Portland - OR vs Sacramento - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Sacramento - CA is roughly 6% more expensive than Portland - OR in typical home value.

Portland vs Sacramento: what the numbers say

At today's 7.40% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $2,988 a month in principal and interest in Portland and $3,173 in Sacramento, a gap of $185 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,803 in Portland and $2,269 in Sacramento, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.7 times rent in Portland and 1.4 times rent in Sacramento, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 24.9 years of rent in Portland and 21.0 in Sacramento; the lower ratio in Sacramento means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -1.4% in Portland and -2.3% in Sacramento; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in Portland and +0.3% in Sacramento.

Homes sell for 99.7% of list price in Portland and 99.6% in Sacramento, after 23 and 22 days on the market, with price cuts on 32% and 30% of listings. The signs are mixed: Portland has more price cuts and longer time on the market, while Sacramento has sales further below list.

The number of homes for sale is up 3% on a year ago in Portland and down 4% on a year ago in Sacramento.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-15), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.