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Albany vs Gresham

68 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (+86% in Gresham) and conserved land (+12.4 pts in Gresham).

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Albany, ORA history townOregon · 56,839 people
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Gresham, ORAn outdoors townOregon · 112,378 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

AlbanyA history town
HistorySettled in 184620 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 50%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#37 for schools in ORof 121 towns All about Albany →
GreshamAn outdoors town
Outdoors#19 most conserved land in OR19 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves Health53% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates College town1 collegeMt Hood Community College All about Gresham →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails+86%
Gresham has more miles of trail
Gresham 18.6 miAlbany 10.0 mi
Conserved land+12.4 pts
Gresham has more conserved land
Gresham 15.8%Albany 3.4%
Home values+18%
Homes cost more in Gresham
Gresham $458,700Albany $389,200
Work in town+11.7 pts
More of Albany’s workers stay in town
Albany 28.1%Gresham 16.4%
Rent+16%
Rent runs higher in Gresham
Gresham $1,586Albany $1,372
Average commute5 min
Albany has the shorter commute
Gresham 26 minAlbany 21 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Albany places higher on 18 of 23 OR lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Oregon ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+AlbanySafer than 37% of U.S. towns C−GreshamSafer than 16% of U.S. towns
Schools
BAlbanyBetter than 55% of districts in the state B−GreshamBetter than 45% of districts in the state
Health
B−AlbanyHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns B−GreshamHealthier than 47% of U.S. towns
18Albany
5Gresham

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest obesityHealth · 147 towns #105#20 Highest graduation rateSchools · 139 towns #38#114 Best schoolsSchools · 121 towns #37#96 Most conserved landOutdoors · 141 towns #81#19 Shortest commuteGetting around · 147 towns #51#110 SafestSafety · 73 towns #35#58 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 147 towns #75#119 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 147 towns #5#42

Left end = #1 in Oregon. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Albany’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Albany$2,650/mo
Typical home $434K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $1,372/mo · Housing →
Gresham$2,790/mo
Typical home $465K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $1,586/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Gresham and Albany.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
AlbanyGresham
Snow a year3″3″
January low34°F37°F
July high83°F82°F
Growing season (days)194d251d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th57th
Outdoors & history
AlbanyGresham
Trails10 mi19 mi
Conserved land3.4%15.8%
Settled18461905
National Register places2010
Community
AlbanyGresham
Library hours a week56 hrs57 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

68 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AlbanyORGreshamOR
Albany ↔ Gresham68 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

AlbanyGresham
People
Population 56,839Lowest 112,378Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.6%Highest OR: +10.6% +8.2%Lowest OR: +10.6%
Median age 37.7±1.3Highest 7% below OR 37±1Lowest 8% below OR
Albany and Gresham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.5%±1.5Highest OR: 19.9% 22.7%±1.3Lowest OR: 19.9%
Albany and Gresham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.8%±1.1Highest OR: 19.1% 15.1%±0.9Lowest OR: 19.1%
Albany and Gresham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.4%Highest OR: 36.8% 23.3%Lowest OR: 36.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±0.6Lowest OR: 5.7% 5.3%±1.1Highest OR: 5.7%
Gresham and Albany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $78,114±$4kHighest 6% below OR $77,795±$4kLowest 6% below OR
Albany and Gresham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $389,200±$10kLowest 19% below OR $458,700±$5kHighest 4% below OR
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,372±$47Lowest 10% below OR $1,586±$37Highest 4% above OR
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,973Lowest about the OR average $4,174Highest 8% above OR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.9%±5.9Lowest OR: 52.5% 59%±4.3Highest OR: 52.5%
Gresham and Albany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.5%Highest OR: 11.9% 13%Lowest OR: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.9%Highest OR: 63.3% 55.8%Lowest OR: 63.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 2 yrs newer than OR 1981Lowest same as OR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 9% below OR 26 minHighest 13% above OR
Work from home 14.2%±1.6Highest OR: 19% 13%±1.5Lowest OR: 19%
Albany and Gresham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.1%Highest 16.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.85Highest 0.75Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Corvallis (15%)Portland (41%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GreshamFew work in Albany
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.4%Lowest 15.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 10.0 miLowest 18.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 26Lowest 47Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 94.8Lowest 107Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 121 in OR#96 of 121 in OR
School district ODE YCEP District · Greater Albany Public SD 8JCentennial SD 28J · Gresham-Barlow SD 10J
High school in town South Albany High SchoolCentennial High School
Students per teacherat that high school 21.9Lowest 26.7Highest
Oregon average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Albany neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Albany’s Town Square.

Gresham neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Living in Gresham

1 neighbor in Gresham can answer.

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Bordering Albany

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Millersburg3,366 people · $567K homes

Towns like Albany

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Medford86,315 people · $417K homes
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Keizer39,082 people · $434K homes
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Springfield61,499 people · $359K homes
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McMinnville34,596 people · $433K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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