West Linn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gresham
West Linn
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 47%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Gresham | West Linn | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 112,378 | 26,935 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,795 | $146,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,786 | $68,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,769/sq mi | 3,625/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $458,700 | $770,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,586 | $2,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.8% | 82.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 62.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 212 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.4% | -28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 39.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.52 | 18.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.8% | 24.5% | 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
Gresham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
West Linn
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Gresham, OR · West Linn, OR · How this is calculated: methodology