New Census Data Show Remarkable Economic Gains For Portland and State as a Whole

The numbers show surging incomes in both places.

Quarterworld. (Henry Cromett)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Newly released census data show that incomes in Portland and the state overall have made significant gains compared to other cities and states.

Christian Kaylor, a local economist, pointed out in a Twitter post that Portland jumped from having the 22nd highest household income in 2005 to the eighth highest in 2018—and income here grew faster than all but four cities.

Here's the graphic Kaylor produced:

The even bigger news, first noted by The Oregonian, is that for the first time since 1960, household income in Oregon has risen above the national average, according to Josh Lehner, a state economist.

Here's how Lehner described the shift in a Sept. 26 report.

"Not only has Oregon caught up to national figures, but in the latest data Oregon has surpassed the U.S. Today, the typical household in the state has income that is 2.4% higher than their national counterparts. This is the first time in past 50 years this is true."

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