CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

45.56° N · 122.84° W · GEOID 4105950

Bethany

Washington County, Oregon · part of the Portland, OR metro

OregonBethany, ORBethanyBethany

The short answer

Bethany is home to 33,106 people. Median household income is $167,735 a year and median rent is $2,245 a month, 16.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $751,700, about 4.5x annual median household income.

What sets Bethany apart is how far household money goes. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $138,900 a year, more than in 94% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 80 Oregon places we track. Also notable: Home values run 33% below what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area.

94OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Bethany scores better than 94% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 1st of 104 in Oregon.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%59
Economy 20%83
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%59
Education 10%96
Commute 10%57
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,245
64% above the median place
Median household income
$167,735
109% above the median place
Median home value
$751,700
135% above the median place
Unemployment
4.0%
18% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Bethany

  • Work and commuting39% of workers mostly work from home, more than in 99% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the highest of 102 Oregon places we track.
01

Moving to Bethany

Washington County loses about 8.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in28,569
Moved out32,730
Net−4,161

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Multnomah County, OR6,4665,776+690
Clackamas County, OR2,7923,251−459
Clark County, WA1,0791,915−836
Yamhill County, OR9361,524−588
Marion County, OR8801,079−199
King County, WA548794−246

Within Oregon, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within OregonOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$84K
Leavers$92K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Washington County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
8.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.8% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Washington County report $83,900 a year in income on average; those leaving, $91,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$89,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,245 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,015 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $751,700.
Getting to work
24 minutes each way on average; 39.2% work from home; 2.5% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Broadlands, VA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
3.8%
93% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
8.7%
52% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-8.2
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year18.7%52% above
Moved from another state13.8%93% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-8.2below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$83,93119% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$91,72231% above
02

What it costs to live here

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 96 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

Bethany16.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$89,800
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.1%
21% below the median place
Home price to income
4.5x
18% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$139,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Bethany, $2,245 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Bethany, but easier on the budget

Places that match Bethany on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Broadlands, VA7413.4% vs 16.1%$69,400Compare
Dublin, OH6812.6% vs 16.1%$5,500Compare
Brambleton, VA6812.5% vs 16.1%$68,900Compare
Wyndham, VA6411.5% vs 16.1%$74,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Bethany.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Bethany? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
2.7%
62% below the median place
Median year built1
2004
1% above the median place
Median home value1
$751,700
135% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,24564% above
Rent to income116.1%21% below
Property tax rate10.9%3% above
Home price to income14.5x18% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure105.44% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,87816% above
HUD area median income4County figure$128,30020% above
Property tax paid (median)1$7,060116% above
Median home value1$751,700135% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure-0.5%below (median 3.2%)
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure32.8%36% below
Homeownership166.3%0% below
Renters paying 30%+146.6%8% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,01561% above
Vacant homes12.7%62% below
Median year built120041% above
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 110 hours a year commuting, less than in 94% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Works from home1
39.2%
215% above the median place
Median household income1
$167,735
109% above the median place
Poverty rate1
4.0%
62% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$68,030 +70%
Commutes by transit2.5% 3.0×
Unemployment4.0% −18%
Mean commute24 min −4%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$167,735109% above
Income per person1$68,03070% above
Unemployment14.0%18% below
Average annual pay6County figure$90,00336% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure-0.3%below (median 3.7%)
Jobs6County figure302,567101% above
Poverty rate14.0%62% below
Mean commute124 min4% below
Works from home139.2%215% above
Commutes by transit12.5%198% above
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 98.6%, 7% above the median place.

High school or higher1
98.6%
7% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
71.7%
124% above the median place
No health insurance1
2.3%
64% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad35.1% 4.0×
Homes with broadband95.9% +4%
Household size2.8 +13%
Median age36.9 −5%
All 8 people measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population133,1061382nd largest
Median age136.95% below
Bachelor's or higher171.7%124% above
High school or higher198.6%7% above
Household size12.813% above
Born abroad135.1%298% above
No health insurance12.3%64% below
Homes with broadband195.9%4% above
05

Life in Bethany

The nearest National Park Service site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, about 10 miles away.

51 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents14.2 +40%
Playgrounds per 10k21.1 2.2×
Grocery stores per 10k1.2 −43%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k11.8 +6%
Libraries per 10k0.6 −31%
Named paths and bike trails18 km 8.8×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi8.4 40.2×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Fort Vancouver National Historic Site 10 miles
  • Lewis and Clark National Historical Park 64 miles
  • Mount Rainier National Park 103 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.3 +7%
Shops26.3 −13%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.8 +17%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.6 +12%
Child care centers5.0 2.2×

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
9.5
69% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
5.0
117% above the median place
Public schools12
136
above the median place (median 9)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure136above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure79,469above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure18.520% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure22.37% above
Shops per 10k8County figure26.313% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.817% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure22.612% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure5.0117% above
Parks per 10k914.240% above
Playgrounds per 10k921.1125% above
Grocery stores per 10k91.243% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k911.86% above
Libraries per 10k90.631% below
Named paths and bike trails917.7above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi98.4above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site109.569% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10150% below
National Register listings11County figure51292% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 78°F, 10% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Bethany. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high13
78°F
10% below the median place
Annual precipitation13
55.7 in
27% above the median place
Median air quality index15
36
16% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureBethanyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure78°F10% below
January average low13County figure35°F37% above
Average temperature13County figure51°F6% below
Annual precipitation13County figure55.7 in27% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure96.04% above
Tornado risk14County figure53.135% below
Wildfire risk14County figure50.917% below
Heat wave risk14County figure96.67% above
Median air quality index15County figure3616% below
Good air days15County figure79.2%16% above
08

Bethany in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 16% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Bethany does better than 59% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 20%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,245/mo (2024)$2,890/mo$2,370 to $3,520/mo+4.3%
Median household income$167,735 (2024)$212,500$179,500 to $251,500+4.0%
Median home value$751,700 (2024)$1,055,000$766,000 to $1,454,000+5.8%

The median home would be worth 5.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Bethany

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Timnath, CO$2,206$178,257Compare
Nolensville, TN$2,454$177,148Compare
Oakton, VA$2,276$160,663Compare
Clarksburg, MD$2,495$176,678Compare
Clarksburg, MDOakton, VANolensville, TNTimnath, COBethany, ORBethanyTimnathNolensvilleOaktonClarksburgBethanyTimnathNolensvilleOaktonClarksburg

Places built like Bethany

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Bethany performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Bethany, OR16.1%4.3%/yrn/a
Dublin, CA17.9%7.4%/yr-1.2%Compare
Issaquah, WA20.1%7.1%/yr-1.6%Compare
Bothell East, WA14.5%10.3%/yrn/aCompare
Cedar Mill, OR13.8%2.5%/yrn/aCompare
Mill Creek East, WA19.6%7.6%/yrn/aCompare
San Ramon, CA18.2%4.1%/yr-0.3%Compare

Common questions

Is Bethany a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 94 out of 100, better than 94% of the places we rate and 1st of 104 in Oregon. 39% of workers mostly work from home, more than in 99% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the highest of 102 Oregon places we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 84 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Bethany expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $751,700.

What salary do you need to live in Bethany?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $89,800 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Bethany?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Timnath, CO, Nolensville, TN, Oakton, VA and Clarksburg, MD.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Bethany with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Bethany itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/bethany-oregon

Citytistics. “Bethany, Oregon.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/bethany-oregon/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.