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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Veterans' benefits — pension, VA disability, GI Bill — stretch farther in some cities. We ranked 5 cities in Oregon on cost, state tax burden, and healthcare. Salem leads with index 93 and 9.9% state tax.
Veterans' benefits — pension, VA disability, GI Bill — stretch farther in some cities. We ranked 5 cities in Oregon on cost, state tax burden, and healthcare. Salem leads with index 93 and 9.9% state tax.
The #1 spot goes to Salem, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,600/month — saving renters $3,540 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 93, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Bottom line: Salem 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.
#1 Ranked: Salem — cost index 93, rent $1,600/mo, income $71,900
Veteran scoring: cost index 93, state tax 9.9%, healthcare index 99 — preserving earned benefits
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
177,432 residents · Oregon
A closer look at Salem: the cost index of 93 breaks down to a Housing index of 93 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 99 (weakest). Median rent is $1,600/month — 16% below the national median — while household income sits at $71,900, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room (that's pre-tax, of course).
110,685 residents · Oregon
Gresham earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And for the typical household, the 93 cost index sits 18 points below the national baseline, and the $73,608 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $463,410 — $3,960 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 93, while Healthcare trails at 99.
630,498 residents · Oregon
Why Portland ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. And generally speaking, at 100 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,710/month while the median household pulls in $88,792/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 100, though Healthcare (100) lags behind. Home prices average $524,251 — $56,881 above the national median. Solidly above average.
177,899 residents · Oregon
The #4 spot goes to Eugene, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,988/month — costing renters $1,116 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 103, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 116. The 37% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
107,730 residents · Oregon
The numbers for Hillsboro are straightforward: 109 on the cost index, $1,869/month rent, $103,207 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Standard stuff, really.
Salem ranks #1 in Oregon for this analysis with a cost index of 93 and median income of $71,900.
Salem scores highest for military veterans due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,600/mo, and competitive median income of $71,900.
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.
Salem (ranked #1) has a cost index of 93 and rent of $1,600/mo, while Hillsboro (ranked #5) has a cost index of 109 and rent of $1,869/mo — a 16-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 Salem is $1,600/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $295 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Salem is $432,341, which is 6.0× 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.