LET’S MOVE TO OREGON NEWS — Oregon’s housing affordability problem isn’t just frustrating buyers. A new national report suggests the state remains one of the most difficult places in America when affordability and new-home construction are considered together.
In Realtor.com Economic Research’s “Grading the States: Affordability & Homebuilding Report Cards—2026 Update,” Oregon ranked No. 45 nationally and received a D- grade, with an overall score of just 30.8 out of 100. (Realtor)
Perhaps more concerning: Oregon’s ranking didn’t improve from last year.
Oregon’s 2026 Housing Report Card
The numbers behind Oregon’s grade help explain why affordability remains such an important issue for both existing residents and people considering a move to the state.
According to Realtor.com’s report:
Oregon Housing Metric | 2026 Result |
National Rank | No. 45 |
Overall Grade | D- |
Total Score | 30.8 |
REALTORS® Affordability Score | 0.48 |
Median Listing Price | $564,005 |
Median Household Income | $80,356 |
Share of U.S. Permitted Housing Units | 1.05% |
Share of U.S. Population | 1.25% |
New-Construction Premium | 1.4% |
The report uses primarily 2025 data to produce its 2026 rankings.
Why Did Oregon Receive Such a Low Grade?
evaluates states using two equally weighted categories: housing affordability and homebuilding.
Affordability considers how accessible homes are to households at different income levels and how much income is required to afford a median-priced home.
Homebuilding looks at whether states are producing enough housing relative to their populations and whether newly constructed homes are competitively priced compared with existing homes.
Oregon struggles particularly because home prices remain high relative to what typical households earn.
With a median listing price of approximately $564,005 and median household income of $80,356, the gap between Oregon wages and Oregon home prices remains substantial.
Oregon Is Stuck Near the Bottom
Oregon isn’t alone.
The report identifies a group of states that have remained near the bottom of the rankings. Oregon held its No. 45 position, alongside other expensive housing markets including California, Hawaii and Massachusetts.
Realtor.com points to structural problems affecting these lower-ranked states, including high home prices, constrained land, restrictive zoning and construction costs that exceed what many middle-income households can afford.
Those aren’t problems that disappear after one strong construction season.
The researchers concluded that meaningful movement in the rankings would likely require several years of sustained improvement.
Oregon’s New-Construction Number Offers an Interesting Twist
One Oregon statistic stands out.
The state’s new-construction premium is only 1.4%, according to Realtor.com. That means the median price of newly constructed homes is relatively close to the median price of existing homes.
Compare that with states such as Kansas, where the new-construction premium is 77.6%, or Michigan, where it reaches 89.1%.
That’s potentially encouraging for Oregon buyers considering new construction.
The larger problem is supply.
Oregon accounted for approximately 1.05% of permitted housing units nationally while representing about 1.25% of the U.S. population. That suggests the state isn’t permitting housing at a pace proportional to its share of the country’s population.
The West Is Falling Behind
Oregon’s poor ranking is also part of a much larger regional affordability divide.
Western states averaged a score of 41.8 and a national ranking of No. 35, while Midwestern states averaged 60.9 and Southern states averaged 60.4.
Every state receiving an A or B grade in the report was located in the South or Midwest.
Indiana ranked No. 1 with an A, followed by Iowa and South Carolina. Texas ranked fourth with an A-, while North Carolina rounded out the top five with a B+.
The difference is increasingly about more than home prices. States that combine relatively affordable existing homes with stronger housing production are outperforming expensive states where new supply has struggled to keep pace.
What This Means If You’re Thinking About Moving to Oregon
For prospective Oregon homebuyers, the report doesn’t necessarily mean Oregon is unaffordable everywhere.
Housing markets can differ dramatically between Portland, Bend, Salem, Eugene, Medford, coastal communities and smaller Oregon towns. A statewide ranking can’t capture every local opportunity.
But the D- grade does highlight an important reality for anyone planning a move:
Oregon’s housing market requires careful budgeting and location research.
Someone relocating from a more affordable state may find that the amount they expected to spend buys considerably less home in Oregon.
Buyers may need to consider smaller homes, condos and townhomes, communities farther from major employment centers, or newly constructed properties where pricing is competitive with existing inventory.
Can Oregon Improve?
Yes—but probably not quickly.
Realt.com’s analysis argues that states near the bottom will need sustained improvements rather than a single year of stronger construction.
Potential solutions identified in the report include more permissive zoning, streamlined permitting and incentives that encourage competitively priced new construction.
The national housing shortage also remains substantial. Realtor.com estimates the country is still short roughly 4 million homes, meaning Oregon is competing with nearly every other state to solve a broader housing supply problem.
The Bottom Line
Oregon continues to offer many of the qualities that attract people to the Pacific Northwest, but affordable homeownership remains one of the state’s biggest challenges.
A No. 45 national ranking and D- grade make that difficult to ignore.
For people thinking about moving to Oregon, the takeaway isn’t necessarily “don’t move here.”
It’s “know your numbers before you move.”
Understanding how Oregon home prices compare with your income—and choosing the right Oregon community for your budget—may be more important than ever.
Source: Realtor.com Economic Research, Grading the States: Affordability &
Homebuilding Report Cards—2026 Update, published June 15, 2026.