Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Sparks leads 12 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
97,554
Sparks
Nevada
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
8% less violent crime than Sparks
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
Households earn $5,961 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,700
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,663/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Sparks
Sparks, NV
Pros
Homes cost $71k less ($423,500 vs $494,700)
Rent averages $137/mo less ($1,526 vs $1,663)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Beaverton
Cons
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.9%)
Median income trails Beaverton by $5,961/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Median Income
$5,961
$88,899 vs $82,938/yr
Beaverton
Violent Crime
8% lower
364.8 vs 394.4 per 100k
Beaverton
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.9% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Home Value
$71k less
$423,500 vs $494,700
Sparks
Summer Heat
9.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High | $423,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 ✓ Higher | $82,938 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 108,025 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sparks leads 12 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 11 and Sparks wins 12. 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 Beaverton to Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $423,500 median home), income ($88,899 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Sparks, NV are about 437 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.