Marion County vs Multnomah County
Marion County, Oregon versus Multnomah County, Oregon: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Marion County and Multnomah County score about the same overall (49 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Marion County | Multnomah County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $84k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $64k |
| Home Value | $353k | $492k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 10.73% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.43% | 16.53% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9 in | 47.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0 in | 3.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 201 days | 171 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 114 days | 125 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.5 | 98.5 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.0 | 97.4 |
| Violent Crime | 976/100k | 1571/100k |
| Property Crime | 2951/100k | 5911/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 345,815 | 808,098 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 38.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+63 |
| White (%) | 62.7% | 67.4% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 5.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.8% | 12.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.0% | 7.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.4% | 7.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 15.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 42 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.0% | 92.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 3.17 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Marion County or Multnomah County more affordable?
- Marion County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Marion County's $55k and Multnomah County's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Marion County versus $2k in Multnomah County.
- Is Marion County or Multnomah County safer?
- Marion County has the lower violent crime rate. Marion County reports 976/100k and Multnomah County reports 1571/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Marion County or Multnomah County?
- The median home value is $353k in Marion County and $492k in Multnomah County, so homes are more affordable in Marion County.