Sandy and Oregon City 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
Sandy
Oregon City
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs70 · Top 17%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Sandy | Oregon City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,854 | 37,755 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,984 | $97,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,676 | $44,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,480/sq mi | 3,756/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,300 | $555,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,861 | $1,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 33.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 296 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 7.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -56.9% | 428.6% | 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 | 21 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 37.5 | 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.
Oregon City
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sandy
64
Your Score
59
Area Score
Oregon City
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sandy, OR · Oregon City, OR · How this is calculated: methodology