West Linn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Linn
Gresham
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | West Linn | Gresham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,935 | 112,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,507 | $77,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $68,601 | $36,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,625/sq mi | 4,769/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $770,200 | $458,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,116 | $1,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.7% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 23.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 212 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | -38.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.24 | 21.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.5% | 84.8% | 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
West Linn
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Gresham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: West Linn, OR · Gresham, OR · How this is calculated: methodology