Yakima → Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Yakima to Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 95.5 to 105.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $548/mo.
- +$9,570
- BLS median salary higher in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
- 329 to 335
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 17.6:1 to 17.6:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $3,348
- DOL infant care lower / yr in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $10K higher median salary
- + More affordable childcare
Cons of Moving
- - 10% higher cost of living
- - $548/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 95.5 to 105.4, so the same paycheck buys less in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (ratio 1.10). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $548/mo ($6,576/yr) from $1,374 in Yakima to $1,922 in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits #231 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Yakima is #202/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $9,570 higher ($70,002 → $79,572). Labor-market size: 90,310 tracked jobs at origin vs 1,180,420 at destination.
State retirement friendliness is near-even: Washington 38 (F, #51/51) vs Oregon 41 (F, #49/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 63
- Property tax
- 63
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 18
- Income tax
- 62
- Property tax
- 64
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 14
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Yakima to see what you'd need to earn in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro to maintain the same purchasing power.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026