From June 27th to July 10th, 2025, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (OVBC) conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs on the topics of well-being and consumer justice in Oregon (see full consumer justice report in previous posts).
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 annotated questionnaire or tabs. Included below for selected questions are noteworthy subgroup variations for age, gender, area of the state, BIPOC/white, etc. The accompanying set of tabs notes subgroup variations for all the questions.
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
- Hope for the future has declined among Oregonians since 2021, and feelings of hopelessness are similar whether or not people feel financially secure.
- Financial stability strengthens Oregonians’ feelings of safety, personal agency, and closeness with family and friends.
- When thinking about Oregon’s future, Oregonians prioritize caring for the environment, including walkable green spaces, addressing climate change, and protecting natural areas.
HOW ARE OREGONIANS FEELING?
To gauge how Oregonians feel at this point in time, we asked a series of questions on personal well-being.
A majority of Oregonians (56%) feel safe from threats, with one in ten saying they don’t feel safe at all. 42% say they feel connected to family and friends every day, 13% say they don’t feel connected at all. These two feelings remain similar to the levels felt by respondents in 2021.
The state is currently mixed as to whether they feel “able to control what is important” (31% feel this nearly every day, 16% not at all). This feeling has decreased since 2021, with 44% of Oregonians previously reporting a feeling of control nearly everyday.
One in five Oregonians have a “sense of hopefulness about the future” nearly every day, while half (49%) of respondents feel hopeful more than half or several days in the past two weeks. The remaining 28% say they don’t feel a sense of hopefulness at all. When compared to 2021 data, respondents in 2025 lean towards feeling less hopeful about the future.
Finally, 46% of Oregonians said they have not felt “afraid, as if something awful might happen” in the past two weeks, but around half said that they feel this several days (30%), more than half of the days (10%), or nearly every day (10%). Findings remain largely unchanged from a 2022 OVBC survey, where about half of the respondents (53%) reported they didn’t feel this at all.
Oregonians able to handle a $400 emergency without difficulty reported higher levels of safety, personal control, and connection to loved ones. The largest differences were in connections with family and friends and in the sense of being able to control what matters most—both roughly 20% lower among those who would find the emergency challenging to cover.
U.S. DIRECTION
A majority of Oregonians (62%) say the U.S. is headed off on the wrong track, with 46% feeling strongly that we are on the wrong track. 31% say we are headed in the right direction, a total that has barely shifted since 2023 (27%), although “right direction, strongly” has increased by 8 percentage points.
- Registered Democrats are highly united in their strong feelings, with 76% reporting they believe the U.S. is strongly on the wrong track (10% saying somewhat on the wrong track).
- Interestingly, registered Republicans do not share the same level of strong feelings; 33% feel strongly that the U.S. is heading in the right direction, while 41% say the U.S. is somewhat off track.
Oregonians who believe the U.S. is off on the wrong track most often point to:
- Unqualified or harmful national leadership is weakening the country’s institutions, damaging international relationships, and ignoring domestic concerns
- Political division, racism, and loss of civility
- Neglect of key issues (e.g., affordable housing, rising costs, environmental protections)
- Mistreatment of marginalized communities, viewed as unlawful or unethical
The following are representative quotes:
“The current president and congress are undoing environmental protections, removing many aspects of the social safety net, and endangering international peace.”
Woman, age 75+, Multnomah County, White, Democrat
“Trump has very little sense of what his agenda is or how it affects the US citizenship.”
Man, age 65-74, Multnomah County, White, Republican
“I think there is way too much division between people especially because of politics. Many people are not willing to engage with each other because of this. There is heightened racism as well which is surprising because I thought we were smarter and had learned. People think being bullish is “strong” and masculine which it’s not.”
Woman, age 18-29, Lane County, White, Not registered to vote
“Housing is still not affordable in most of the area.”
Woman, age 44-54, Multnomah County, Black or African American, Democrat
“Sadly, I do not think responsible decisions are being made in DC. I think individuals like our LGBTQ folks, blacks and immigrants are being often treated cruelly.”
Non-binary or gender non-conforming, age 55-64, Washington County, White, Democrat
“Too much political division, rising costs, and weak leadership. It feels like real issues-like public safety, the economy, and trust in government aren’t being addressed effectively.”
Man, age 30-44, Deschutes County, Hispanic or Latino and White, Republican
Oregonians who say the U.S. is headed in the right direction most often cite:
- Support for national leadership and President Trump’s policies prioritizing Americans over foreign interests
- Economic recovery (e.g., job growth, reducing costs, easing inflation)
- Values such as personal freedom, pro-life beliefs, and national sovereignty
- Tougher immigration enforcement
- Tax changes seen as fair and overdue for workers and seniors
The following are representative quotes:
“Trump is trying to make costs go down and work on our country first and get things done nobody else would do and getting our freedom back.”
Non-binary or gender non-conforming, age 18-29, Deschutes County, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and White, Republican
“Economic Recovery: Inflation has cooled significantly since the post-COVID surge, and unemployment remains low. Wage growth, though uneven, is occurring in many sectors.”
Woman, age 30-44, Washington County, Black or African American, Democrat
“I think these tax breaks like no tax on tips and no tax on medicare is long overdue. As a senior I’ve paid taxes for years and feel I’ve earned my medicare without additional taxes.”
Woman, age 65-74, Washington County, White, Republican
“Deporting illegal criminals, promoting pro life values, cutting funding for the enemies of America.”
Man, age 55-64, Yamhill County, White, Non-affiliated
“The U.S. is driving economic recovery via tech innovation (like AI) and new business models, creating jobs.”
Man, age 30-44, Clackamas County, White, Democrat
OREGON’S DIRECTION
Although the state receives a more positive outlook on its direction than the nation, a plurality of Oregonians still say we are off on the wrong track (49%) instead of heading in the right direction (41%) [Q7]. One in ten say they don’t know which direction Oregon is headed.
- More likely to say “Right Direction”*: 4-year degree holders, people living in the Tri-County or urban areas, and those who could pay an emergency expense without difficulty
- More likely to say “Wrong Track”*: Men, and those who identify as white.
OVBC has benchmarked this question since we started asking Oregonians about their opinions in 2021. Respondents continue to notice room for improvement within the state. The average percentage of those who say “right direction” is 41% compared to “wrong track” at 50%.
Oregonians who believe the state is on the wrong track most often point to rising costs, unaffordable housing, and a worsening homelessness crisis. Other common reasons for feeling this way include:
- Increasing taxes without visible results
- Businesses and residents leaving the state as signs of economic instability and a lower quality of life
- Concerns about crime
- A growing disconnect between leaders and the needs of Oregonians
Below are representative quotes:
“Partisanship, identity politics, lack of real oversight in budgeting, raising taxes when folks are suffering, negative education outcomes.”
Woman, age 65-74, Crook County, White, Democrat
“Housing costs soar, buying/renting is tough, worsening the living crisis.”
Man, age 30-44, Washington County, Hispanic or Latino, Democrat
“Oregon is still high in price for a lot of things.”
Non-binary or gender non-conforming, age 18-29, Deschutes County, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and White, Republican
“Homelessness is increasing because there are not enough resources. Oregon is also very divided. Rent and bills are sky high. So is food, gas and medical.”
Woman, age 55-64, Polk County, White, Independent Party of Oregon
“Cost of living is one of the worst in the nation, fuel prices some of the highest as well. The job and housing markets here are awful. The people elected don’t care at all.”
Man, age 44-54, Lane County, White, Republican
“The exodus of businesses and individuals is causing the city to feel more and more like a dystopian ghost town. The fact that our taxes keep going up with no real accountability as to how the money is spent and no noticeable improvements makes me think there is corruption.”
Man, age 44-54, Multnomah County, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and another race or ethnicity not listed above, Non-affiliated
“We have too much homelessness and crime, and aren’t doing enough or the right things to combat them.”
Man, age 75+, Multnomah County, White, Democrat
Oregonians who say the state is headed in the right direction most often point to:
- Oregon’s inclusive and progressive approach to social policy, including support for marginalized communities and policy protections such as abortion access, LGBTQ rights, and aid for immigrants and low-income residents
- Oregon’s leadership as principled, especially in contrast to federal actions they view as discriminatory or unjust
- Economic strength, referencing examples like Oregon’s diverse industries
- The state’s environmental values and welcoming social atmosphere
The following are representative quotes:
“Our state is trying to stand up for immigrants and the poor, trying to safeguard abortion access, trying to curb climate control, trying to protect LGBTQ rights.”
Woman, age 65-74, Marion County, White, Democrat
“Trying to preserve healthcare, reproductive care, trans care.”
Non-binary or gender non-conforming, age 44-54, Lane County, White, Democrat
Oregon has a diversified economic structure. Its traditional industries such as forestry and agriculture are highly developed.”
Man, age 30-44, Clatsop County, White, Republican
“The governor and many (not all) legislators have taken public stands against tyranny, graft and discrimination at the federal level.”
Woman, age 65-74, Multnomah County, Native American, American Indian, or Alaska Native and White, Democrat
“Oregon is a very environmental[ly] based state. People are way more welcoming and are not as uptight as others. There is less judgment and less pressure to be ‘part of the pack’.”
Woman, age 18-29, Lane County, White, Not registered to vote
“Strong Revenue & Budget Position. The state’s new chief economist forecasts an additional $550 million in the current budget cycle and nearly $1.3 billion extra for 2025–27—on top of already solid revenue growth.”
Woman, age 30-44, Washington County, Black or African American, Democrat
ACTIONS TO MOVE OREGON FORWARD
To better understand how Oregonians view possible actions for moving the state forward, OVBC asked residents about several goals the state could strive toward.
A majority of Oregonians gave positive feedback for each action. Even the statement with the least support – “Oregon supports immigrants’ participation in the state’s political, economic, and social life” – received a 58% positive leaning. The most popular statement – “Oregon’s state and local governments deliberately design communities to be walkable, family-friendly, and surrounded by green spaces” – earned 72% support, with 45% feeling very positive.
- “Oregon prioritizes the creation of a business-friendly environment” has strong agreement across subgroups. Even among Republicans and Democrats, 64% of both groups see this as a positive direction for Oregonians.
- Among all demographic groups, the majority support Oregon’s rural communities having the freedom to manage local resources without constraints from urban areas.
- A majority of Oregonians believe investing in climate change prevention and protecting the state’s natural resources is a positive thing.
METHODOLOGY
The online survey consisted of 1,897 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 such that all people of color are believed to 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 ±2.25%
For More Information:
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).