Hillsboro, OR Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Hillsboro, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Hillsboro →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Hillsboro counts roughly 106,612 residents, and the median household brings in $98,891 annually — +37% relative to the cities in our dataset, putting incomes here above the pack.
In Hillsboro, the median home is valued at $452,300 — above the median across the cities we track (+38%) — and typical rent runs $1,797 a month. Factor in mortgage rates and property taxes when sizing up whether buying pencils out.
Buying a typical home in Hillsboro would run about 4.6 years of median household income — a moderate multiple, not unusually high or low. Home prices around Hillsboro have pulled back slightly over the past year, down about 0.54%. FEMA's National Risk Index puts Hillsboro at Relatively High for overall natural-hazard risk, a factor that can push home insurance costs up.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,797/mo in Hillsboro would take 21.8% of your income.
$675/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($452,300) would take 29.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$107/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Hillsboro
Median home value is $452,300 and median gross rent is $1,797/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Washington fell 0.54% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,922/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Hillsboro's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Hillsboro reported a violent crime rate of 287.9 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Hillsboro
Planning a move to Hillsboro? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Hillsboro, OR?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Hillsboro — median home value of $452,300, median rent of $1,797/month — set against a median household income of $98,891 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hillsboro?
- To keep rent under the commonly recommended 30% of income in Hillsboro, where median rent runs $1,797/month, you'd want to earn about $71,880 annually. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Hillsboro.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Hillsboro?
- Buying at Hillsboro's median home value of $452,300 takes about $103,484 a year in principal-and-interest income (20% down, 30-year fixed, current mortgage rates), compared with roughly $71,880 a year to comfortably rent at the median $1,797/month. Down payment and expected length of stay usually settle the question.
- Is Hillsboro safe?
- FBI data puts Hillsboro's violent crime rate at 287.9 per 100,000 residents for 2025 — a useful benchmark alongside other cities you're weighing.
See the full salary breakdown for Hillsboro →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Hillsboro's.