What it's like to live in Cornelius
Cornelius is a small city in Oregon with household incomes running above the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cornelius deals with home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
How Cornelius compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cornelius
Based on Cornelius's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,146
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,920 a year
- 46% of Cornelius renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$90,580
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $45,290
- Homes cost 4.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 11% above US
$1,573/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,573 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $452,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $452,900 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Washington County is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Washington County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 19% below US
267 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1343/100k · Cornelius Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 48% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (20 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cornelius's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,573/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Cornelius
All Oregon guides →Moving to Forest Grove →
3 mi away · pop. 26,529
Rent $1,460/mo · Income $87,933
Compare with Cornelius →Moving to Hillsboro →
6 mi away · pop. 108,231
Rent $1,978/mo · Income $106,409
Compare with Cornelius →Not sure Cornelius is the one?
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