Eugene receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Eugene
Cottage Grove
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 29%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
55 · Top 46%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Eugene | Cottage Grove | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,591 | 10,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,562 | $80,875 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,560 | $33,651 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,037/sq mi | 2,757/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $460,400 | $346,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,402 | $1,254 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.9% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 770 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 86.0% | -93.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 45 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.04 | 17.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.7% | 11.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.2% | 65.5% | 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
Eugene
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Cottage Grove
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Eugene
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
Cottage Grove
53
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Eugene, OR · Cottage Grove, OR · How this is calculated: methodology