Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Portland, OR
🏆 Orange leads 12 of 23 categories
Orange
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Portland
Oregon
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,876
Violent Crime Index
190⚠ High
Population
646,101 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
69% less violent crime than Portland
Households earn $23,459 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 47°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Portland
Portland, OR
Pros
Homes cost $325k less ($523,100 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $618/mo less ($1,530 vs $2,148)
More college-educated — 52.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (720.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Orange by $23,459/yr
Property crime (5526.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$23,459
$109,335 vs $85,876/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
69% lower
226.1 vs 720.1 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.6% unemployment
Portland
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Portland
Median Home Value
$325k less
$523,100 vs $848,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Portland, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $523,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,530⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $85,876 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 22.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 219⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | A- (112) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 52.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 93.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Portland SD 1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 46.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 80.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 44.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 646,101 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Portland's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Portland is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 12 of 23 categories. Orange wins 12 and Portland wins 11. 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 Orange to Portland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $523,100 median home), income ($109,335 vs $85,876), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Portland, OR are about 850 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.