by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Oregon is Washington County with an average household income of $127,688 as of 2022 and 598,865 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Washington County | 598,865 | $127,688 | $100,121 |
2 | Clackamas County | 423,173 | $126,719 | $95,740 |
3 | Multnomah County | 789,698 | $115,049 | $83,668 |
4 | Deschutes County | 208,513 | $112,537 | $82,042 |
5 | Hood River County | 23,745 | $112,036 | $80,254 |
6 | Yamhill County | 108,644 | $102,856 | $80,125 |
7 | Polk County | 89,805 | $102,721 | $77,353 |
8 | Columbia County | 53,880 | $98,502 | $83,265 |
9 | Benton County | 97,713 | $97,953 | $72,882 |
10 | Crook County | 26,952 | $92,863 | $74,969 |
11 | Marion County | 346,741 | $91,101 | $70,926 |
12 | Jackson County | 220,768 | $89,037 | $67,690 |
13 | Wasco County | 26,333 | $87,994 | $61,316 |
14 | Lane County | 381,181 | $87,189 | $65,157 |
15 | Clatsop County | 41,102 | $86,594 | $68,025 |
16 | Morrow County | 12,302 | $86,322 | $64,975 |
17 | Jefferson County | 25,454 | $85,768 | $69,345 |
18 | Umatilla County | 80,053 | $84,404 | $70,322 |
19 | Wallowa County | 7,674 | $84,003 | $62,238 |
20 | Linn County | 131,496 | $82,759 | $69,523 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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