Medford, OR vs Hillsboro, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Hillsboro, OR spends 52% more per resident than Medford, OR: $18,698 against $12,307. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Medford, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 70/100 (grade B) against 43/100 (grade D) for Hillsboro, OR — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Medford, OR carries the lighter load at $2,887 per resident versus $8,726 for Hillsboro, OR. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Medford, OR at $822 per resident and in Hillsboro, OR at $3,096.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Medford, OR at 16% of total revenue, whereas Hillsboro, OR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 58%.
Summary
Hillsboro spends 34.2% more per capita than Medford ($6,392/person difference). Medford, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 70/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $17 | $1,352 |
| Sales Tax | $241 | $429 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,848 | $11,490 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,768 | $4,448 |
| Other | $3,119 | $5,341 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $267 | $449 |
| Highways & Roads | $322 | $32 |
| Education | $0 | $206 |
| Public Welfare | $1,096 | $1,428 |
| Health | $0 | $1,111 |
| Hospitals | $311 | $751 |
| Parks & Recreation | $822 | $3,096 |
| Housing | $3,358 | $4,102 |
| Sewerage | $232 | $777 |
| Utilities | $1,690 | $2,101 |
| Other | $4,209 | $4,645 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.