Cost of Living in Oregon
What it costs to live in Oregon, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 4,272,371
- Median household income
- $85,220
- State income tax
- Up to 9.9%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 103.4
What a typical paycheck keeps in Oregon
The typical Oregon worker earns $57,000 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $8,320 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $57,000
- Federal income tax
- −$4,660
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,760
- State income tax
- −$3,750
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,764
- Everyday costs
- −$18,746
a year, or $693 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Oregon.
Cost of living in Oregon
Prices across Oregon run 3% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing9% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)5% above the US average
- Utilities7% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)About the same as the US average
- All items3% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,397 | $16,764 |
| Food | $520 | $6,240 |
| Transportation | $411 | $4,932 |
| Healthcare | $353 | $4,236 |
| Utilities | $279 | $3,348 |
| Total before taxes | $2,960 | $35,520 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Oregon taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 4.8% |
| $4,550 | 6.8% |
| $11,400 | 8.8% |
| $125,000 | 9.9% |
Payroll programs withheld from wages
- Paid Leave Oregon0.6% up to $184,500
- Statewide transit tax0.1%
Federal tax subtraction phases out in $5,000 steps between $125,000 and $145,000; modelled as linear. The statewide transit tax (0.1% of wages) and Paid Leave Oregon contributions are counted under payroll taxes. Portland-area taxes (Metro, Multnomah County, arts tax) are in the local tax table.
Taxes on the median household income
$85,220 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$9,918 |
| Payroll taxes | −$7,116 |
| State income tax | −$5,862 |
| Effective tax rate | 26.9% |
Cities in Oregon
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Oregon city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Oregon
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $211,690 | $101,795 |
| Pharmacist | $165,960 | $73,643 |
| Physician assistant | $155,780 | $67,763 |
| Nurse practitioner | $155,680 | $67,706 |
| Software engineer | $142,720 | $60,320 |
| Lawyer | $138,210 | $57,911 |
| Lineman | $131,090 | $54,074 |
| Registered nurse | $129,010 | $52,929 |
| Veterinarian | $128,880 | $52,858 |
| Data scientist | $125,990 | $51,265 |
| Dental hygienist | $122,080 | $49,000 |
| Financial analyst | $120,590 | $48,099 |
| Occupational therapist | $112,310 | $43,056 |
| Project manager | $105,480 | $38,896 |
| Civil engineer | $105,250 | $38,757 |
Salary pages in Oregon, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Oregon
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $347,180 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $293,240 |
| Dentists, General | $211,690 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,270 |
| Pharmacists | $165,960 |
| Marketing Managers | $161,560 |
| Financial Managers | $156,460 |
| Sales Managers | $155,810 |
| Physician Assistants | $155,780 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $155,680 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $143,120 |
| Software Developers | $142,720 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $141,690 |
| Human Resources Managers | $140,570 |
| Lawyers | $138,210 |
Living in Oregon
Oregon against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Oregon | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $497,500 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,597 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 37.8% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 23.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 17.1% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare Oregon with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Oregon?
Prices in Oregon are 3% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,397 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,562 a month.
Does Oregon have a state income tax?
Yes. Oregon's income tax rate is up to 9.9%. On a typical wage of $57,000, a single filer pays about $3,750 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Oregon?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $45,500 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Oregon earns $57,000 and keeps $8,320 after those costs.
Where in Oregon does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Oregon cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Salem ($8,738 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Portland ($7,577).
What jobs pay the most in Oregon?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Oregon goes to Physicians, All Other ($347,180); Family Medicine Physicians ($293,240); Dentists, General ($211,690) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate