Cornelius and Portland receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Cornelius
Portland
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs61 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs61 · Bottom 21%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Cornelius | Portland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,255 | 641,165 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,273 | $90,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,610 | $57,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,092/sq mi | 4,803/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $581,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,573 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 1,639 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.6% | 3.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.9" | 36.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 131 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.14 | 17.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 70.8% | 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.
Portland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Cornelius, OR · Portland, OR · How this is calculated: methodology