Moving to Oregon from Ohio

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ohio to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 6.7% more expensive than Ohio. A $75,000 salary in Ohio would need to be roughly $83,010 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Salem averages 64°F vs 76°F in Columbus, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $83,010

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.9% more

Groceries

pay 8.2% more

Transportation

pay 1.2% less

Housing

pay 20.0% more

Childcare

pay 7.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.4% more

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 20% more than cities in Ohio.

Ohio

Dayton 58%
Akron 53%

Oregon

Portland 68%
Beaverton 66%
Bend 66%

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Oregon compared to Ohio.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OH
284
OR
323
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OH
1676
OR
2566

Ohio performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

OH
6.2%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OH
39.5%
OR
31.9%

Oregon performs significantly better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

OH
$199,200
OR
$454,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OH
$988
OR
$1,450

Ohio performs better than Oregon across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

OH
89.0%
OR
91.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OH
24 min
OR
23 min

Oregon performs significantly better than Ohio across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OH
4.0%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OH
$60,669
OR
$61,622

Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though Ohio leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

OH
75.3 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

OH
21%
OR
26%

Oregon performs significantly better than Ohio across all family life metrics.

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.

Columbus Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1188 mm)
76° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbus Salem
Jan–Mar 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 84°/62°F (29°/16°C) 68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/71°F (32°/21°C) 80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
Month Columbus Salem
Jan 58°/37°F (14.2°/2.7°C) 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb 62°/40°F (16.7°/4.5°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr 77°/53°F (24.8°/11.4°C) 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May 84°/62°F (28.9°/16.6°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun 90°/70°F (32.2°/20.9°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug 91°/72°F (33.0°/22.4°C) 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep 86°/67°F (30.2°/19.3°C) 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.1°C) 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec 59°/39°F (15.2°/3.8°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 Ohio?

On average Oregon is around 11% pricier than Ohio, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Budget about $20,752 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?

Ohio performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to Ohio?

Oregon performs significantly better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 76°F in Columbus. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Columbus gets 46.8 in.

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