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Living in
Lake Oswego.
About
Life in Lake Oswego
Lake Oswego offers an affluent suburban lifestyle just 20 minutes from Portland, making it appealing if you want easier access to the city without living in it. The lake itself is the community's identity, with docks, boating, and waterfront parks creating a resort-like feel, though the water level actually gets lowered every few years for maintenance, so it's not always picture-perfect. You'll find a well-educated community with 75% college-educated residents and strong public services including a newly opened aquatics center and highly-rated library.
Lake Oswego at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
46.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Foreign-Born
11.5%
Broadband Internet
97.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.5% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Lake Oswego: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lake Oswego, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (13.6%), and 2.6% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
23.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.5%
of households
Married Couples
58.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 40% above OR average
Rent, home values, and income in Lake Oswego
In Lake Oswego, rent runs 40% above the OR average, and home values are 95% above the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,522
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $863,163 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below OR average
Unemployment in Lake Oswego and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Lake Oswego is 0.4 percentage points lower than the OR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lake Oswego Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area
Commute21.6 min avg
How Lake Oswego residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lake Oswego, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 141 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 83% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lake Oswego runs 83% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
55.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
939.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lake Oswego Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clackamas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clackamas County, which includes Lake Oswego, the most common type is heavy snow, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Heavy Snow | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2022 | 7 | Debris Flow | $151,200 |
| 2021 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Heavy Rain | $15,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
9 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clackamas County, county-wide
Air Quality31 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clackamas County, which includes Lake Oswego, is typically good — 318 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
31
Good Days
318
per year
Moderate Days
43
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Clackamas County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lake Oswego has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.4"
Annual Snowfall
3.6"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
30
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
155
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 37°F | 6.54" |
| Feb | 53°F | 38°F | 4.46" |
| Mar | 58°F | 40°F | 4.78" |
| Apr | 64°F | 43°F | 3.84" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 2.54" |
| Jun | 76°F | 53°F | 1.79" |
| Jul | 84°F | 57°F | 0.50" |
| Aug | 84°F | 58°F | 0.56" |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 1.64" |
| Oct | 65°F | 47°F | 4.23" |
| Nov | 53°F | 41°F | 6.73" |
| Dec | 47°F | 36°F | 7.20" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lake Oswego
Uninsured
2.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Lake Oswego's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.1 mi away · Tualatin
Providence Milwaukie Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.3 mi away · Milwaukie
Portland VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Portland
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lake Oswego
Lake Oswego's student/teacher ratio is 17.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 74.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
74.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lake Oswego (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 19,531 students · in-state tuition $5,430 · 20% graduate · median earnings $48,571 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 13,182 students · in-state tuition $12,315 · 59% graduate · median earnings $62,447 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,963 students · in-state tuition $6,525 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,259 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,957 students · in-state tuition $60,100 · 80% graduate · median earnings $85,634 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,699 students · in-state tuition $44,430 · 72% graduate · median earnings $62,873 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,120 students · in-state tuition $68,048 · 72% graduate · median earnings $64,090 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lake Oswego
Lake Oswego has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lake Oswego
Lake Oswego Public Library
706 4th St, Lake Oswego
Cities Near Lake Oswego
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lake Oswego?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lake Oswego FAQ
Is Lake Oswego, Oregon affordable?⌄
Lake Oswego's median rent is $2,139/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $141,549/year. Median home value is $932,200.
Is Lake Oswego, Oregon safe?⌄
Lake Oswego's violent crime rate was 55 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 939 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lake Oswego, Oregon?⌄
Lake Oswego has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lake Oswego, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Lake Oswego is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,139/month and median household income is $141,549/year. The median home value is $932,200. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lake Oswego, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Lake Oswego is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from