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
Hillsboro
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
71 · Top 25%
vs42 · Bottom 37%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | West Linn | Hillsboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,935 | 108,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,507 | $106,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $68,601 | $51,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,625/sq mi | 4,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $770,200 | $521,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,116 | $1,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.7% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 213 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | -55.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.24 | 19.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.9% | 32.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.2% | 35.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.5% | 67.9% | 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.
Hillsboro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: West Linn, OR · Hillsboro, OR · How this is calculated: methodology