Oregon · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Multnomah County, OR

Prices around Multnomah County, OR run 5.4% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $88,766 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,922 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $76,880 a year.

Multnomah County, OR at a glance

Median household income

$88,766$7,397 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,922HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)105.4+5.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential OR
Population801,477Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Multnomah County, OR?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,922Monthly market rent
Share of gross income26%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$76,880To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,219At 30% of $88,766
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Multnomah County, OR? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Multnomah County, OR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,570$18,840$62,80021.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,677$20,124$67,08022.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,922$23,064$76,88026%
3-Bedroom Home$2,619$31,428$104,76035.4%
4-Bedroom Home$3,109$37,308$124,36042%

Rent in Multnomah County, OR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Multnomah County, OR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $88,766 a year ($7,397 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,699/moRent ($1,922 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,219/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,479/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $88,766 leaves after Oregon taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Oregon tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$88,766
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$88,766
Net 73%
Fed 12%
OR 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,068After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,422Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,503Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate26.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,699 / yr
Oregon state income tax$6,209 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,791 / yr

Living in Multnomah County, OR: common questions

What is the median household income in Multnomah County, OR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Multnomah County, OR is $88,766 per year (approximately $7,397 per month).

What is the average rent in Multnomah County, OR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,570 for a studio, $1,677 for one bedroom, $1,922 for two, $2,619 for three and $3,109 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Multnomah County, OR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.4% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 105.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Multnomah County, OR?

To keep a $1,922 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $76,880 a year, or $6,407 a month. That is 87% of what the typical household in Multnomah County, OR earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Multnomah County, OR?

On the local median income of $88,766 ($7,397 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,699 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,219 for everything else and $1,479 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,922 takes 52% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Multnomah County, OR?

Homes in Oregon paid 16.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $147. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.