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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Oregon

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Oregon from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 8 metro areas.

103.4
Statewide RPP
#12
of 51 states by cost
108.6
Rents RPP
8
Metro areas

The verdict

Oregon is more expensive than 76% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 103.4, 3.4% above the national average.

103.4
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#12
of 51 states by overall cost
top 24%
nationally, among all states
108.6
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $96,748 when earned in Oregon.

Reading the Oregon Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Oregon's statewide Regional Price Parity at 103.4 for the 2024 data year, 3.4% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's rents line runs hottest at 108.6. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Oregon captures 8 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA leads on cost at 105.4, while Grants Pass, OR sits at the opposite end at 97.8 — a gap of 7.7 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 105.3, for services 107.0, and for rents 108.6 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Oregon's statewide index has climbed by 5.6 points, meaning the cost gap between this state and cheaper parts of the country has widened. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $96,748 of national buying power when earned inside Oregon, and a household relocating here would need roughly $103,361 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

103.4
Overall
105.3
Goods
107.0
Services
108.6
Rents

Oregon vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

103 Top 24% higher than 76% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Oregon → Cheapest in Oregon →

Metro areas in Oregon, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 105.4 105.2 107.0 125.1
2 Corvallis 104.0 105.3 108.6 114.4
3 Salem 103.6 105.3 104.7 110.3
4 Bend 103.6 105.3 105.0 110.0
5 Albany 102.1 105.3 104.8 101.1
6 Eugene-Springfield 101.6 105.3 102.5 98.3
7 Medford 101.4 105.3 102.3 97.7
8 Grants Pass 97.8 105.3 103.6 79.9

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 97.8
2009 100.3
2010 99.4
2011 99.8
2012 101.1
2013 100.2
2014 99.7
2015 101.1
2016 99.6
2017 101.5
2018 104.7
2019 103.8
2020 103.2
2021 103.2
2022 106.6
2023 104.8
2024 103.4

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Oregon? ▼
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 103.4, meaning it is 3.4% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 105.3, services at 107.0, and rents at 108.6.
What salary in Oregon equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $103,361 in Oregon. Conversely, $100K earned in Oregon has the purchasing power of $96,748 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Oregon? ▼
Rents in Oregon are indexed at 108.6, which is 8.6% above the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Which is the most expensive metro in Oregon? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Oregon is Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA with an RPP of 105.4. The most affordable is Grants Pass, OR at 97.8. There are 8 metro areas in Oregon with BEA price data.
Is Oregon getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Oregon's overall cost index changed by +5.6 points (from 97.8 to 103.4). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What is most expensive in Oregon compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Oregon is rents at 108.6, which is 8.6% above the national average. All other categories are at or above the national average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.