Multnomah County vs Washington County
Multnomah 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 Multnomah County on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Multnomah County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $100k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $71k |
| Home Value | $492k | $504k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.99% | 0.93% |
| Income Tax | 10.73% | 10.30% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.53% | 14.98% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.7 in | 43.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5 in | 2.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 171 days | 220 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 125 days | 115 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.5 | 96.0 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 97.4 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1571/100k | 834/100k |
| Property Crime | 5911/100k | 2131/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 808,098 | 599,541 |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 37.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+36 |
| White (%) | 67.4% | 62.7% |
| Black (%) | 5.3% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.3% | 17.4% |
| Asian (%) | 7.5% | 10.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.5% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.2/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.2% | 94.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.17 | 1.88 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Multnomah County or Washington County more affordable?
- Multnomah County has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Multnomah County's $64k and Washington County's $71k. Median rent is $2k in Multnomah County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Multnomah County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Multnomah County reports 1571/100k and Washington County reports 834/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Multnomah County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $492k in Multnomah County and $504k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Multnomah County.