Best overall
Deschutes County
Overall score 63.5
Economy 77.1 / Affordability 15.1
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Oregon
Compare counties in Oregon by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 36 Oregon counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Oregon
Put Oregon counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Oregon rankings
Open the full Oregon ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Oregon county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Benton County
Family score 70.9
Schools 89.5 / Safety 94.6
Best value
Lake County
Value score 65.4
Affordability 68.7 / Taxes 55
Most affordable
Lake County
Affordability 68.7
Typical home $194,098
Best schools
Benton County
Schools 89.5
Safety 94.6 / Economy 61.7
Safest
Benton County
Safety 94.6
Schools 89.5 / Peace 86.1
Low taxes
Curry County
Taxes 70.9
Affordability 20.2 / Typical home $449,919
Peace & quiet
Union County
Peace & Quiet 97.1
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Oregon
View full- 1Deschutes County
Typical home $667,868
63.5
Overall
- 2Washington County
Typical home $567,308
62
Overall
- 3Clackamas County
Typical home $615,069
58.9
Overall
- 4Harney County
Typical home $211,051
58.8
Overall
- 5Hood River County
Typical home $687,018
58.8
Overall
Best counties for families in Oregon
View full- 1Benton County
Typical home $553,569
70.9
Family
- 2Deschutes County
Typical home $667,868
70.5
Family
- 3Washington County
Typical home $567,308
67.8
Family
- 4Sherman County
Typical home $282,612
64.6
Family
- 5Clackamas County
Typical home $615,069
64.2
Family
Best value counties in Oregon
View full- 1Lake County
Typical home $194,098
65.4
Value
- 2Morrow County
Typical home $306,117
64.2
Value
- 3Harney County
Typical home $211,051
63.5
Value
- 4Sherman County
Typical home $282,612
58.7
Value
- 5Columbia County
Typical home $450,364
58.5
Value
Most affordable counties in Oregon
View full- 1Lake County
Typical home $194,098
68.7
Afford.
- 2Gilliam County
Typical home $240,781
58.8
Afford.
- 3Harney County
Typical home $211,051
58.5
Afford.
- 4Morrow County
Typical home $306,117
54.5
Afford.
- 5Umatilla County
Typical home $307,921
47.1
Afford.
Best school counties in Oregon
View full- 1Benton County
Typical home $553,569
89.5
Schools
- 2Washington County
Typical home $567,308
88.3
Schools
- 3Deschutes County
Typical home $667,868
82.5
Schools
- 4Clackamas County
Typical home $615,069
81.5
Schools
- 5Wallowa County
Typical home $433,286
68.6
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Oregon
View full- 1Curry County
Typical home $449,919
70.9
Taxes
- 2Sherman County
Typical home $282,612
65.6
Taxes
- 3Klamath County
Typical home $311,079
63.6
Taxes
- 4Grant County
Typical home $285,066
63.4
Taxes
- 5Douglas County
Typical home $342,175
63.4
Taxes
Quietest counties in Oregon
View full- 1Union County
Typical home $330,865
97.1
Quiet
- 2Harney County
Typical home $211,051
94.8
Quiet
- 3Baker County
Typical home $301,878
94.8
Quiet
- 4Lake County
Typical home $194,098
94
Quiet
- 5Douglas County
Typical home $342,175
94
Quiet
Safest counties in Oregon
View full- 1Benton County
Typical home $553,569
94.6
Safety
- 2Harney County
Typical home $211,051
94.5
Safety
- 3Columbia County
Typical home $450,364
93.6
Safety
- 4Deschutes County
Typical home $667,868
92.6
Safety
- 5Baker County
Typical home $301,878
91.9
Safety
Popular Oregon county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Oregon
The best county in Oregon depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Oregon
For best overall counties in Oregon, Deschutes County, Washington County, and Clackamas County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Oregon
For families, Benton County, Deschutes County, and Washington County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Oregon
For affordability-focused movers, Lake County, Gilliam County, and Harney County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Oregon
For school-first households, Benton County, Washington County, and Deschutes County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Oregon
For lower tax-pressure searches, Curry County, Sherman County, and Klamath County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Oregon
For quieter-living searches, Union County, Harney County, and Baker County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Oregon
Compare county scale carefully in Oregon; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Oregon
What is the best county to live in Oregon?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Deschutes County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Oregon for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Benton County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Oregon?
Lake County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Oregon counties score well for schools or taxes?
Benton County currently leads the school-score view, while Curry County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Oregon counties
Showing all 36 Oregon counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deschutes County FIPS 41017 | 63.5 | 77.1 | 15.1 | 82.5 | 92.6 | 56.7 | 87.5 | $667,868 | $92,758 |
| 2 | Washington County FIPS 41067 | 62 | 73.3 | 28.2 | 88.3 | 88.8 | 39.9 | 33.8 | $567,308 | $107,772 |
| 3 | Clackamas County FIPS 41005 | 58.9 | 74.2 | 22.2 | 81.5 | 72.5 | 38.8 | 75 | $615,069 | $103,517 |
| 4 | Harney County FIPS 41025 | 58.8 | 56.6 | 58.5 | 33.7 | 94.5 | 43.5 | 94.8 | $211,051 | $55,208 |
| 5 | Hood River County FIPS 41027 | 58.8 | 75.1 | 14.9 | 60.1 | 91.2 | 60.4 | 90.8 | $687,018 | $88,947 |
| 6 | Benton County FIPS 41003 | 58.4 | 61.7 | 12.6 | 89.5 | 94.6 | 34.5 | 86.1 | $553,569 | $77,702 |
| 7 | Yamhill County FIPS 41071 | 57.4 | 68.6 | 27.6 | 51.1 | 91.5 | 53.4 | 80.9 | $505,781 | $90,063 |
| 8 | Baker County FIPS 41001 | 57 | 52.3 | 41.2 | 50 | 91.9 | 51.1 | 94.8 | $301,878 | $60,936 |
| 9 | Lake County FIPS 41037 | 56.7 | 43.2 | 68.7 | 33.7 | 78.4 | 55 | 94 | $194,098 | $62,787 |
| 10 | Wallowa County FIPS 41063 | 56.7 | 68.7 | 17.2 | 68.6 | 70.4 | 63.1 | 91.9 | $433,286 | $67,112 |
| 11 | Columbia County FIPS 41009 | 56.2 | 62.8 | 38.4 | 37 | 93.6 | 53.7 | 81.6 | $450,364 | $87,458 |
| 12 | Sherman County FIPS 41055 | 56.2 | 40.1 | 42.4 | 60 | 83.9 | 65.6 | 88.8 | $282,612 | $60,161 |
| 13 | Polk County FIPS 41053 | 54.8 | 69.5 | 26.4 | 41 | 91.5 | 46.9 | 83.7 | $478,643 | $85,118 |
| 14 | Morrow County FIPS 41049 | 53.8 | 61.5 | 54.5 | 14 | 75.1 | 62.4 | 90.3 | $306,117 | $75,448 |
| 15 | Umatilla County FIPS 41059 | 51.6 | 51.3 | 47.1 | 22.6 | 88.1 | 46.4 | 92.7 | $307,921 | $67,728 |
| 16 | Wheeler County FIPS 41069 | 51.4 | 60.5 | 28.7 | 44.7 | 66.4 | 59.4 | 85.2 | $316,458 | $55,284 |
| 17 | Union County FIPS 41061 | 50.7 | 46.6 | 38.4 | 30.3 | 89.3 | 50.9 | 97.1 | $330,865 | $65,661 |
| 18 | Gilliam County FIPS 41021 | 50.6 | 48.6 | 58.8 | 33.1 | 49.1 | 53.6 | 88.7 | $240,781 | $66,917 |
| 19 | Grant County FIPS 41023 | 49.9 | 39.3 | 45.8 | 44.8 | 58.3 | 63.4 | 90.7 | $285,066 | $59,450 |
| 20 | Lane County FIPS 41039 | 49.4 | 57.3 | 17.3 | 45.8 | 86.2 | 41.9 | 90.2 | $452,759 | $71,544 |
| 21 | Linn County FIPS 41043 | 48.9 | 56.3 | 34 | 24.8 | 82.7 | 45.1 | 88.2 | $409,099 | $76,329 |
| 22 | Crook County FIPS 41013 | 48.6 | 65.5 | 27.8 | 21.4 | 72.7 | 56.5 | 89.1 | $469,791 | $81,965 |
| 23 | Jackson County FIPS 41029 | 48.1 | 54.4 | 25.5 | 33.5 | 80.1 | 48.1 | 91.1 | $434,491 | $73,999 |
| 24 | Coos County FIPS 41011 | 47.9 | 45.9 | 35 | 23.3 | 86 | 54.9 | 92.7 | $346,172 | $62,143 |
| 25 | Wasco County FIPS 41065 | 47.6 | 61.6 | 20.9 | 21.4 | 88 | 48.3 | 92.7 | $398,015 | $64,175 |
| 26 | Josephine County FIPS 41033 | 47 | 37.3 | 24.3 | 40.7 | 84.7 | 61.9 | 90.6 | $388,613 | $60,098 |
| 27 | Malheur County FIPS 41045 | 46.7 | 47.2 | 30.4 | 18.5 | 86.7 | 59.3 | 93.8 | $309,312 | $54,519 |
| 28 | Douglas County FIPS 41019 | 45.8 | 42.2 | 36.1 | 19.9 | 74.4 | 63.4 | 94 | $342,175 | $61,310 |
| 29 | Clatsop County FIPS 41007 | 45.3 | 58 | 10.7 | 25.6 | 91.1 | 51.3 | 83.4 | $509,201 | $71,822 |
| 30 | Jefferson County FIPS 41031 | 45 | 59.7 | 27.5 | 3.3 | 82.1 | 59.2 | 86 | $428,109 | $76,260 |
| 31 | Tillamook County FIPS 41057 | 43.8 | 53.4 | 10.9 | 29.7 | 77.5 | 61.5 | 81 | $503,130 | $69,105 |
| 32 | Curry County FIPS 41015 | 40.6 | 37.6 | 20.2 | 17.5 | 73.4 | 70.9 | 91.8 | $449,919 | $62,244 |
| 33 | Lincoln County FIPS 41041 | 40.1 | 46.7 | 13.2 | 20.6 | 84.3 | 43.5 | 79.9 | $468,671 | $63,165 |
| 34 | Marion County FIPS 41047 | 38.5 | 61.3 | 26.2 | 19.3 | 31.7 | 44.1 | 72.3 | $443,038 | $77,351 |
| 35 | Multnomah County FIPS 41051 | 34.2 | 62.2 | 21.7 | 36 | 15 | 26.7 | 21.3 | $506,896 | $88,766 |
| 36 | Klamath County FIPS 41035 | 33.7 | 38.5 | 37.2 | 18.8 | 0 | 63.6 | 93.8 | $311,079 | $58,830 |