Lake Oswego receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Helens
Lake Oswego
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs27 · Bottom 14%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
10 · Bottom 2%
vs85 · Top 8%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Helens | Lake Oswego | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,258 | 40,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,865 | $141,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,404 | $91,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,936/sq mi | 3,714/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,200 | $932,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,413 | $2,139 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 69.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 74.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 3.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.5% | -35.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.3" | 39.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 46.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.44 | 16.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.8% | 65.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.6% | 75.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.7% | 15.0% | 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
St. Helens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Lake Oswego
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.
St. Helens
50
Your Score
45
Area Score
Lake Oswego
65
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Helens, OR · Lake Oswego, OR · How this is calculated: methodology