What it's like to live in Hillsboro
Hillsboro is a mid-size city in Oregon with household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hillsboro deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High student-teacher ratio
How Hillsboro compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hillsboro
Based on Hillsboro's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,956
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $79,120 a year
- 45% of Hillsboro renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$104,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $52,110
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 40% above US
$1,978/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,978 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $521,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $521,100 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 16% above US
5.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 13% below US
288 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 1980/100k · Hillsboro Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% 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.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 17% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
29 public schools inside the boundary
There are 29 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (15 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hillsboro's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,978/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Hillsboro
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