Lane County vs Washington County
Lane County, Oregon versus Washington County, Oregon: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Washington County edges out Lane County on overall objective livability (51 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lane County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $100k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $71k |
| Home Value | $364k | $504k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.93% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 10.30% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.88% | 14.98% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.0 in | 43.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4 in | 2.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 209 days | 220 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 115 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.4 | 96.0 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.6 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 885/100k | 834/100k |
| Property Crime | 2516/100k | 2131/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 382,218 | 599,541 |
| Median Age | 40.1 | 37.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+36 |
| White (%) | 80.0% | 62.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.6% | 17.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 10.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 11.5/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 121 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 94.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.47 | 1.88 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lane County or Washington County more affordable?
- Lane County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Lane County's $53k and Washington County's $71k. Median rent is $1k in Lane County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Lane County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Lane County reports 885/100k and Washington County reports 834/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lane County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $364k in Lane County and $504k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Lane County.