City comparison
Hillsboro, OR is about 10 miles (20 km) from Portland, OR in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 17 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Hillsboro, OR to Portland, OR takes about 2 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Portland has a population of 646,101, vs 106,612 in Hillsboro — about 6.1× larger by population. By land area, Portland covers about 135 sq mi vs 26 sq mi for Hillsboro.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Hillsboro | Portland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,797/mo | $1,530/mo | 17.5% higher in Hillsboro |
| Median home value | $452,300 | $523,100 | 15.7% higher in Portland |
| Median household income | $98,891 | $85,876 | 15.2% higher in Hillsboro |
| Groceries index | 105.1 | 105.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 108.6 | 108.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Hillsboro, you'd need $99,292 in Portland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Portland, OR is about 0.7% cheaper overall than Hillsboro, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Hillsboro, you'd need about $79,434 in Portland to keep the same standard of living.