Each row shows where Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

α Absolute mobility 73rd percentile

this county national median

38.28 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 18th percentile

this county national median

0.26 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 66th percentile

this county national median

The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

α Absolute mobility 64th percentile

this county national median

39.60 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 27th percentile

this county national median

0.27 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 84th percentile

this county national median

11.82 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

α Absolute mobility 9th percentile

this county national median

49.88 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 54th percentile

this county national median

0.41 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 95th percentile

this county national median

-2.43 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The value of housing assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 87th percentile

this county national median

43.34 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 63rd percentile

this county national median

0.34 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 91st percentile

this county national median

1.60 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The total value of all assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 71st percentile

this county national median

44.82 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 69th percentile

this county national median

0.32 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 85th percentile

this county national median

8.51 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

County	State	α (absolute mobility)	β (persistence)	δ (extensive margin)	n
Clackamas	OR	45.05	0.324	8.99	3300
Clark	WA	49.55	0.270	7.57	3200
Columbia	OR	41.66	0.295	10.56	750
Multnomah	OR	41.71	0.346	9.28	5000
Skamania	WA	39.22	0.352	7.35	200
Washington	OR	45.42	0.336	10.40	3800
Yamhill	OR	45.55	0.266	-1.44	1100

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro

The five lenses at a glance