Small and Scenic
Close to hiking trails and downtown, Linnton has lots to offer young families.
Spectacular river and mountain views draw home buyers to the Linnton neighborhood in Northwest Portland, tucked between Forest Park and the Willamette River. The neighborhood is home to a series of small residential enclaves in a swath of land just 5 ¼ miles long and 1 mile wide.
Liz Kelly-Campanale moved to Linnton in 2009; now she and her husband, Kris, look forward to raising their daughter Ava in the neighborhood. “It’s quirky,” says Kelly-Campanale, of the highway that splits the neighborhood in two, the aging industrial area along the waterfront, hillside homes backed up to Forest Park, and the strong sense of community that’s typical of a small, rural town.
Housing market As long-term residents age out of their homes, more families with young children are settling in Linnton, says Daniel Faccinetti, executive director of the Linnton Community Center. But home selection is generally limited in this low-density area, with only one pending and three active listings in early June.
Broker Tom Hoffman, with Re/Max Equity Group, describes the area’s roughly 300 homes as an eclectic mix of some custom homes and lots of older farmhouses from the ’20s and ’40s, primarily tucked into the east-facing hillside and away from the industrial areas along the riverbank.
The median list and sale prices balanced out at $385,000 for the period from January through June 2015. Homes sold during that time averaged 1,975 square feet and sold for around $191 per square foot. Early June list prices trended lower, between $100-$148 per square foot.
Local schools Linnton-area students attend Skyline elementary, West Sylvan middle and Lincoln high schools. Buses serving all three schools stop at the Linnton Community Center, open from 7 am-6 pm to offer affordable before- and after-school care for area students. The multi-use community center also offers space for events and meetings, serves students through homework assistance, and sports and summer camp programs and is home to a bilingual, Spanish-English child development preschool, serving children ages 3-6.
Family Fun Three miles southeast of Sauvie Island, Linnton families are close to farms, hiking trails and waterways, including Sturgeon Lake. The island’s lake and beaches are open from mid-April through September 30. Young adventurers in Linnton can explore Forest Park, rich with hiking trails and wildlife. Kelly-Campanale enjoys hiking in the park with baby Ava in a carrier, and looks forward to cycling to Sauvie Island in the summer.
Members of the neighborhood association are moving forward with plans to develop a community garden in Kingsley Park. The park is also the setting for the annual community picnic.
The Commute Bisected by St Helens Road/US Route 30, the neighborhood’s walkability scores are low, but residents have quick access to downtown Portland. Kelly-Campanale says it rarely takes more than 10 minutes to reach downtown. The area is served by Trimet 16-Front Avenue/St. Helen’s Road.
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