Beaverton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Milwaukie
Beaverton
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs72 · Top 14%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 40%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Schools
16 · Bottom 6%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Milwaukie | Beaverton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,392 | 97,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,892 | $98,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,715 | $52,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,287/sq mi | 4,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $505,100 | $569,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,598 | $1,826 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 50.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.5% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 105 | 1,127 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 11.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.3% | 303.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.9" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.45 | 17.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.8% | 55.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.3% | 67.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.5% | 55.3% | 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
Milwaukie
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Beaverton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Milwaukie, OR · Beaverton, OR · How this is calculated: methodology