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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And most of the time, on a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Oregon using 202…
In plain English: the 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And most of the time, on a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. 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.
Dive into Gresham's numbers: cost index 93 (18 points below national average), rent $1,594/month, income $73,608, and a home price of $463,410. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 93, while Healthcare runs 99. With 110,685 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Gresham ($1,594/mo, 19%), Salem ($1,600/mo, 19%), Portland ($1,710/mo, 21%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $65,397 to $65,397/year across these top picks.
The real cost of living can't be reduced to a single number. But this comes close: 5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. This alone could tip the scales.
With that foundation in place: Here's the state-level backdrop: Oregon averages a 102 cost index, $1,752/mo rent, and $80,269 income across 5 cities. That's $143 less than the national rent average. Portland premium contrasting with inland bargains — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Gresham — cost index 93, rent $1,594/mo, income $73,608
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
110,685 residents · Oregon
To be honest, Why Gresham ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 93 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,594/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — while the median household pulls in $73,608/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 93, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $463,410 — $3,960 below the national median.
177,432 residents · Oregon
What does daily life actually cost in Salem? Start with the 27% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 93) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 99) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $71,900 and homes at $432,341 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
630,498 residents · Oregon
Portland earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 100 cost index sits 11 points below the national baseline, and the $88,792 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, Healthcare leads the way at 100, while Healthcare trails at 100.
107,730 residents · Oregon
The #4 spot goes to Hillsboro, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,869/month — saving renters $312 per year compared to the national average. No major red flags in that number. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 102, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 109. At a 22% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
177,899 residents · Oregon
Eugene earns its position at #5 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 116 cost index sits 5 points above the national baseline, and the $63,836 — though some people might weigh that differently — median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $467,032 — $338 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 103, while Housing trails at 116.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Gresham | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $65,397 |
2Salem | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $65,397 |
3Portland | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $65,397 |
4Hillsboro | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $65,397 |
5Eugene | 9.9% | 0% | 0.87% | $65,397 |
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Gresham ranks #1 in Oregon for this analysis with a cost index of 93 and median income of $73,608.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Gresham, rent would consume about 19% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 93 and rent of $1,594/mo, while Eugene (ranked #5) has a cost index of 116 and rent of $1,988/mo — a 23-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 $100K in Gresham is approximately $65,397/year ($5,450/month). After median rent of $1,594/month, you'd have roughly $46,269/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.