Hillsboro Is the Top City in Oregon to Find Affordable Housing, New Study Says

Portland is number eight.

Looking west into the Tualatin Valley from Hillsboro. (M. O. Stevens / Wikimedia Commons)
By Elise Herron

There are precious few places in Oregon where people can find affordable housing. But researchers at Home Area, a national real-estate resource site, have mapped out where prospective homeowners might have the best luck.

According to a new study, Hillsboro is the Oregon city with the most affordable housing. The Portland-area suburb's top ranking was followed by Salem and Beaverton. Portland took the number eight slot.

Using Census Bureau data, Home Area compared local home prices and local incomes in Oregon cities with populations of 60,000 or more. In order to rank the cities with the most affordable housing, researchers calculated a median multiple that answers the question: "How many years would it take for the median income to pay off the median home price?"

"Lower values indicate that incomes in the area are high enough to make it easier to pay off a home," the study notes. "Anything under 3 is considered affordable."

Here's a breakdown of the affordability ranking for populous Oregon cities, along with its calculated median multiple:

Home Area

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