Best Counties in Oregon — 2026 Rankings
36 of 36 counties scored across 12 dimensions
36
36 scored
43/100
composite score
66.9/100
29.8—66.9
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 | Grant County | 66.9 | 57.3 | 73.9 | 32.2 | 92.9 | 66.5 | 58.6 | 67.9 | 29.4 | 32.8 | 23.8 | ||
| 2 | Lake County | 64.3 | 58.8 | 59.3 | 42 | 91.1 | 44.9 | 72.6 | 80.9 | 42.7 | 38.4 | 46.7 | ||
| 3 | Wallowa County | 61.4 | 75.1 | 38.6 | 54.7 | 74.5 | 72.4 | 50.9 | 66.1 | 86 | 35.9 | 24.3 | ||
| 4 | Harney County | 57.6 | 50.2 | 72.3 | 21.6 | 84 | 53.5 | 20.2 | 76.4 | 86 | 36.5 | 44.8 | ||
| 5 | Wheeler County | 53.7 | 60.8 | 47.2 | 21.8 | 97.5 | 46.1 | 0.4 | 92.9 | 86 | 43.7 | 27.5 | ||
| 6 | Sherman County | 52.7 | 55.1 | 50.3 | 34.2 | 20.7 | 68.6 | 69.6 | 97.1 | 86 | 44.8 | 55.6 | 49.4 | |
| 7 | Jefferson County | 49.1 | 61.2 | 28.4 | 75.8 | 44.3 | 45.7 | 54.8 | 70.2 | 86 | 37.7 | 30.4 | ||
| 8 | Hood River County | 49 | 80.6 | 10 | 89.5 | 16.1 | 66.5 | 76.8 | 68 | 49.3 | 50.5 | 51.4 | ||
| 9 | Crook County | 47.8 | 67.7 | 14.9 | 83.8 | 52 | 73.4 | 28.1 | 66.4 | 35 | 37.1 | 37.2 | ||
| 10 | Morrow County | 45.4 | 49.7 | 39.3 | 74.1 | 20.8 | 40.7 | 71.7 | 73.7 | 33.9 | 47.9 | 33.8 | ||
| 11 | Gilliam County | 44.6 | 35.2 | 49 | 54.2 | 10.6 | 64.5 | 47.5 | 97.3 | 86 | 47.9 | 70.6 | 44.9 | |
| 12 | Deschutes County | 44.5 | 74 | 4.4 | 91.9 | 28.4 | 87 | 36.8 | 15.1 | 60.1 | 41.9 | 34.8 | ||
| 13 | Union County | 44.3 | 48.1 | 37.1 | 50 | 18.6 | 62 | 54.1 | 56.5 | 86 | 41 | 29.9 | ||
| 14 | Multnomah County | 44.1 | 38.9 | 3.9 | 89.4 | 62.7 | 70.9 | 38.3 | 1.5 | 66.8 | 67.3 | 74.4 | 50.2 | |
| 15 | Polk County | 43.7 | 50.7 | 11 | 86.7 | 43.1 | 69.4 | 42.5 | 27.2 | 45.5 | 57.8 | 75.6 | 37.1 | |
| 16 | Tillamook County | 43 | 72.3 | 16.6 | 59.8 | 23.3 | 57.6 | 59.6 | 18.7 | 27.3 | 69.7 | 67.4 | 29.9 | |
| 17 | Curry County | 42.7 | 85.6 | 31.9 | 40.5 | 31.3 | 45.2 | 35.6 | 13.5 | 13.9 | 71.2 | 66.8 | 33.8 | |
| 18 | Columbia County | 42.5 | 55.8 | 10.8 | 88.5 | 44.1 | 69.3 | 32.8 | 29.3 | 13.9 | 59.9 | 71.8 | 44 | |
| 19 | Washington County | 41.1 | 47.5 | 2.8 | 96.5 | 17 | 88.9 | 52.5 | 4 | 67.7 | 61.6 | 75.1 | 54.3 | |
| 20 | Yamhill County | 40.9 | 57.5 | 7.7 | 90.6 | 26.7 | 67.9 | 47.5 | 17.1 | 34 | 60.8 | 73.2 | 43.2 | |
| 21 | Malheur County | 38.6 | 55.4 | 52.3 | 20.4 | 5.6 | 34.9 | 57 | 65.3 | 11.4 | 32.7 | 41.5 | ||
| 22 | Klamath County | 37.5 | 69 | 34.8 | 30.4 | 20.4 | 41.3 | 31.6 | 22.1 | 50.1 | 41.2 | 45.9 | ||
| 23 | Clatsop County | 37.3 | 61.4 | 16.3 | 66.3 | 4.1 | 68.1 | 47.9 | 4.9 | 32.7 | 70.8 | 67.3 | 32.1 | |
| 24 | Douglas County | 37.1 | 70.9 | 34.4 | 38 | 12.3 | 52.1 | 30.8 | 7.1 | 28.5 | 56.8 | 51.6 | ||
| 25 | Baker County | 36.9 | 52.1 | 47.3 | 36.4 | 19.9 | 56.6 | 9.7 | 51.9 | 28.4 | 33 | 26.9 |
Grant County
Lake County
Wallowa County
Harney County
Wheeler County
Sherman County
Jefferson County
Hood River County
Crook County
Morrow County
Gilliam County
Deschutes County
Union County
Multnomah County
Polk County
Tillamook County
Curry County
Columbia County
Washington County
Yamhill County
Malheur County
Klamath County
Clatsop County
Douglas County
Baker County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Oregon
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Oregon.
What is the best county in Oregon?
Grant County is the top-ranked county in Oregon with a CountyScore of 66.9/100. 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.
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 nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. 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 43/100. The national average is 50/100, so Oregon counties score 7 points below the national average.
How does Oregon compare to other states?
Oregon's average county score of 43/100 is 7 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.