Issue Briefs

Oregonians speak on the issues most important to them

The collection of Oregon Voices issue briefs summarize what Oregonians shared about their experiences. The topics were selected based on how frequently they came up in more than a dozen open-ended survey responses. While the research team includes some additional data for context setting and background, these are not comprehensive or definitive guides to the topic. Instead, these are intended to elevate the voices of Oregonians from all corners of our state, sharing what they told us through their survey responses.

Oregon Voices issue briefs will be published in the order of how loudly survey respondents spoke on the issues and how they affect their lives.

Housing access and affordability in Oregon

Every county in Oregon shared that their communities are facing significant challenges related to housing. Although the Oregon Voices survey asked few questions focused on housing, so many Oregonians voiced their concerns that the research team focused their analysis on the topic in this first issue brief. Key findings include:

Housing cost is a primary concern for respondents across all demographics.
Lower income households, renters, younger people and people of color are less satisfied with their housing situation.
Respondents across the state are concerned about homelessness.

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Health care availability in Oregon

Oregon Voices survey respondents confirm what we know from available data: Health care services are not equitably available to all Oregonians. Unfortunately, where someone lives in our state may determine the type of services available and, as a result, their physical and mental wellness. Key findings include:

Rural areas of Oregon lack access to health care providers.
Young people report the lowest mental health.
Residents report that many community members are struggling with both substance abuse and mental illness.

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Voices on the state of public education

While half of Oregon Voices respondents report that Oregon has good schools, we heard from many survey respondents across Oregon that the quality of K-12 education is a primary concern. Although the Oregon Voices survey asked few questions focused on education, many people commented on their local schools in open-ended responses. Key findings include:

Half of survey respondents across the state believe Oregon has good schools.
The lack of adequate funding for schools is a top concern across the state.
Overcrowding and school facility updates are primary concerns in select counties.
Respondents—especially people of color—are concerned about the education workforce.

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Voices on financial well-being

While most respondents consider themselves financially stable, when given the opportunity to share their greatest concerns about their community, respondents were quick to share about the incompatibility of low wages with the increased cost of living, particularly for lower-income community members and households with children. These concerns came charged with solutions to promote “living wages” and work to address the state’s growing wealth inequality.

While most survey respondents consider themselves financially stable, this isn’t equally true for everyone.
Respondents worry about their community’s access to well-paying jobs.
Respondents are concerned about growing wealth inequality.

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Cost and availability of child care

Concerns about availability and cost showed in quantitative and qualitative survey results with agreement across geographic, race and ethnicity, household size, and income categories. Notably, the survey was administered in 2021, and respondents related their struggles to other pandemic-related challenges.

Child care is hard for anyone to find.
Some rural counties report more difficulty finding child care than the state average.
Child care costs are a top concern for parents.

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