Head-to-head
Oregon vs Idaho
Idaho is 7.867 points cheaper than Oregon on the 2024 all-items measure (95.494 vs 103.361), a gap that was considerably wider in 2020; Idaho's utilities are the cheapest in the country, 36.602 points below Oregon's.
Updated
| Measure | Oregon | Idaho | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 103.361 | 95.494 | +7.867 points |
| Rent price level | 108.628 | 90.027 | +18.601 points |
| Home value | $477,600±$1,400 | $418,600±$2,550 | +$59,000 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $1,523±$12 | $1,163±$15 | +$360 |
| Household income | $83,011±$573 | $77,800±$743 | +$5,211 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $3,876±$17 | $2,038±$25 | +$1,838 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in Oregon scales to $3,696 in Idaho at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
Oregon vs Idaho: a gap that is closing fast
Idaho has been catching up. Its all-items parity rose from 91.023 in 2020 to 95.494 in 2024, the largest move of any jurisdiction, while Oregon's barely changed, 103.243 to 103.361. A comparison built on early-decade figures overstates how much cheaper Idaho now is.
Utilities are the largest category difference: 107.046 in Oregon against 70.444 in Idaho. Rents follow, 108.628 against 90.027, and goods, 105.261 against 96.311. Other services differ by only 1.283 points.
Housing costs less in Idaho, though not by as much as the rent parity suggests. Idaho's two-bedroom median is $360 a month lower and its median home $59,000 cheaper. The median real estate tax paid is $3,876 against $2,038. Renters spend 31.3% of income on gross rent in Oregon and 28.7% in Idaho.
The tax systems differ in emphasis. Oregon draws 63.7% of its state collections from individual income tax, $3,059 per resident, and almost nothing from general sales. Idaho splits more evenly: general sales 36.1% and individual income tax 34.9%, about $1,579 and $1,528 per resident. Total collections were $4,802 per resident in Oregon and $4,376 in Idaho. A household that keeps an Oregon job while living in Idaho should record both locations before estimating its returns.
Incomes are modest on both sides after prices: real per capita personal income is $55,451 in Oregon (rank 37) and $52,816 in Idaho (rank 44); the median household income is $83,011 against $77,800.
The rental price index is not owner-occupied home value, and neither converts into a mortgage payment without an actual price, lender terms, insurance and local tax.
Price levels by category
| Measure | Oregon | Idaho | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.361 | 95.494 | +7.867 |
| Goods | 105.261 | 96.311 | +8.950 |
| Housing (rents) | 108.628 | 90.027 | +18.601 |
| Utilities | 107.046 | 70.444 | +36.602 |
| Other services | 100.298 | 99.015 | +1.283 |
| Real income per person (2017 $) | $55,451 | $52,816 | +$2,635 |
Two state tax mixes, FY2025
Oregon: $20.52 billion, $4,802 per resident. Idaho: $8.88 billion, $4,376 per resident.
| Tax | OR share | ID share | OR per resident | ID per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | 63.7% | 34.9% | $3,059 | $1,528 |
| General sales | 6.9% | 36.1% | $331 | $1,579 |
| Property | 0.1% | not levied | $5 | — |
| Motor fuel | 3.6% | 4.5% | $172 | $198 |
| Other selective sales | 9.1% | 6.6% | $437 | $291 |
| Corporate income | 7.3% | 11.3% | $353 | $496 |
| Licenses | 6.4% | 6.0% | $309 | $263 |
| Severance | 0.1% | 0.1% | $4 | $3 |
| Other taxes | 2.7% | 0.4% | $132 | $17 |
Taxes on wages and purchases
| Tax | Oregon | Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Not summarised on this site; see the Oregon Department of Revenue | 5.3% above an inflation-indexed threshold |
| State sales tax | Not summarised on this site; see the Oregon Department of Revenue | 6% |
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