Cornelius receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cornelius
Hillsboro
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Cornelius | Hillsboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,255 | 108,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,273 | $106,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,610 | $51,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,092/sq mi | 4,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $521,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,573 | $1,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 213 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.6% | -55.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.14 | 19.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 67.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cornelius
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Hillsboro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Cornelius, OR · Hillsboro, OR · How this is calculated: methodology