Sandy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sandy
Gresham
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Sandy | Gresham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,854 | 112,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,984 | $77,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,676 | $36,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,480/sq mi | 4,769/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,300 | $458,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,861 | $1,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 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 | 29.7% | 23.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 212 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -56.9% | -38.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 37.0 | 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
Sandy
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Gresham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Sandy, OR · Gresham, OR · How this is calculated: methodology