Economic, Community, & Civic Well-Being - Oregon Values and Beliefs Center

From Oct. 23rd to Nov. 3rd, 2025, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (OVBC) conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ economic, social, and civic well-being.

The question numbers in this document correspond with the accompanying Questionnaire Totals and Crosstabs data files. For survey full question wording, all statistically significant subgroup findings, and respondent quotes, readers are encouraged to refer to the accompanying documents located at the bottom of this post under “For More Information”: (1) questionnaire totals, (2) crosstabulations, and (3) verbatim written responses spreadsheet (upon request).

Due to rounding, the percentages reported below may not add up to 100% or compare exactly to the percentages for the same question in the Questionnaire Totals or Crosstabs. Included below are noteworthy subgroup variations for age, gender, area of the state, BIPOC/white, etc, for selected questions. The accompanying set of tabs notes subgroup variations for each question.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, each statement summarizing noticeable differences captures a comparison within an identification category. For example, if respondents aged 75 and older show higher support for a particular statement, this refers to a comparison with other age groups.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Roughly half of Oregonians feel economically secure, with the remainder experiencing economic strain.
Those with lower incomes do not necessarily have less financial knowledge, but they are less often the recipients of generational wealth.
As for perspectives on government and politics, a plurality tend to choose friends who share their same views.
A majority of Oregonians think the U.S. used to be a good example of democracy, but has not been in recent years.
Although only half feel the State government reflects the views of most Oregonians, 3 in 4 respondents are proud to be Oregonians.
Compared to 2021, Oregonians feel somewhat less supported now by their community leaders.

ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

Half of Oregonians say they are not doing well economically, with little change since OVBC last asked in 2023. Among those earning $25,000 or less, this jumps to 70%, and to 66% among with household incomes between $25,000 and $49,999.

Those most likely to agree they are doing well economically include[Q23]*:

Ages 65 -74 (63%) and 75+ (75%)
4-year degree or more (70%)
Home-owners (67%)

Interestingly, there is no difference in self-reported economic well-being between those who have kids and those who do not [Q23].
Regionally, those living in the Willamette Valley (outside the Portland Metro area) report lower economic well-being (39%) compared to the Tri-County area (58%) and the rest of the state (48%).

In a similar question that asked how Oregonians are managing financially, only a quarter of respondents say they were “living comfortably” (25%). Three in ten say they are “doing okay” (30%) or “just getting by” (27%); 18% of Oregonians find it difficult to get by.

Those more likely to report just “getting by” or “finding difficult to get by” include [Q7]*:

Renters (65%)
Those with a high school degree or less (64%)
BIPOC Oregonians (55%)
Women (53%)
Those with some college (53%)

Every age group younger than 65 reports significantly more financial struggle than those 65 or older.

The statewide average for self-reported financial knowledge is above average, at 4.8 on a scale of 1 (very low) to 7 (very high).

Most Oregonians (56%) have not had a parent or grandparent pay for major expense of theirs (e.g., college, wedding, downpayment for a home, etc.) [Q15].

The primary groups reporting higher levels of intergenerational assistance are [Q15]*:

Households earning an annual income of $100,000 or more (61%)
Those with a four-year or advanced degree (59%)
Homeowners (47%)

In contrast, rural Oregonians report below-average levels of generational support (31%). Rates of generational support do not vary meaningfully by gender, age, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, or parental status.

COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION

After navigating social and economic changes in recent years, Oregonians report somewhat higher levels of community connection and happiness in 2025 compared to 2023.

Those most likely to feel connected to and happy about their community include [Q24]*:

Those 75 and older (77%)
Those with at least a four-year college degree (71%)
Home-owners (67%)
Those living in urban areas (63%)

Around half (51%) of Oregonians say they share values with others in their community. They report similar levels in 2025 as in 2021 [Q25].

Oregonians with annual household incomes of $150,000 or more are the most likely to strongly or somewhat agree that people in their community share their values (69%)*.
Oregonians living in rural areas are less likely to say people in their area share the same values (37%) [Q25]*.

Despite changes between 2022 and 2025, Oregonians surround themselves with similar levels of people who share their political beliefs. Only 1/3 keep company with people whose political views differ from their own.

Those most likely to have friends who share their political views include [Q27]*:

Registered Democrats (64%)
Adults ages 75 and older (56%)
Individuals with a four-year degree or advanced degree (52%)
Financially comfortable respondents [Q7] (51%)
Residents of the Tri-County area (50%)

15% of Oregonians don’t really know their friends’ political views. This is more common among:

Those with annual household incomes of $25,000 or less (25%)
Those with a high school degree or fewer years of formal education (24%)
Individuals not registered as either Republican or Democrat (22%)
BIPOC Oregonians (21%)
Renters (20%)

Oregonians in 2025 feel less supported by their community leaders [Q26]. In 2021, 55% of Oregonians agreed that their community leaders care about what happens to them. Today, only 40% agree with that statement.

Those most likely to strongly or somewhat agree that they feel cared for by their community leaders include [Q26]*:

Oregonians with annual household incomes of $150,000 or more (60%)
Those with a four-year degree or higher (53%)

In contrast, Willamette Valley residents outside the Portland Metro area are less likely to feel cared for by community leaders (32%).

DEMOCRACY IN THE U.S.

A strong majority of Oregonians (62%) continue to believe that the United States was once a “good example of democracy, but has not been in recent years.” [Q40] Other beliefs holding strong are those who say the U.S. is currently “a good example of democracy for other countries to follow” (17%), and those who believe the U.S. never was a good example of democracy (12%).

A strong majority of Oregonians agree that several core qualities are solidly important, if not essential, for a healthy government.

Among the most widely supported qualities are: public accountability of officials and institutions (89%); equal participation, equal treatment, and due process for all (87%); equal opportunity to participate in elections (87%); transparent decision-making, particularly for those affected by decisions (86%).

A strong majority of Republicans and Democrats agree that all of these qualities are essential or important to a healthy government.
Oregonians age 55 and older are more likely than younger age groups to rate all the listed governmental qualities as essential to a healthy government, except institutional response speed, which does not vary by age [Q31–Q39]*.

OREGON: PLACE vs. POLICY

Oregonians are nearly evenly divided on whether Oregon’s best days are in the past, with 43% agreeing, 44% disagreeing, and 13% unsure.

Those most likely to agree that Oregon’s best days are behind us include [Q30]*:

Those with a high school diploma or less (51%)
People with children in their home (51%)
Men (47%)

About half of Oregonians (49%) agree that state government policies generally reflect the views of most Oregonians. Slightly fewer (44%) disagree. Nearly one in ten remain unsure.

Groups more likely to strongly or somewhat agree that state policies reflect Oregonians’ views include [Q29]*:

Those with at least a four-year degree (63%)
Those who are financially comfortable (58%) [Q7]
Residents of urban areas (57%, compared with 37% of rural residents)

Even amid ongoing criticisms and challenges, a strong majority of residents report pride in being an Oregonian, with 75% strongly or somewhat agreeing.

SUMMATION QUOTES – Amaury Vogel, Executive Director

“Economic Takeaway: There’s a turning point at $100,000 in household income. Once you’re above that line, over 80% of Oregonians feel financially comfortable. Below it, comfort drops sharply. For perspective: at minimum wage, you’d need more than three full-time jobs to hit that $100,000 mark.”

“Regional Economic Disparities: Economic well-being varies dramatically by region. In the Portland metro area, 58% report doing well, compared to just 39% in the Willamette Valley outside the metro and 48% in the rest of the state. Geography shapes opportunity in Oregon.”

“Gender Disparities: There’s a 20-point gender gap in economic well-being: 60% of men report doing well financially, compared to just 40% of women. Though based on a smaller sample, nonbinary and transgender Oregonians reported even lower rates of economic well-being at 10%.”

“Social Circles: Two out of three Oregonians primarily spend time with people who share their political views—consistent with 2022. When our social circles are politically similar, bridging divides becomes that much harder.”

“Leadership in Oregon: While three-quarters of Oregonians are proud to be Oregonian, faith in community leaders has eroded significantly. In 2021, 55% felt their leaders cared about them; today, that’s dropped to 40%. People still love Oregon—they’re just less confident in who’s running it.”

“Democratic Values: Oregonians overwhelmingly agree on what make democracy healthy: accountability, transparency, and equal treatment, all with bipartisan support above 80%. But only 17% think the U.S. is currently a good example of democracy. We know what we want, we just don’t think we have it.”

METHODOLOGY

The online survey consisted of 1,775 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. This is a sufficient sample size to assess Oregonians’ opinions generally and to review findings by multiple subgroups. Respondents were contacted by using professionally maintained online panels. In gathering responses, a variety of quality control measures were employed, including questionnaire pre-testing, validation, and real-time monitoring of responses. To ensure a representative sample, demographic quotas were set, and data was weighted by area of the state, gender, age, race, political party, and education.

OVBC surveys currently use aggregated data to analyze the opinions of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) residents in comparison to the opinions of residents who identify as white and not another race. BIPOC residents are not a homogeneous population; instead, they represent a wide diversity of races and ethnicities. The findings included in this memo should not be construed as implying that all people of color share the same opinions. Disaggregated race data will be provided when sample sizes permit reliability.

Statement of Limitations: Any sampling of opinions or attitudes is subject to a margin of error. The margin of error is a standard statistical calculation that represents differences between the sample and total population at a confidence interval, or probability, calculated to be 95%. This means that there is a 95% probability that the sample taken for this study would fall within the stated margin of error if compared with the results achieved from surveying the entire population. This survey’s margin of error for the full sample is ±2.33% 

Downloadable Report and Data Files:

For more information on Oregon’s financial wellness, check out the history of Financial Wellness Scorecards, presented by the Oregon State Treasury:

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (OVBC): This research was completed by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center as a community service. OVBC is an independent and non-partisan organization and an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation. Representative OVBC projects include a series of in-depth business interviews for the Columbia County Economic Team, as well as an extensive opinion research study about Oregonian’s values and beliefs, in partnership with over 20 organizations (Learn more about the 2023 Typology Study).

Oregon State Treasury is focused on improving the financial well-being of all Oregonians. They provide low-cost programs for governments. The Treasury also empowers Oregonians to invest in themselves and their loved ones for a more secure future.