down to a Utilities index of 104 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 133 (weakest). Median rent is $1,988/month — 5% above the national median — while household income sits at $63,836, meaning locals spend about 37% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Gresham | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $41,217 |
2Salem | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $41,217 |
3Portland | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $41,217 |
4Hillsboro | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $41,217 |
5Eugene | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $41,217 |
Gresham ranks #1 in Oregon for this analysis with a cost index of 107 and median income of $73,608.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Gresham, rent would consume about 32% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Gresham (ranked #1) has a cost index of 107 and rent of $1,594/mo, while Eugene (ranked #5) has a cost index of 113 and rent of $1,988/mo — a 6-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Gresham is $1,594/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $301 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 9.9% state income tax, estimated take-home on $60K in Gresham is approximately $41,217/year ($3,435/month). After median rent of $1,594/month, you'd have roughly $22,089/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Gresham is $463,410, which is 6.3× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Oregon has a 9.9% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 0%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.87%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.