Moving to Oregon from Pennsylvania

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Pennsylvania to Oregon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Pennsylvania to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 4.3% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $72,113 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pennsylvania to Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $72,113

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.6% more

Groceries

pay 11.0% less

Transportation

pay 1.1% more

Housing

pay 2.6% more

Childcare

pay 25.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4% 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.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pennsylvania to Oregon.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

PA
264
OR
323
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

PA
1567
OR
2566

Pennsylvania performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

PA
5.5%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

PA
34.4%
OR
31.9%

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

PA
$240,500
OR
$454,200
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

PA
$1,162
OR
$1,450

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

PA
88.8%
OR
91.8%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

PA
27 min
OR
23 min

Oregon performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
3.7%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$61,506
OR
$61,622

Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Oregon leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

PA
76.8 yrs
OR
78.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

PA
24%
OR
26%

Oregon performs significantly better than Pennsylvania 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.

HarrisburgRain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
61°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsHarrisburgSalem
Jan–Mar42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun71°/50°F (22°/10°C)68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep81°/61°F (27°/16°C)80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec52°/34°F (11°/1°C)54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
MonthHarrisburgSalem
Jan36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°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 Pennsylvania?

Yes — Oregon is on average about 4% cheaper than Pennsylvania. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,028 in Oregon on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Oregon safe?

Pennsylvania performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to Pennsylvania?

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

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

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.

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