Moving to Oregon from Maryland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Maryland to Oregon? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Maryland to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 11.1% cheaper than Maryland. A $75,000 salary in Maryland would need to be roughly $65,405 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Maryland and Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $65,405

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 0.9% more

Groceries

pay 18.3% less

Transportation

pay 1.2% less

Housing

pay 2.0% less

Childcare

pay 42.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Oregon cost about 7% less than cities in Maryland.

Maryland

Bethesda 71%

Oregon

Portland 68%
Beaverton 66%
Bend 66%

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Oregon compared to Maryland.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
420
OR
323
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
2043
OR
2566

Maryland generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MD
6.0%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MD
33.4%
OR
31.9%

Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oregon leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MD
$397,700
OR
$454,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MD
$1,662
OR
$1,450

Maryland generally does better on what about housing?, though Oregon leads in median rent.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MD
91.6%
OR
91.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MD
32 min
OR
23 min

Oregon performs significantly better than Maryland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MD
3.7%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MD
$69,127
OR
$61,622

Maryland performs better than Oregon across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MD
76.8 yrs
OR
78.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MD
29%
OR
26%

Maryland generally does better on family life, though Oregon leads in life expectancy.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Annapolis Rain: 47.3 in/yr (1201 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Annapolis Salem
Jan–Mar 50°/33°F (10°/0°C) 52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) 68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) 80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/42°F (15°/6°C) 54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
Month Annapolis Salem
Jan 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C) 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C) 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C) 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C) 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C) 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C) 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C) 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°C) 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Oregon than Maryland?

On average Oregon is about 13% less expensive than Maryland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Budget about $16,351 for 3 months in Oregon (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Oregon safe?

Maryland generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to Maryland?

Maryland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oregon leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in Oregon compared to Maryland?

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 68°F in Annapolis. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Annapolis gets 47.3 in.

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