Milwaukie and Gresham 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
Milwaukie
Gresham
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 25%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Milwaukie | Gresham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,392 | 112,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,892 | $77,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,715 | $36,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,287/sq mi | 4,769/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $505,100 | $458,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,598 | $1,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.5% | 23.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 105 | 212 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.3% | -38.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.9" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.45 | 21.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.5% | 84.8% | 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
Milwaukie
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Gresham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Milwaukie, OR · Gresham, OR · How this is calculated: methodology