Head-to-head
California vs Oregon
Oregon is cheaper than California mainly on rent and utilities: the all-items gap is 7.359 points (103.361 vs 110.720), goods differ by less than one point, and both states rely heavily on income tax.
Updated
| Measure | California | Oregon | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 110.720 | 103.361 | +7.359 points |
| Rent price level | 154.346 | 108.628 | +45.718 points |
| Home value | $734,700±$1,307 | $477,600±$1,400 | +$257,100 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $2,103±$6 | $1,523±$12 | +$580 |
| Household income | $99,122±$310 | $83,011±$573 | +$16,111 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $5,124±$17 | $3,876±$17 | +$1,248 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in California scales to $3,734 in Oregon at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
California vs Oregon: housing and power, not the shopping basket
The category rows show where the gap lives. California's rent parity is 154.346 against Oregon's 108.628, a 45.718-point difference, and its utilities parity is 158.899 against 107.046. Goods, however, are 106.098 in California and 105.261 in Oregon, only 0.837 apart: Oregon is one of the more expensive states for goods, so a move north does not cut grocery or household-goods bills much.
On housing, the difference is large and immediate. A renter keeping the same size of home saves $580 a month at the median, $6,960 a year. Buyers see a $257,100 gap in median home value and a $1,248 gap in the typical yearly tax bill. Renters' burdens are closer than the rents suggest, 32.8% of income in California and 31.3% in Oregon, because Oregon incomes are lower.
Both are income-tax states. Oregon draws 63.7% of its state collections from individual income tax, the highest share in the country, and California 46.8%; per resident, the two income taxes raised $3,059 and $3,270. The difference is elsewhere: California's total collections were $6,989 per resident against Oregon's $4,802, with general sales supplying 19.4% in California and just 6.9% in Oregon. Record where you will live and where you will work before estimating either state's tax; a job that stays across the border changes the answer.
Price-adjusted income favours California: real per capita personal income is $63,028 there (rank 13) and $55,451 in Oregon (rank 37), a gap of $7,577. Median household income is $99,122 against $83,011.
Price levels by category
| Measure | California | Oregon | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.720 | 103.361 | +7.359 |
| Goods | 106.098 | 105.261 | +0.837 |
| Housing (rents) | 154.346 | 108.628 | +45.718 |
| Utilities | 158.899 | 107.046 | +51.853 |
| Other services | 102.591 | 100.298 | +2.293 |
| Real income per person (2017 $) | $63,028 | $55,451 | +$7,577 |
Two state tax mixes, FY2025
California: $275.04 billion, $6,989 per resident. Oregon: $20.52 billion, $4,802 per resident.
| Tax | CA share | OR share | CA per resident | OR per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | 46.8% | 63.7% | $3,270 | $3,059 |
| General sales | 19.4% | 6.9% | $1,359 | $331 |
| Property | 1.3% | 0.1% | $94 | $5 |
| Motor fuel | 3.4% | 3.6% | $239 | $172 |
| Other selective sales | 4.6% | 9.1% | $318 | $437 |
| Corporate income | 14.3% | 7.3% | $1,002 | $353 |
| Licenses | 5.1% | 6.4% | $353 | $309 |
| Severance | 0.1% | 0.1% | $4 | $4 |
| Other taxes | 5.0% | 2.7% | $350 | $132 |
Taxes on wages and purchases
| Tax | California | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | graduated, 1% to 12.3% for 2025 (single filers) | Not summarised on this site; see the Oregon Department of Revenue |
| State sales tax | 7.25% statewide plus district taxes | Not summarised on this site; see the Oregon Department of Revenue |
Reviewed by the State Cost Compare Editorial Team · Review policy · Report a correction