Washington to Oregon Moving Guide
Updated June 20, 2025

Planning a 360 mile interstate move from Washington to Oregon? This moving guide will help you compare living in Washington vs Oregon across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like constant rain vs sunnier weather), food & health (like Seafood Chowder vs Marionberry Pie), real estate & housing (northwest contemporary vs craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Oregon), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Seafood Chowder and Teriyaki Chicken, but get your taste buds ready for Marionberry Pie & Grilled Salmon
- Oregon housing costs are 16% less expensive than they are in Washington
- Rent in Oregon is 10.45% more affordable than in Washington
- Moving from Washington to Oregon will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,000
- Our top recommended Washington to Oregon movers is Seattle Moves & More
Washington to Oregon Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Washington to Oregon
- Constant rain
- High state taxes
- Traffic congestion
- Costly housing
- Sunnier weather
- Lower, no sales tax
- More relaxed roads
- More affordable living
- Smaller job market
- Less cultural offerings
- Fewer top institutions
- Fewer beaches
- Thriving tech scene
- Diverse community
- Excellent schools
- Beautiful coastlines
Pros of moving from Washington to Oregon
- Say goodbye to constant rain and hello to sunnier weather
- Look forward to moving away from high state taxes and moving to Oregon with lower no sales tax
- Swap the traffic congestion of Washington for more relaxed roads in Oregon
- Get ready for more affordable living in Oregon
Cons of moving from Washington to Oregon
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from a thriving tech scene in Washington to live with a smaller job market in Oregon
- You'll lose out on the pro of a diverse community and have to settle for the con of fewer cultural offerings
- Time to bid farewell to excellent schools and get used to fewer top institutions in Oregon
- Swap beautiful coastlines for fewer beaches
Washington vs. Oregon: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Seafood Chowder | Marionberry Pie |
Most popular meat dish | Teriyaki Chicken | Grilled Salmon |
Most popular street food item | Coffee | Food Carts Offering Various Cuisines |
Most popular vegan food | Vegan Pho | Vegan Doughnuts |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Washington to Oregon, you will be trading the iconic Seafood Chowder of Washington for the equally delicious Marionberry Pie of Oregon. And while the locals in Washington rave about their flavorful Teriyaki Chicken and sumptuous Coffee, Oregon residents know they have tasty Grilled Salmon and Food Carts Offering Various Cuisines to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan Pho they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Vegan Doughnuts of Oregon. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Washington eateries like Canlis, The Pink Door, and Le Pichet. After the boxes are unpacked in Oregon, don't wait too long before making your way to Oregon's acclaimed eateries like Voodoo Doughnut, Le Pigeon, and Pok Pok.
When comparing lifestyles, Oregon shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Washington. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Oregon, compared to what you are used to in Washington. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Oregon.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Washington and Oregon
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Northwest Contemporary | Craftsman |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Eco-friendly features | Proximity to nature |
- The Northwest Contemporary architecture that Washington is known for will be replaced with the Craftsman architecture typical of Oregon.
- Compared to Washington's real estate listings that commonly reference eco-friendly features, Oregon real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to nature.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Oregon is less walkable than Washington.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Oregon is more bike-friendly than Washington.
- Oregon has less of an urban feel than Washington.
- Oregon housing costs are 16% less expensive than they are in Washington, with a median home price of $497,946 compared to Washingtonβs $591,148.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Oregon have increased by 39% compared to a 49% increase in Washington.
- Rent in Oregon is 10.45% more affordable than in Washington.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Washington and Oregon
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Floods, Earthquakes | Floods, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 75Β°F / 55Β°F | 81Β°F / 51Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 47Β°F / 36Β°F | 48Β°F / 35Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 38" | 43" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 16.6" | 8" |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Washington to Oregon. Oregon gets 5% fewer sunshine days than Washington.
- Oregon has lower humidity and a similar average UV index compared to Washington.
- Say goodbye to the possible floods and earthquakes in Washington, but be on the lookout for potential floods and earthquakes in Oregon.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Oregon is 6 degrees warmer than in Washington.
- The average winter lows are 1 degree colder than they are in Washington.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Oregon. Oregon receives 5 more inches of rain compared to Washington.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Washington and Oregon
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $91,306 | $75,657 |
Cost of Living Index | 104.1 | 110.55 |
State Income Tax | 0% | 4.75%-9.9% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1% | 1.1% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.5%-10.4% | 0% |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Aerospace, Agriculture | Technology, Forestry, Healthcare |
Affluence | Comfortable | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Moderate |
Homelessness | Concerning | Concerning |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Oregon tend to earn about 17% less than those in Washington
- The COLI in Oregon will be 6% higher than what you are used to living in Washington
- Bummer... By moving from WA to OR, you will now have a state income tax of 4.75%-9.9%
- The affluence in Oregon is moderate compared to comfortable in Washington
- The poverty level is moderate in Oregon compared to moderate in Washington
- In terms of homelessness, it is concerning in Washington and concerning in Oregon
Political and Religious Climate in Washington vs. Oregon
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democratically inclined | Democratically inclined |
Local Politics | Moderate to liberal, especially in urban areas | Moderate to liberal, with conservative pockets |
Religion | Less religious overall | Varies, with some areas more religious than others |
- Washington tends to lean democratically inclined in its political climate
- Oregon, on the other hand, is often described as democratically inclined
- Oregon's religious environment can be described as varying, with some areas more religious than others
- Washington's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as less religious overall
Education Guide When Moving from Washington to Oregon
Comparison | Washington | Oregon |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Washington Washington State University Seattle University | University of Oregon Oregon State University Reed College |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Cascadia Elementary - Seattle Medina Elementary - Medina Briarwood Elementary - Issaquah | Findley Elementary - Portland Jacob Wismer Elementary - Portland Bonny Slope Elementary - Portland |
Top 3 Middle Schools | International School - Bellevue Chinook Middle School - Bellevue Washington Middle School - Olympia | Stoller Middle School - Portland Lake Oswego Junior High - Lake Oswego Cedar Park Middle School - Portland |
Top 3 High Schools | International School - Bellevue Newport High School - Bellevue Tesla STEM High School - Redmond | Lake Oswego High School - Lake Oswego International School of Beaverton - Beaverton Riverdale High School - Portland |
Top 3 private high schools | The Bear Creek School - Redmond Overlake School - Redmond Seattle Academy - Seattle | Catlin Gabel School - Portland Oregon Episcopal School - Portland St. Mary's Academy - Portland |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Charles Wright Academy - Tacoma Annie Wright Schools - Tacoma Eastside Preparatory School - Kirkland | Oregon Episcopal School - Portland Catlin Gabel School - Portland Delphian School - Sheridan |
Top 3 School Districts | Lake Washington School District Bellevue School District Issaquah School District | Lake Oswego School District Riverdale School District West Linn-Wilsonville School District |
How Much Do Washington to Oregon Movers Cost?
Moving 360 miles from Washington to Oregon will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $5,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-4 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: John Volken Academy Movers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,407 | 300 ft3 | $4.69 |
1 Bedroom | $2,087 | 450 ft3 | $4.64 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,441 | 750 ft3 | $4.59 |
3 Bedrooms | $4,992 | 1100 ft3 | $4.54 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,182 | 1600 ft3 | $4.49 |
5+ Bedrooms | $7,989 | 1800 ft3 | $4.44 |
Top Washington to Oregon Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Washington to Oregon movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Seattle Moves & More
Best moving company overall for Washington to Oregon