SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) unveiled the first State of the State’s Housing Report for Oregon, providing an in-depth analysis of housing availability and affordability across the state. Drawing from comprehensive data on housing markets, economic trends, and demographic shifts, the report highlights the challenges Oregon residents face in affording high-quality housing.
“Being attentive to the things that add meaning to people’s lives requires reliable data,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Data enables us to identify where our efforts are making an impact and where improvements are needed to make life better in ways that all people can feel and that we can measure. These data will aid in our collective efforts to deliver housing progress that communities deserve and demand.”
Oregon’s population grew by more than 753,000 residents, representing a 21% increase between 2004 and 2023. Housing construction was insufficient to keep pace with a rapidly increasing population. Oregon must add more than 500,000 housing units over the next two decades to begin addressing supply issues.
Home prices have far outpaced wage gains over the past decade in the for-sale market. For every dollar Oregonians earned in wage increases between 2013 and 2022, the median sales price of a home increased by $7.10. Communities of color continue to face significantly lower homeownership rates (49%) compared to their white counterparts (66%).
More than half of all renters in Oregon and a third of homeowners experience a housing cost burden, meaning that they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Approximately 242,000 households fall into the extremely low-income or very low-income categories. Oregon only offers approximately 113,000 housing units that are both affordable and available to them, resulting in a deficit of 128,000 units for these households.
“OHCS cannot solve the deeply entrenched issues facing the people of Oregon on its own,” said Megan Bolton, assistant director of research at OHCS. “There are factors beyond housing that impact the ability of individuals to thrive in today’s economy, and it will take coordination and collaboration with our federal partners, other state agencies, and cities, both large and small, to find ways to ensure housing stability for all Oregonians.”
OHCS expects to release a State of the State’s Housing Report every two years, with additional localized analyses in the years between each release. Reliable data enables the agency to identify where efforts are making an impact and where improvements are needed.
About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)
OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.
