Albany
RANK #360 / 996 NAT · #1 / 18 OR · POP 128,598
1YR FORECAST: +0.9%
5YR OUTLOOK: +27%
Linn County, Oregon, is distinguished by its position in the heart of the Willamette Valley, stretching from the Willamette River to the Cascade Mountains. This location provides a diverse landscape of farmlands, clear lakes, rivers, and dense forests. Sweet Home, one of the notable towns, is celebrated as the home of the Oregon Jamboree music festival. Commuting within the county is primarily by car, with an average commute time of 25.7 minutes. Public transit options like Albany Transit and the Linn-Benton Loop connect major towns and offer connections to nearby cities like Corvallis. The county offers extensive outdoor recreation, including hiking through lush forests to waterfalls at McDowell Creek Falls Park, boating and fishing on lakes like Foster and Green Peter, and exploring the Quartzville Recreation Corridor.
Life in Linn County offers a blend of rural charm and access to larger urban amenities in nearby cities like Albany, the largest city in the county. The economy has a strong agricultural base, leading the nation in ryegrass production, and also includes manufacturing, food processing, and wood products. Recent economic developments show growth in sectors such as health care and professional and business services. The county also sees ongoing investment in energy and data center infrastructure, contributing to a diversified economic picture.
Overvalued relative to economy
Below national median
Well below national median
Above national median (13x)
Housing looks overvalued at 7.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Google Data Centers (multiple campuses)
Google
|
$1,300M | Proposed |
|
Gas-fired Power Plant (near Fairfax)
Alliant Energy
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
Silverfield Battery Energy Storage Facility
Spearmint Energy
|
$300M | Proposed |
|
Muddy Creek Energy Park (Solar + Battery Storage)
Muddy Creek Energy Park LLC (subsidiary of Hanwha Q CELLS USA Corp.)
|
$199M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 64/100, Linn County sits in the upper half of all 996 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $69,523 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in OR.
Linn County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $319,800 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.22 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,160/month on average.
Linn County's population is growing — up +1.1% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of -0.6%). Home values shifted +0.7% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 4.45% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Linn County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.