Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Oregon
Oregon is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Oregon, California has higher incomes, Oregon has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
16
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Oregon
15
/ 31
metrics won
OR wins Housing
OR wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
CA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
winner
vs
Oregon
California scores higher on quality of life — 3.29 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Oregon is 21.4 points cheaper overall
Oregon has the lower cost-of-living index. Oregon is at 117.1, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $8.56 further in Oregon
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $100.87 of local buying power in Oregon, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
California income is 11.7% higher
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, compared with $75,313 in Oregon.
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Jobs
California has the higher minimum wage
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $15.95/hr in Oregon.
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Housing
California homes cost about 1.6x more
Oregon has the lower median home value at $426,400, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
Oregon has lower state income tax
Oregon has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 9.90%, compared with 13.30% in California.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Oregon
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 9.9%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 102.6 for Oregon). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California shows higher median income.
- California has lower property tax rates on average.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
- California health coverage access proxy is weaker.
Oregon
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Oregon
- Oregon has a lower overall cost of living.
- Oregon has a lower housing cost index.
- Oregon has lower median home values.
- Oregon has a lower violent crime rate.
- Oregon job growth trend is stronger.
- Oregon health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Oregon shows lower median income.
- Oregon has higher property tax rates on average.
- Oregon health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Oregon has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
OR
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Salem |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
4,237,256
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$75,313
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
117.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$426,400
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.81%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
9.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$15.95/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$4.988/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
14.66 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
47.20
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
48.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
68 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
98,379 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
43.1 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
February 14, 1859 (#33)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
17
shown
Saving Money
Oregon is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 117.1 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Oregon is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.988/gal in Oregon vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $15.95/hr in Oregon. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Oregon has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 14.66 c/kWh in Oregon vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Oregon is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.66x in Oregon vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Oregon is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 21.2% in Oregon vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Oregon by 35,300,967 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Oregon.
Bachelor's Degree
Oregon has a higher college-educated share than California.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than Oregon.
People Also Ask
California vs Oregon - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Oregon?
Oregon has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Oregon scores 117.1 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 21.4 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Oregon?
$100 goes further in Oregon. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $100.87 in Oregon, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Oregon?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 98,379 sq mi for Oregon - roughly 1.7x the size.
Q Does California or Oregon have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 4,237,256 in Oregon.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Oregon?
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, versus $75,313 in Oregon.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Oregon?
Oregon has the lower state income tax top rate at 9.90%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Oregon?
Homes are cheaper in Oregon, where the median home value is $426,400, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Oregon?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Oregon is more spread out at 43.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.