Our 2024 Neighborhood Guide is a love letter to our vibrant city — plus one neighborhood in Southwest Washington! — from the colorful murals tucked in the Southeast neighborhood of Foster-Powell and the kid-approved dining options in Northeast’s Beaumont-Wilshire to the adventure-seeker’s mecca in the Troutdale suburb. Monthly dinners with the neighbors, group bike rides to school and easy access to the Sandy River are just a few reasons why Portlanders love where they live. Read on to discover the ways in which these neighborhoods make Portland a great place for families to visit or move to.
The City of Troutdale, 16 miles east of downtown Portland along I-84, bills itself as the Gateway to the Columbia River Gorge.
Arbor Lodge has plenty to offer the Portlander looking to stray off the beaten path or pop off the MAX line.
With a name that means “beautiful mountain” in French, the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood offers unsurprisingly lovely views of downtown Portland.
Foster-Powell, the triangle-shaped neighborhood tucked between Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast Foster Road, combines the best of new and old Portland.
If you love the suburbs but hate a long commute, centrally located Bridlemile in Southwest Portland may be the perfect fit.
Search for schools, camps, enrichment classes, pediatricians and more in our guide!
Affordable Neighborhoods in Portland
Neighborhood We Love: University Park
Originally called Boone’s Landing after a descendant of Daniel Boone, Wilsonville got a name change in 1880. The name hasn’t been the only change in its history; Wilsonville has transformed from ferry site to port to train depot, and finally to the southernmost suburb in the Portland-metro area with a major freeway artery running right through its center.
Niche.com’s No. 1 Best Place to Raise a Family in Oregon is closer than you might think: this year’s choice is Bethany, a small suburb of Portland in Washington County. This tracks with what locals say of this safe, quiet neighborhood with good schools.
The charming town of Milwaukie, less than a 10-minute drive from southeast Portland’s Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, is an ideal location for families looking for more space, lower home prices, a quaint downtown, and the proximity of Portland, without being directly in the city.
If easy access to all that Portland has to offer is a top priority, Goose Hollow brings just that. Learn more about the neighborhood that is older than the city of Portland itself.
One of Portland’s smallest neighborhoods, Hollywood retains the classic character and charm of historic Portland, but with modern-day conveniences.
Hillside in Northwest Portland is an urban neighborhood with small-town charm.
“The best thing Brentwood-Darlington has going for it is the strong community vibe … Neighbors support one another like I have never seen before, and I have lived in seven different states,” says neighbor Will Mohring.
For families ready to make the shift to suburban living, Happy Valley tops the list for its natural wonders and burgeoning food-and-drink scene.