Sandy and Portland 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
Portland
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs61 · Bottom 21%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Sandy | Portland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,854 | 641,165 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,984 | $90,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,676 | $57,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,480/sq mi | 4,803/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,300 | $581,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,861 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 1,639 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -56.9% | 3.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 36.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 38.8 | 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.
Portland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Sandy, OR · Portland, OR · How this is calculated: methodology