Marion County vs Washington County
Marion 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.
Marion County and Washington County score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Marion County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $100k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $71k |
| Home Value | $353k | $504k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 0.93% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 10.30% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.43% | 14.98% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9 in | 43.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0 in | 2.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 201 days | 220 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 114 days | 115 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.5 | 96.0 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.0 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 976/100k | 834/100k |
| Property Crime | 2951/100k | 2131/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 345,815 | 599,541 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 37.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+36 |
| White (%) | 62.7% | 62.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.8% | 17.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.0% | 10.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 42 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.0% | 94.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 1.88 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Marion County or Washington County more affordable?
- Marion County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Marion County's $55k and Washington County's $71k. Median rent is $1k in Marion County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Marion County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Marion County reports 976/100k and Washington County reports 834/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Marion County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $353k in Marion County and $504k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Marion County.