About the Portland, Oregon Area

Portland is a beautiful city of approximately 556,370, which has been praised by Money magazine as North America's "Best Big City." Portland offers a spectacular natural beauty, lively culture, sumptuous top-notch dining, and first-class shopping, all easily accessible by light-rail system. Here you will find a city with a moderate climate, a wide range of recreational activities, beautiful gardens, and affordable housing. If you visit, you may never leave. 

Location 

Portland is located in Multnomah County, in northwest Oregon. Small portions of the city extend into Clackamas County (on the south) and Washington County (on the west). Multnomah County is also bordered by Hood River County to the east and the state of Washington to the north. Oregon is in the northwest United States. 

Geography/Terrain 

Portland has a total area of 145.4 square miles, 134.3 square miles of which is land and 11.1 square miles of which is water. Sitting at an altitude of 50 feet, in the Willamette Valley, Portland straddles the Willamette River, just south of its convergence with the Columbia River. The Portland metropolitan area lies on top of an extinct volcanic field, and is one of two cities in the continental US with an extinct volcano within its city limits. The downtown area is approximately four miles east of the volcanic vent Kelly Butte. The western area toward Rock Creek and Hillsboro is rolling terrain, while Portland city center and eastern section are hilly. Just 78 miles to the west is the Pacific Ocean. 

Distance to 3 closest major cities 

Portland is located 121 miles northwest of Bend, 103 miles north of Eugene, and 145 miles south of Seattle, Washington. 

Jobs 

The Portland region has a diverse economy, including manufacturing, trade, and services. A primary factor behind the area's economic growth is its high-tech industry, which has grown by almost 70 percent in recent years. The construction sector continues to be the fastest-growing industry in the greater metro area. Oregon is perfectly suited to growing wine grapes and ranks fourth in the US in wine production. Educational, health and social services provide 19.7% of the area’s employment, manufacturing provides 12.5%, professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services provide12.0%, and retail trade provides11.5%. The unemployment rate in the area is 6.40% and the recent job growth is 2.23%. The average commute time is 27 minutes. The median household income in Portland is $42,876, and the per capita income is $24,759. 

Housing 

Housing costs in Portland are lower than most urban areas in California and Washington.
There is a wide variety of areas, communities and neighborhoods, and each neighborhood has its own character. There is a low supply of homes and new development has been limited. The market for homes below $450,000 is tending to be strong, while homes $650,000 and above are selling slower. The average time a home is on the market is approximately 40 days. 

Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf 

Portland boasts a huge number of parks and open spaces. It has 37,000 acres of open spaces, 220 miles of regional trails, and parks that range in size from 5,000-acre Forest Park to 2-foot diameter Mill Ends Park. Forest Park is the largest wilderness park within city limits in the nation, and Mill Ends Park is the world's smallest park. Mt. Tabor Park is focused on an extinct volcano. Washington Park is home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden. 37-acre Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park extends along west bank of the Willamette River, and hosts major events all year round. Even the downtown area boasts dedicated park space with its North and South Park Blocks. Tryon Creek State Park is the only state park in the area. 

Portland is renowned for its beautiful public gardens. Portland Classical Chinese Garden is a representation of a Suzhou-style walled garden. Its creation involved workers from Suzhou, using material from China to construct its walls and teahouse. Grant Park is home to the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden. The International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park is one of the largest and oldest rose test gardens in the country. Tucked above it, the Japanese Garden is recognized as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside Japan. The Catholic Sanctuary, the Grotto, is located among 62 acres of botanical gardens, with over 100 beautifully sculpted statues and shrines. 

Portland Parks and Recreation offers more than 5,000 classes and activities for all ages, including fitness, art, music, sports, drama, day camps, and hiking. The city has four indoor year-round pools and seven outdoor pools. Skiing and snowboarding are extremely popular, and just an hour’s drive away, 11,235-foot Mount Hood boasts four top-notch ski resorts as well as North America’s longest ski season. This area is a delight for skiers, ice climbers, snowboarders and hikers, and the surrounding wilderness has fantastic trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Rock climbing is increasing in popularity, and Portland has been rated the nation’s top cycling city. The Lloyd Center Ice Rink is located in Oregon’s largest mall. You can also enjoy the area’s sights while on an exciting jetboat excursion. The Portland Marathon is a yearly event and for fishermen, the nearby northwest Pacific Ocean is renowned for its abundant steelhead, trout, and sturgeon. 

In terms of spectator sports, one of Portland’s newest and fastest growing teams is the Portland Lumberjax, a National Lacrosse League. The city hosts the Champ Car World Series circuit at Portland International Raceway, and the local Alpenrose Dairy is host to the Little League softball World Series. 

Portland is a golfer’s paradise, with 14 courses to choose from, 4 of which are private. Golf Digest has rated both the Eastmoreland and the Heron Lakes Courses among the nation’s top 75 public courses. Eastmoreland Golf Course was the location of the 1990 National Public Links Tournament. Over the years, it has been ranked the 9th and 13th "Best Public Course" in the state and the 37th best out of "America's Top 75 Affordable Courses.” Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club has hosted the 2003 U.S. Women's Open, and the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club hosts the Jeld-Wen Tradition, the fifth major championship on the Champions Tour. Columbia Edgewater Country Club is a private 18-hole course, which "Golf Digest" rated as the 9th "Best in State" course for 1995-96, and the 10th best for 1997-98. This course hosts the Safeway LPGA tournament every year. 

Special Attractions/Events 

Portland has been known as "the city of books, beer, bikes, and blooms.” But there is even more to this city. In the downtown area you will find the Art Museum, the Center for the Performing Arts, and the Northwest Film Center. The Pearl District boasts a continually emerging collection of art galleries, loft apartments, boutiques, restaurants, and performance spaces. There is a wide range of art galleries and theatres to satisfy every taste and interest. You can enjoy all types of music and dance, from ballet to ballroom, and from symphony to funk. 

The Portland Saturday Market is renowned as largest continuously operated open-air arts and crafts market in the nation. Portland is well known for its beer, and is considered the home of the microbrew revolution in the United States. A unique feature of the city’s entertainment is the large number of movie theaters that serve beer, often accompanying second-run, or revival films. 

Portland has a multitude of museums to enjoy. The Portland Art Museum is the oldest museum in the Northwest, internationally recognized for its collections and special exhibitions. The Discovery Museum has hands-on, interactive exhibits that are fun for the whole family. Portland Children’s Museum has hands-on exhibits and art studios. Other museums in the city include the American Advertising Museum, the Contemporary Crafts Museum, the Evergreen Aviation Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, Pearson Air Museum, Tillamook Air Museum, the Bathtub Art Museum and the Portland Art Museum. 

The Oregon Zoo is the oldest North American zoo west of the Mississippi, with over a thousand specimens representing two hundred species, 21 of which are endangered. Oaks Amusement Park is a relatively small amusement park located in Southeast Portland. It has been open for more than one hundred years. It features a roller-skating rink, bumper cars, a small miniature train, and a roller coaster. Another site for some family fun is the North Clackamas Aquatic Park. Several special events are celebrated throughout the year including the Rose and the Northwest Festivals. 

Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places 

Portland is known as "The City of Roses" or "Rose City.” This reference was first made in 1888, by some visitors to an Episcopal Church convention. The nickname increased in popularity after the Lewis and Clark centennial exposition, when the mayor suggested that the city needed a "festival of roses”. The city has many other nicknames, including Stumptown, Bridgetown (because of its many bridges), Puddletown (referring to the weather), River City, PDX (the city's airport code), P-town, Funkytown (because of the city's huge number of funk and funk-related activities), and Pie Central (because of all the city’s pie stands). 

Portland began as a site known as "The Clearing”, located on the banks of the Willamette River, approximately midway between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver. In 1843, William Overton saw the great commercial potential for this land. He struck a bargain with his partner, Mr. Lovejoy, agreeing, for the amount of 25 cents, to share his claim to the 640-acre site. Overton later sold his half of the claim to Francis Pettygrove. Pettygrove and Lovejoy each wanted to name the new city after their own hometown. Pettygrove won the deciding coin toss, and named the site Portland. Portland had a prime location at the head of the Willamette River and grew quickly. By 1850 it had approximately 800 residents, a steam sawmill, a log cabin hotel, and a newspaper. The city was the major port in the Pacific Northwest for most of the 19th century, until the 1890s, when Seattle’s deepwater harbor was connected to the rest of the mainland by rail. 

Portland is rich in history. The Oregon Historical Society houses many treasures of the Northwest, which recount the story of Oregon from its earliest people to the present day. You can visit the Pittock Mansion, a 1914 National Historic Register property, which houses amazing antique furnishings and fine arts. At the End of the Oregon Trail Center you can experience the adventure of the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail odyssey. The center offers rides in a sternwheeler to mighty Willamette Falls, views of native rock carvings and historic houses, and trolley rides. 

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