Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Hillsboro, OR
🏆 Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Hillsboro
Oregon
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$98,891
Violent Crime Index
84
Population
106,612
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $38,496 more per year on average
20% less violent crime than Hillsboro
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (2.8%)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Hillsboro
Hillsboro, OR
Pros
Homes cost $381k less ($452,300 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $430/mo less ($1,797 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $38,496/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$38,496
$137,387 vs $98,891/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
20% lower
254.4 vs 317.7 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 4.6% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.1°F
Hillsboro
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Hillsboro
Median Home Value
$381k less
$452,300 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Hillsboro, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $452,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,797⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $98,891 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 17.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 41.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Hillsboro SD 1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 47.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 35.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 106,612 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 50.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Hillsboro's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Hillsboro is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 14 and Hillsboro wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Hillsboro or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $452,300 median home), income ($137,387 vs $98,891), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Hillsboro, OR are about 2,357 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.