Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portland, OR
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Portland
Oregon
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
190⚠ High
Population
646,101 ✓ Larger
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portland, OR
Pros
Homes cost $282k less ($523,100 vs $805,500)
Rent averages $204/mo less ($1,530 vs $1,734)
More college-educated — 52.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $3,104 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (720.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5526.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
74% less violent crime than Portland
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 47°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.1%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Median income trails Portland by $3,104/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Portland
Median Income
$3,104
$85,876 vs $82,772/yr
Portland
Median Home Value
$282k less
$523,100 vs $805,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 106.6 on the COL index
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
74% lower
185.2 vs 720.1 per 100k
Urban Honolulu
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.1% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portland, OR | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 106.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $523,100⚠ High ✓ Lower | $805,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,530⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,734⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,876 ✓ Higher | $82,772 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.8 min | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.0% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 219⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 190⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 263⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.5% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portland SD 1J | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.9°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.3°F ✓ Warmer | 79.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.9" | 31.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 646,101 ✓ Larger | 348,547 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.3% ✓ Higher | 48.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.0% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portland's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
Portland is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Portland wins 11 and Urban Honolulu 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 Portland to Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($523,100 vs $805,500 median home), income ($85,876 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portland, OR and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 2,595 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.