Vancouver receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Portland
Vancouver
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Growth
34 · Bottom 22%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
78 · Top 25%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 46%
vs65 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 28%
vs57 · Bottom 23%
Access
90 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs63 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Portland | Vancouver | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 641,165 | 195,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,919 | $81,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,029 | $45,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,803/sq mi | 4,002/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $581,500 | $462,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,655 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.0% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.8% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,639 | 1,298 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.9% | 17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.9" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Portland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Vancouver
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Portland, OR · Vancouver, WA · How this is calculated: methodology