You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Oregon.
The median household income in Clackamas County, the richest county in Oregon is $95,740, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 36 counties in the Beaver State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Oregon For 2024
What is the richest county in Oregon? The richest county in Oregon is Clackamas County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Harney County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Oregon. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Oregon and the cheapest places to live in Oregon.
The Richest Counties In Oregon For 2024
1. Clackamas County
Biggest Place: Portland
Population: 420,925
Median Income: $95,740 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $601,201 (3rd highest)
More on Clackamas County: Data
2. Washington County
Biggest Place: Portland
Population: 599,541
Median Income: $100,121 (highest)
Median Home Price: $568,915 (4th highest)
More on Washington County: Data
3. Hood River County
Biggest Place: Hood River
Population: 23,965
Median Income: $80,254 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $669,323 (highest)
More on Hood River County: Data
4. Deschutes County
Biggest Place: Bend
Population: 199,352
Median Income: $82,042 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $662,115 (2nd highest)
More on Deschutes County: Data
5. Multnomah County
Biggest Place: Portland
Population: 808,098
Median Income: $83,668 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $493,722 (8th highest)
More on Multnomah County: Data
6. Benton County
Biggest Place: Corvallis
Population: 95,615
Median Income: $72,882 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $527,449 (5th highest)
More on Benton County: Data
7. Yamhill County
Biggest Place: McMinnville
Population: 107,674
Median Income: $80,125 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $489,400 (9th highest)
More on Yamhill County: Data
8. Columbia County
Biggest Place: St. Helens
Population: 52,865
Median Income: $83,265 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $434,012 (15th highest)
More on Columbia County: Data
9. Polk County
Biggest Place: Salem
Population: 87,600
Median Income: $77,353 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $458,607 (12th highest)
More on Polk County: Data
10. Clatsop County
Biggest Place: Astoria
Population: 41,190
Median Income: $68,025 (15th highest)
Median Home Price: $516,116 (7th highest)
More on Clatsop County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Oregon county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Oregon, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Oregon for each of the criteria from one to 36, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Oregon.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Beaver State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Oregon. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Oregon For 2024
Living in Oregon can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Oregon are Clackamas County, Washington County, Hood River County, Deschutes County, Multnomah County, Benton County, Yamhill County, Columbia County, Polk County, and Clatsop County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Oregon according to the data:
- Harney County
- Lake County
- Malheur County
For more Oregon reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Oregon
- Safest Places In Oregon
- Best Counties To Live In Oregon
- Best Places To Live In Oregon
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Oregon
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clackamas County | 420,925 | $95,740 | $601,201 |
| 2 | Washington County | 599,541 | $100,121 | $568,915 |
| 3 | Hood River County | 23,965 | $80,254 | $669,323 |
| 4 | Deschutes County | 199,352 | $82,042 | $662,115 |
| 5 | Multnomah County | 808,098 | $83,668 | $493,722 |
| 6 | Benton County | 95,615 | $72,882 | $527,449 |
| 7 | Yamhill County | 107,674 | $80,125 | $489,400 |
| 8 | Columbia County | 52,865 | $83,265 | $434,012 |
| 9 | Polk County | 87,600 | $77,353 | $458,607 |
| 10 | Clatsop County | 41,190 | $68,025 | $516,116 |
| 11 | Crook County | 24,987 | $74,969 | $444,148 |
| 12 | Tillamook County | 27,345 | $63,098 | $518,035 |
| 13 | Marion County | 345,815 | $70,926 | $424,796 |
| 14 | Curry County | 23,404 | $64,300 | $461,690 |
| 15 | Lane County | 382,218 | $65,157 | $443,158 |
| 16 | Jackson County | 222,604 | $67,690 | $420,662 |
| 17 | Jefferson County | 24,659 | $69,345 | $406,884 |
| 18 | Linn County | 128,598 | $69,523 | $392,883 |
| 19 | Lincoln County | 50,334 | $57,794 | $479,695 |
| 20 | Umatilla County | 79,904 | $70,322 | $293,385 |
| 21 | Wallowa County | 7,439 | $62,238 | $417,988 |
| 22 | Morrow County | 12,140 | $64,975 | $285,372 |
| 23 | Wasco County | 26,639 | $61,316 | $380,219 |
| 24 | Union County | 26,286 | $61,946 | $301,944 |
| 25 | Coos County | 64,908 | $57,563 | $348,969 |
| 26 | Josephine County | 87,994 | $56,068 | $393,248 |
| 27 | Douglas County | 111,322 | $56,440 | $331,387 |
| 28 | Klamath County | 69,506 | $57,219 | $284,940 |
| 29 | Gilliam County | 1,983 | $58,409 | $222,914 |
| 30 | Sherman County | 1,900 | $57,171 | $243,509 |
| 31 | Baker County | 16,685 | $51,657 | $274,130 |
| 32 | Grant County | 7,237 | $56,045 | $268,437 |
| 33 | Wheeler County | 1,407 | $50,774 | $271,411 |
| 34 | Malheur County | 31,538 | $48,371 | $273,745 |
| 35 | Lake County | 8,201 | $54,663 | $174,257 |
| 36 | Harney County | 7,496 | $45,462 | $201,759 |