West Linn 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
West Linn
Portland
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs61 · Bottom 21%
Schools
71 · Top 25%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | West Linn | Portland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,935 | 641,165 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,507 | $90,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $68,601 | $57,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,625/sq mi | 4,803/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $770,200 | $581,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,116 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.7% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 1,639 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | 3.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 36.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 131 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.24 | 17.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.9% | 44.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.2% | 64.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.5% | 70.8% | 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.
Portland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: West Linn, OR · Portland, OR · How this is calculated: methodology