Lake Oswego vs Portland
Lake Oswego, Oregon versus Portland, Oregon: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake Oswego edges out Portland on overall objective livability (55 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lake Oswego | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $127k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $825k | $523k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 10.66% | 11.66% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.89% | 17.70% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4 in | 44.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6 in | 3.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 171 days | 171 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 125 days | 125 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.1 | 60.6 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 22 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.8 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 355/100k | 1689/100k |
| Property Crime | 1581/100k | 6426/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,457 | 646,101 |
| Median Age | 45.8 | 38.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.35 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+63 |
| White (%) | 78.3% | 68.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 10.3% |
| Asian (%) | 8.4% | 8.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.4% | 7.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 16.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 13 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.8% | 92.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 174.01 | 32.56 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Lake Oswego or Portland more affordable?
- Portland has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Lake Oswego's $64k and Portland's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Lake Oswego versus $2k in Portland.
- Is Lake Oswego or Portland safer?
- Lake Oswego has the lower violent crime rate. Lake Oswego reports 355/100k and Portland reports 1689/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lake Oswego or Portland?
- The median home value is $825k in Lake Oswego and $523k in Portland, so homes are more affordable in Portland.