Welcome to the happiest places in Oregon.
Using Saturday Night Science and data, we determined the cities and towns with the most rainbows, butterflies, puppies, and unicorns.
You know, the places where people have jobs, white-picked fences, and friendly neighbors – unicorn cities.
After analyzing the 79 largest cities, we happily present the happiest cities in the Beaver State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Milton-Freewater is the most miserable place in Oregon.
For more Oregon reading, check out:
The 10 Happiest Places In Oregon For 2025
/10
Population: 10,162
Poverty Level: 14.2%
Median Home Price $422,400
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 22.09%
More on Astoria: Data
Astoria is by far the happiest place in the state of Oregon. Let’s see why.
First off, having a solid family life is a good indication of how happy someone is. Lots of the residents of Astoria aren’t missing out on love; more than 16% of them are married. Plus, the average commute time here is only about 20 minutes each way. That means a lot more time with the spouse and kids.
/10
Population: 21,343
Poverty Level: 14.2%
Median Home Price $573,700
Married Households 6.0%
Households With Kids 16.11%
More on Ashland: Data
Things look to be pretty pleasant in Ashland. Crime is really low here, and the percentage of married residents (6%) mean there’s lots of stability at home.
In addition to those factors, there is a thriving amount of community involvement. Studies have shown that a key factor to happiness is when people volunteer, especially in their own neighborhoods.
/10
Population: 11,986
Poverty Level: 13.0%
Median Home Price $463,600
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 21.4%
More on Gladstone: Data
The people who live in Gladstone have a lot going for them. 24% of them have college degrees, and they command some of the highest salaries in OR. 21% of the people here are married.
Most of these all tops in the entire state.
/10
Population: 101,472
Poverty Level: 9.5%
Median Home Price $646,800
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 27.63%
More on Bend: Data
Bend is where you can bet there are lots of smiley and happy people all over town. Crime is essentially something that just doesn’t happen here very often. And when you can let your guard down and relax a little, the lack of stress really makes a difference.
Same goes on the job front. Only 3.7% of residents here are out of work. Sounds like there are jobs for just about everyone who wants one. Which must be a good feeling to have.
/10
Population: 60,424
Poverty Level: 25.9%
Median Home Price $480,600
Married Households 7.0%
Households With Kids 19.1%
More on Corvallis: Data
If you want to see a bunch of happy people, go to Corvallis. It seriously looks like something out of a commercial.
They have a 16 minute commute time, which means lots more time with the kids.
/10
Population: 6,271
Poverty Level: 15.3%
Median Home Price $365,500
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 19.35%
More on Talent: Data
For those who say that money doesn’t buy happiness, you’re half right. Studies have shown that people are happy up to a certain point when it comes to annual salaries, somewhere around $72,000 a year. After that, it doesn’t matter how much you make, you’re not going to be much happier.
The residents of Talent have that covered. Plus about 10% of households are married.
/10
Population: 13,059
Poverty Level: 21.4%
Median Home Price $244,200
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 23.22%
More on La Grande: Data
Most of the people in La Grande have to be âplum’ happy. True happiness is âHome Sweet Home’ with your kids and spouse, being reminded to do chores, run errands and fold the clothes right.
/10
Population: 10,177
Poverty Level: 12.8%
Median Home Price $233,500
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 22.51%
More on Baker City: Data
Less than 5.3% of the residents in Baker City are jobless, which is just about as low as you’ll see.
Incomes are steady, and commute times are really low as well. That really takes away the stress factors that stop folks from relaxing and enjoying their âdown time’ to do the little things that matter: Walks in the park, time alone with a book and extra face time with the children.
/10
Population: 177,520
Poverty Level: 18.2%
Median Home Price $435,400
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 21.57%
More on Eugene: Data
About 45% of residents in Eugene, OR have a college degree. While we’ve all heard the saying, âIgnorance is bliss,’ our argument is: Ignorance is also broke.
Not only are most of the residents of Eugene smart, they’re safe, too.
/10
Population: 97,502
Poverty Level: 9.9%
Median Home Price $543,100
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 26.25%
More on Beaverton: Data
In Beaverton, most of the population is married, and most own their own homes.
The commute times (24 minutes each way) might eventually start to turn the corners of those smiles sideways.
But for now, it’s all roses in Beaverton.
Methodology: How We Measured The Happiest Cities In The Beaver State
To rank the happiest places in Oregon, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2019-2023 report for the happy criteria, added some Saturday Night Science, and generated the answer.
Here are the criteria we used to measure happiness:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 79 places in Oregon with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 79 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the happiest.
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Happy Index for each place with the lowest overall Happy Index “earning” the title “Happiest City In Oregon.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of cities, happiest to saddest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2025, and it’s our tenth time ranking the happiest cities in Oregon.
There You Have It – The Happiest Cities In Oregon
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Oregon is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
The happiest cities in Oregon are Astoria, Ashland, Gladstone, Bend, Corvallis, Talent, La Grande, Baker City, Eugene, and Beaverton.
If you’re curious enough, here are the most miserable cities in Oregon, according to science:
- Milton-Freewater
- Hermiston
- Umatilla
For more Oregon reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Oregon
- Cheapest Places To Live In Oregon
- Most Dangerous Cities In Oregon
- Richest Cities In Oregon
- Safest Places In Oregon
- Worst Places To Live In Oregon
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Oregon
Happiest Cities In Oregon For 2025
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astoria, OR | 10,162 | 14.2% | $422,400 | 16.0% | 22.09% |
| 2 | Ashland, OR | 21,343 | 14.2% | $573,700 | 6.0% | 16.11% |
| 3 | Gladstone, OR | 11,986 | 13.0% | $463,600 | 21.0% | 21.4% |
| 4 | Bend, OR | 101,472 | 9.5% | $646,800 | 11.0% | 27.63% |
| 5 | Corvallis, OR | 60,424 | 25.9% | $480,600 | 7.0% | 19.1% |
| 6 | Talent, OR | 6,271 | 15.3% | $365,500 | 10.0% | 19.35% |
| 7 | La Grande, OR | 13,059 | 21.4% | $244,200 | 23.0% | 23.22% |
| 8 | Baker City, OR | 10,177 | 12.8% | $233,500 | 23.0% | 22.51% |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | 177,520 | 18.2% | $435,400 | 10.0% | 21.57% |
| 10 | Beaverton, OR | 97,502 | 9.9% | $543,100 | 11.0% | 26.25% |
| 11 | Newport, OR | 10,393 | 17.2% | $404,800 | 10.0% | 19.93% |
| 12 | Brookings, OR | 6,733 | 11.0% | $398,700 | 13.0% | 26.57% |
| 13 | Philomath, OR | 5,537 | 7.9% | $375,600 | 17.0% | 18.2% |
| 14 | Tualatin, OR | 27,710 | 9.2% | $595,800 | 15.0% | 32.18% |
| 15 | Seaside, OR | 7,210 | 18.5% | $413,800 | 14.0% | 13.38% |
| 16 | Lake Oswego, OR | 40,367 | 3.1% | $894,000 | 14.0% | 31.81% |
| 17 | Redmond, OR | 35,161 | 9.7% | $435,000 | 20.0% | 32.48% |
| 18 | Tigard, OR | 55,395 | 7.9% | $585,700 | 17.0% | 31.36% |
| 19 | Canby, OR | 18,103 | 6.8% | $479,500 | 27.0% | 33.49% |
| 20 | Winston, OR | 5,663 | 20.1% | $219,200 | 19.0% | 26.56% |
| 21 | Hood River, OR | 8,360 | 8.6% | $602,800 | 8.0% | 34.76% |
| 22 | Lincoln City, OR | 9,890 | 14.3% | $374,400 | 13.0% | 20.18% |
| 23 | King City, OR | 5,078 | 9.4% | $391,100 | 13.0% | 16.19% |
| 24 | Portland, OR | 642,715 | 12.8% | $557,600 | 10.0% | 22.24% |
| 25 | North Bend, OR | 10,231 | 15.5% | $306,600 | 18.0% | 27.14% |
| 26 | Sherwood, OR | 20,227 | 4.0% | $564,200 | 20.0% | 44.81% |
| 27 | Medford, OR | 85,794 | 12.5% | $387,000 | 15.0% | 30.19% |
| 28 | Junction City, OR | 6,926 | 8.7% | $353,300 | 26.0% | 17.12% |
| 29 | Newberg, OR | 25,622 | 9.0% | $453,700 | 17.0% | 31.92% |
| 30 | Oregon City, OR | 37,482 | 7.0% | $531,400 | 27.0% | 32.83% |
| 31 | Scappoose, OR | 8,099 | 8.2% | $430,000 | 28.0% | 32.57% |
| 32 | Salem, OR | 176,666 | 14.7% | $382,400 | 16.0% | 31.85% |
| 33 | Silverton, OR | 10,445 | 13.3% | $461,800 | 20.0% | 37.07% |
| 34 | Stayton, OR | 8,223 | 8.4% | $395,400 | 28.0% | 39.0% |
| 35 | Central Point, OR | 19,183 | 8.6% | $357,700 | 21.0% | 34.2% |
| 36 | Albany, OR | 56,773 | 13.3% | $352,900 | 21.0% | 31.29% |
| 37 | Ontario, OR | 11,728 | 19.2% | $217,500 | 14.0% | 25.56% |
| 38 | Mcminnville, OR | 34,493 | 15.4% | $391,100 | 14.0% | 30.18% |
| 39 | Hillsboro, OR | 107,050 | 8.1% | $483,400 | 12.0% | 30.15% |
| 40 | Milwaukie, OR | 21,256 | 6.5% | $477,200 | 21.0% | 26.64% |
| 41 | West Linn, OR | 27,065 | 5.2% | $733,300 | 17.0% | 36.47% |
| 42 | Roseburg, OR | 23,773 | 21.9% | $266,600 | 13.0% | 30.34% |
| 43 | Coos Bay, OR | 15,867 | 14.2% | $272,100 | 14.0% | 21.51% |
| 44 | Forest Grove, OR | 26,406 | 13.4% | $464,300 | 15.0% | 34.21% |
| 45 | Florence, OR | 9,483 | 10.6% | $331,100 | 10.0% | 14.25% |
| 46 | Creswell, OR | 5,625 | 2.8% | $355,100 | 30.0% | 45.63% |
| 47 | Happy Valley, OR | 25,572 | 6.9% | $671,800 | 17.0% | 39.91% |
| 48 | Dallas, OR | 17,214 | 16.9% | $355,700 | 22.0% | 27.41% |
| 49 | Keizer, OR | 39,013 | 8.4% | $396,700 | 21.0% | 32.06% |
| 50 | Pendleton, OR | 17,070 | 14.7% | $276,400 | 19.0% | 36.62% |
| 51 | Wilsonville, OR | 26,183 | 8.8% | $584,700 | 14.0% | 28.1% |
| 52 | Springfield, OR | 61,642 | 15.5% | $323,800 | 17.0% | 32.27% |
| 53 | Klamath Falls, OR | 21,879 | 23.2% | $257,400 | 15.0% | 28.07% |
| 54 | Troutdale, OR | 16,000 | 8.7% | $437,700 | 21.0% | 36.48% |
| 55 | The Dalles, OR | 15,973 | 10.7% | $318,400 | 16.0% | 25.93% |
| 56 | Fairview, OR | 10,627 | 14.4% | $410,400 | 13.0% | 23.69% |
| 57 | Monmouth, OR | 11,176 | 15.6% | $380,500 | 13.0% | 30.22% |
| 58 | Gresham, OR | 112,818 | 12.7% | $440,000 | 17.0% | 33.24% |
| 59 | Lebanon, OR | 18,978 | 16.0% | $295,900 | 20.0% | 23.87% |
| 60 | Warrenton, OR | 6,297 | 5.4% | $386,500 | 17.0% | 27.65% |
| 61 | Independence, OR | 10,088 | 11.8% | $345,200 | 17.0% | 37.74% |
| 62 | Sutherlin, OR | 8,574 | 13.0% | $261,700 | 19.0% | 24.35% |
| 63 | Cottage Grove, OR | 10,630 | 14.3% | $318,800 | 18.0% | 31.54% |
| 64 | Grants Pass, OR | 39,183 | 15.5% | $364,200 | 14.0% | 34.28% |
| 65 | Tillamook, OR | 5,229 | 9.9% | $272,300 | 16.0% | 35.27% |
| 66 | Veneta, OR | 5,191 | 8.6% | $318,800 | 20.0% | 27.36% |
| 67 | Prineville, OR | 11,187 | 14.8% | $364,600 | 26.0% | 36.97% |
| 68 | Sandy, OR | 12,738 | 7.8% | $450,200 | 27.0% | 40.38% |
| 69 | Molalla, OR | 10,168 | 7.1% | $416,900 | 30.0% | 42.58% |
| 70 | St. Helens, OR | 14,152 | 8.8% | $350,900 | 22.0% | 38.22% |
| 71 | Sweet Home, OR | 9,977 | 17.4% | $245,700 | 22.0% | 30.45% |
| 72 | Eagle Point, OR | 9,783 | 9.8% | $393,400 | 20.0% | 41.11% |
| 73 | Woodburn, OR | 26,845 | 15.2% | $308,400 | 10.0% | 36.74% |
| 74 | Cornelius, OR | 13,700 | 9.3% | $419,000 | 13.0% | 34.73% |
| 75 | Madras, OR | 7,596 | 16.0% | $291,400 | 11.0% | 47.01% |
| 76 | Sheridan, OR | 6,462 | 10.8% | $281,800 | 13.0% | 24.15% |
| 77 | Umatilla, OR | 7,531 | 21.5% | $191,000 | 9.0% | 41.31% |
| 78 | Hermiston, OR | 19,406 | 9.3% | $244,700 | 13.0% | 44.21% |
| 79 | Milton-Freewater, OR | 7,096 | 15.2% | $209,800 | 6.0% | 45.57% |