Question 1

What is the cost of living in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?

Accepted Answer

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 105.42, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 5.4% more than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,922/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, the average median wage is $153,652. The single highest-paying occupation here is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $524,350/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA are: 1) Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $524,350; 2) Chief Executives at $375,810; 3) Neurologists at $337,810; 4) Physicians, All Other at $333,860; 5) Family Medicine Physicians at $286,170. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $1,922/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Web and Digital Interface Designers	Technology	$121K	$58/hr
82	Education Administrators, Postsecondary	Management	$120K	$57.75/hr
83	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers	Engineering	$120K	$57.69/hr
84	Emergency Management Directors	Management	$120K	$57.63/hr
85	Fire Inspectors and Investigators	Public Safety	$120K	$57.59/hr
86	Detectives and Criminal Investigators	Public Safety	$119K	$57.38/hr
87	Gas Plant Operators	Production & Manufacturing	$119K	$57.04/hr
88	Facilities Managers	Management	$118K	$56.82/hr
89	Physical Scientists, All Other	Science	$118K	$56.62/hr
90	Financial and Investment Analysts	Business & Finance	$117K	$56.38/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Highest paying careers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro

Affordability snapshot: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro