Best Counties in Oregon — 2026 Rankings
36 of 36 counties scored across 12 dimensions
36
36 scored
42/100
composite score
65.3/100
29.2—65.3
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Oregon
Oregon trails the national median in overall livability
Oregon earns a composite livability score of 42.5, placing it below the national median of 50.0. While all 36 counties contribute to this data, the state currently ranks in the bottom half of national averages.
Strong health outcomes and stable income levels
The state excels in health with a score of 60.5 and maintains a solid income score of 59.7. These factors, combined with a moderate tax score of 56.9, provide a strong foundation for resident well-being.
High living costs and environmental risks persist
Affordability is a major challenge, as the state's cost score sits at a low 27.0 compared to national peers. Additionally, a risk score of 36.6 indicates that residents face higher-than-average exposure to environmental or economic volatility.
Rural counties offer the state's best value
Lake County leads the state with a composite score of 65.3, followed by Grant and Wallowa at 64.1 and 63.9 respectively. These counties outperform urban centers by offering significantly better cost scores and manageable tax burdens.
Best for health-conscious residents with stable incomes
Oregon is an ideal fit for families who prioritize health and can navigate a low 27.0 affordability score. Those seeking the highest livability should look toward the rural eastern counties, where scores far exceed the state average.
All County Rankings in Oregon
Search, sort, and filter all 36 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 36 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake County | 65.3 | 69.5 | 56 | 42.8 | 91.1 | 44.9 | 72.6 | 80.9 | 42.7 | 38.4 | 46.7 | ||
| 2 | Grant County | 64.1 | 56.5 | 58.8 | 38.4 | 92.9 | 66.5 | 58.6 | 67.9 | 29.4 | 32.8 | 23.8 | ||
| 3 | Wallowa County | 63.9 | 76 | 49.8 | 56.2 | 74.5 | 72.4 | 50.9 | 66.1 | 86 | 35.9 | 24.3 | ||
| 4 | Harney County | 55.6 | 40.6 | 71.5 | 11.6 | 84 | 53.5 | 20.2 | 76.4 | 86 | 36.5 | 44.8 | ||
| 5 | Sherman County | 55.3 | 63.8 | 56.1 | 37.4 | 20.7 | 68.6 | 69.6 | 97.1 | 86 | 44.8 | 55.6 | 49.4 | |
| 6 | Wheeler County | 55.3 | 60 | 57 | 17.3 | 97.5 | 46.1 | 0.4 | 92.9 | 86 | 43.7 | 27.5 | ||
| 7 | Hood River County | 48.2 | 75.6 | 10.6 | 85.9 | 16.1 | 66.5 | 76.8 | 68 | 49.3 | 50.5 | 51.4 | ||
| 8 | Crook County | 48.1 | 69.9 | 14.3 | 85.5 | 52 | 73.4 | 28.1 | 66.4 | 35 | 37.1 | 37.2 | ||
| 9 | Jefferson County | 48.1 | 58.8 | 25.6 | 74.1 | 44.3 | 45.7 | 54.8 | 70.2 | 86 | 37.7 | 30.4 | ||
| 10 | Morrow County | 45.1 | 51.5 | 37.9 | 67.1 | 20.8 | 40.7 | 71.7 | 73.7 | 33.9 | 47.9 | 33.8 | ||
| 11 | Gilliam County | 44.9 | 37.6 | 49.6 | 51.2 | 10.6 | 64.5 | 47.5 | 97.3 | 86 | 47.9 | 70.6 | 44.9 | |
| 12 | Multnomah County | 44.4 | 41.1 | 3.9 | 89.4 | 62.7 | 70.9 | 38.3 | 1.5 | 66.8 | 67.3 | 74.4 | 50.2 | |
| 13 | Deschutes County | 44.3 | 72.6 | 4.8 | 90.6 | 28.4 | 87 | 36.8 | 15.1 | 60.1 | 41.9 | 34.8 | ||
| 14 | Tillamook County | 43.5 | 74.6 | 17.4 | 58.1 | 23.3 | 57.6 | 59.6 | 18.7 | 27.3 | 69.7 | 67.4 | 29.9 | |
| 15 | Polk County | 43.3 | 49.6 | 9.9 | 85.2 | 43.1 | 69.4 | 42.5 | 27.2 | 45.5 | 57.8 | 75.6 | 37.1 | |
| 16 | Union County | 43.2 | 46.1 | 32.6 | 51.2 | 18.6 | 62 | 54.1 | 56.5 | 86 | 41 | 29.9 | ||
| 17 | Columbia County | 43 | 57.2 | 12.3 | 89.6 | 44.1 | 69.3 | 32.8 | 29.3 | 13.9 | 59.9 | 71.8 | 44 | |
| 18 | Curry County | 41.9 | 82.8 | 26.8 | 53.4 | 31.3 | 45.2 | 35.6 | 13.5 | 13.9 | 71.2 | 66.8 | 33.8 | |
| 19 | Washington County | 41.2 | 47.6 | 2.8 | 96.4 | 17 | 88.9 | 52.5 | 4 | 67.7 | 61.6 | 75.1 | 54.3 | |
| 20 | Yamhill County | 40.9 | 57.7 | 7.8 | 90.1 | 26.7 | 67.9 | 47.5 | 17.1 | 34 | 60.8 | 73.2 | 43.2 | |
| 21 | Malheur County | 37.8 | 52.2 | 52 | 14.3 | 5.6 | 34.9 | 57 | 65.3 | 11.4 | 32.7 | 41.5 | ||
| 22 | Clatsop County | 37.4 | 62.7 | 16.5 | 63.5 | 4.1 | 68.1 | 47.9 | 4.9 | 32.7 | 70.8 | 67.3 | 32.1 | |
| 23 | Douglas County | 36.8 | 67.6 | 35.9 | 35.5 | 12.3 | 52.1 | 30.8 | 7.1 | 28.5 | 56.8 | 51.6 | ||
| 24 | Klamath County | 36.7 | 65.7 | 31.8 | 37 | 20.4 | 41.3 | 31.6 | 22.1 | 50.1 | 41.2 | 45.9 | ||
| 25 | Clackamas County | 36.5 | 47.3 | 3.3 | 95.4 | 0.3 | 91.4 | 46.9 | 5.1 | 37.6 | 60.3 | 40.9 |
Lake County
Grant County
Wallowa County
Harney County
Sherman County
Wheeler County
Hood River County
Crook County
Jefferson County
Morrow County
Gilliam County
Multnomah County
Deschutes County
Tillamook County
Polk County
Union County
Columbia County
Curry County
Washington County
Yamhill County
Malheur County
Clatsop County
Douglas County
Klamath County
Clackamas County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Oregon
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Oregon.
What is the best county in Oregon?
Lake County is the top-ranked county in Oregon with a CountyScore of 65.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Oregon?
Oregon has 36 counties in total. Of those, 36 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Oregon?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Oregon is 42/100. The national average is 50/100, so Oregon counties score 8 points below the national average.
How does Oregon compare to other states?
Oregon's average county score of 42/100 is 8 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Oregon counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Oregon.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.