Portland is located near volcanic features such asMount Tabor and within reach of active faults. The city is divided into six addressing sectors and comprises diverseneighborhoods. Portland has a predominantlyWhite population. The city’s economy is driven by technology, athletic and outdoor brands, shipping, and craft industries. Social issues includehomelessness and property crime, although recent trends indicate a low violent crime rate.[13][14][15][16] The city prioritizesurban planning,sustainability, and diverse transportation options, while managing growth with anurban growth boundary. Portland also has numerous schools and universities, media outlets, healthcare facilities, and global sister-city connections.
Before American settlers began arriving in the 1800s, the land was inhabited for many centuries by two bands of indigenousChinook people – theMultnomah and theClackamas.[21] The Chinook people occupying the land were first documentedin 1805 byMeriwether Lewis andWilliam Clark.[22] Before its European settlement, the Portland Basin of the lower Columbia River and Willamette River valleys had been one of the most densely populated regions on the Pacific Coast.[22]
Large numbers of pioneer settlers began arriving in the Willamette Valley in the 1840s via theOregon Trail with many arriving in nearbyOregon City.[23] A new settlement then emerged ten miles from the mouth of the Willamette River,[24] roughly halfway between Oregon City andHudson's Bay Company'sFort Vancouver. This community was initially referred to as "Stumptown" and "The Clearing" because of the many trees cut down to allow for its growth.[25] In 1843,William Overton saw potential in the new settlement but lacked the funds to file an official land claim. For 25 cents, Overton agreed to share half of the 640-acre (2.6 km2) site withAsa Lovejoy ofBoston.[26]
In 1844, Overton sold his remaining half of the claim toFrancis W. Pettygrove ofPortland, Maine. Both Pettygrove and Lovejoy wished to rename "The Clearing" after their respective hometowns. This controversy was settled with a coin toss that Pettygrove won in a series of two out of three tosses, thereby providing Portland with its namesake.[2] The coin used for this decision, now known as thePortland Penny, is on display in the headquarters of theOregon Historical Society. At the time of its incorporation on February 8, 1851, Portland had over 800 inhabitants,[27] a steam sawmill, a log cabin hotel, and a newspaper, theWeekly Oregonian.A major fire swept through downtown in August 1873, destroying twenty blocks on the west side of the Willamette along Yamhill and Morrison Streets, and causing $1.3 million in damage,[28] roughly equivalent to $34.1 million today.[29] By 1879, the population had grown to 17,500 and by 1890 it had grown to 46,385.[30] In 1888, the first steel bridge on theWest Coast was opened in Portland,[31] the predecessor of the 1912 namesakeSteel Bridge that survives today. In 1889, Henry Pittock's wife, Georgiana, established the Portland Rose Society. The annual Portland Rose Festival" is held here in June.[32] The movement to make Portland a "Rose City" started as the city was preparing for the 1905Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition.[19]
Portland's access to thePacific Ocean via the Willamette and Columbia rivers, as well as its easy access to the agriculturalTualatin Valley via the "Great Plank Road" (the route of current-dayU.S. Route 26), provided the pioneer city with an advantage over other nearby ports, and it grew very quickly.[33] Portland remained the major port in the Pacific Northwest for much of the 19th century, until the 1890s, when Seattle's deepwater harbor was connected to the rest of the mainland by rail, affording an inland route without the treacherous navigation of the Columbia River. The city had its own Japantown,[34] for one, and thelumber industry also became a prominent economic presence, due to the area's large population ofDouglas fir,western hemlock,red cedar, andbig leaf maple trees.[22]
Portland waterfront in 1898
Portland developed a reputation early in its history as a hard-edged and grittyport town.[35] Some historians have described the city's early establishment as being a "scion ofNew England; an ends-of-the-earth home for the exiled spawn of the eastern established elite."[36] In 1889,The Oregonian called Portland "the most filthy city in the Northern States", due to the unsanitary sewers and gutters,[37] and, at the turn of the 20th century, it was considered one of the most dangerous port cities in the world.[38] The city housed a large number of saloons,bordellos, gambling dens, and boarding houses which were populated with miners after theCalifornia gold rush, as well as the multitude of sailors passing through the port.[35] By the early 20th century, the city had lost its reputation as a "sober frontier city" and garnered a reputation for being violent and dangerous.[35][39]
Between 1900 and 1930, the city's population tripled from nearly 100,000 to 301,815.[41]
Portland enjoyed an economic and industrial surge duringWorld War II. Ship builderHenry J. Kaiser had been awarded contracts to buildLiberty ships andescort carriers, and chose sites in Portland andVancouver, Washington, for shipyards.[42] During this time, Portland's population rose by over 150,000, largely attributed to recruited laborers.[42] The wartime shipbuilding boom in Portland also drew a large influx ofAfrican American migrants. This migration significantly expanded the city’s Black population and laid the foundation for new community institutions, even as workers often faced discrimination in hiring and job assignments.[43] The most decorated ship for asingle action in US naval history, theUSS Liberty, was constructed in Portland during the boom.[44] Her keel was laid down on 23 February 1945, under aMaritime Commission contract atOregon Shipbuilding Corporation.[45]
During World War II, Portland also housed an "assembly center" from which up to 3,676 people of Japanese descent were dispatched tointernment camps in the heartland. It was the first American city to have residents report thus,[46] and thePacific International Livestock Exposition operated from May through September 10, 1942, processing people from the city, northern Oregon, andcentral Washington.[47] GeneralJohn DeWitt called the city the first "Jap-free city on the West Coast".[46]
At the same time, Portland became a notorious hub for underground criminal activity andorganized crime in the 1940s and 1950s.[48] In 1957,Life magazine published an article detailing the city's history ofgovernment corruption and crime, specifically its gambling rackets and illegal nightclubs.[48] The article, which focused oncrime bossJim Elkins, became the basis of a fictionalized film titledPortland Exposé (1957).
During the 1960s, an influx ofhippie subculture began to take root in the city in the wake ofSan Francisco's burgeoningcountercultural scene.[49] The city'sCrystal Ballroom became a hub for the city'spsychedelic culture, whilefood cooperatives and listener-funded media and radio stations were established.[50] A largesocial activist presence evolved during this time as well, specifically concerningNative American rights,environmentalist causes, andgay rights.[50] By the 1970s, Portland had well established itself as a progressive city, and experienced an economic boom for the majority of the decade; however, the slowing of the housing market in 1979 caused demand for the city and state timber industries to drop significantly.[51]
Aerial view of Portland and its bridges across the Willamette River
In the 1990s, the technology industry began to emerge in Portland, specifically with the establishment of companies such asIntel, which brought more thanUS$10 billion in investments in 1995 alone.[52] In the late 1990s, the Portland area was rated the fourth-least affordable place in the United States to purchase a new home.[53] After 2000, Portland experienced significant growth, with a population rise of over 90,000 between 2000 and 2014.[54] The city's increasing reputation for culture established it as a popular city for young people, and it was second only toLouisville, Kentucky, as one of the cities to attract and retain the highest number of college-educated people in the United States.[55] Between 2001 and 2012, Portland's gross domestic product per person grew by fifty percent, more than any other city in the country.[55]
The city acquired adiverse range of nicknames throughout its history, though it is most often called "Rose City" or "The City of Roses"[56] (unofficial nickname since 1888, official since 2003).[57] Another widely used nickname by local residents in everyday speech is "PDX", the airport code forPortland International Airport. Other nicknames include Bridgetown,[58] Stumptown,[59] Rip City,[60] Soccer City,[61][62] P-Town,[57][63] Portlandia, and the more antiquated Little Beirut.[64]
From May 28, 2020, until spring 2021,[65] there were dailyprotests about themurder of George Floyd by police, and racial injustice. There were instances of looting, vandalism, and police actions causing injuries. One protestor was killed by an opposing one.[66][67][68][69] Local businesses reported losses totaling millions of dollars as the result of vandalism and looting, according toOregon Public Broadcasting.[70] Some protests caused injury to protesters and police. In July, federal officers were deployed to safeguard federal property; their presence and tactics were criticized by Oregon officials, who demanded they leave, while lawsuits were filed against local and federal law enforcement alleging wrongful actions by them.[71][72][73][74]
On May 25, 2021, a protest to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder caused property damage, and was followed by a number of arrests.[75][76]
Portland lies on top of a dormant volcanic field known as theBoring Lava Field, named after the nearbybedroom community ofBoring.[77] The Boring Lava Field has at least 32 cinder cones such asMount Tabor,[78] and its center lies in southeast Portland.Mount St. Helens, a highly active volcano 50 miles (80 km) northeast of the city in Washington state, is easily visible on clear days and is close enough to have dusted the city with volcanic ash after itseruption on May 18, 1980.[79] The rocks of the Portland area range in age from lateEocene to more recent eras.[80]
Multiple shallow, activefaults traverse the Portland metropolitan area.[81] Among them are thePortland Hills Fault on the city's west side,[82] and theEast Bank Fault on the east side.[83] According to a 2017 survey, several of these faults were characterized as "probably more of a hazard" than theCascadia subduction zone due to their proximities to population centers, with the potential of producingmagnitude 7earthquakes.[81] Notable earthquakes that have impacted the Portland area in recent history include the 6.8-magnitudeNisqually earthquake in 2001, and a 5.6-magnitude earthquake that struck on March 25, 1993.[84][85]
Per a 2014 report, over 7,000 locations within the Portland area are at high risk for landslides andsoil liquefaction in the event of a major earthquake, including much of the city's west side (such asWashington Park) and sections ofClackamas County.[86]
Portland is 60 miles (97 km) east of the Pacific Ocean at the northern end ofOregon's most populated region, the Willamette Valley. Downtown Portland straddles the banks of the Willamette River, which flows north through the city center and separates the city's east and west neighborhoods. Less than 10 miles (16 km) from downtown, the Willamette River flows into the Columbia River, the fourth-largest river in the United States, which divides Oregon from Washington state. Portland is approximately 100 miles (160 km) upriver from the Pacific Ocean on the Columbia.
Though much of downtown Portland is relatively flat, the foothills of theTualatin Mountains, more commonly referred to locally as the "West Hills", pierce through the northwest and southwest reaches of the city.Council Crest Park at 1,073 feet (327 m) is often quoted as the highest point in Portland; however, the highest point in Portland is on a section of NW Skyline Blvd just north ofWillamette Stone Heritage site.[87] The highest point east of the river isMt. Tabor, an extinct volcanic cinder cone, which rises to 636 feet (194 m). NearbyPowell Butte andRocky Butte rise to 614 feet (187 m) and 612 feet (187 m), respectively. To the west of the Tualatin Mountains lies theOregon Coast Range, and to the east lies the actively volcanicCascade Range. On clear days,Mt. Hood andMt. St. Helens dominate the horizon, whileMt. Adams andMt. Rainier can also be seen in the distance.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 145.09 square miles (375.78 km2), of which 133.43 square miles (345.58 km2) is land and 11.66 square miles (30.20 km2) is water.[88] Although almost all of Portland is withinMultnomah County, small portions of the city are within Clackamas andWashington counties.[89]
Portland has awarm-summer Mediterranean climate (KöppenCsb), falling just short of ahot-summer Mediterranean climate (KöppenCsa) with cool and rainy winters, and warm and dry summers.[90] This climate is characterized by having overcast, wet, and changing weather conditions in fall, winter, and spring, as Portland lies in the direct path of the stormy westerly flow, and warm, dry summers when theNorth Pacific High reaches its northernmost point in mid-summer.[91] Portland'sUSDA Plant Hardiness Zone is 8b, with parts of the Downtown area falling into zone 9a.[92]
Winters are cool, cloudy, and rainy. The coldest month is December with an average daily high temperature of 46.9 °F (8.3 °C), although overnight lows usually remain above freezing by a few degrees. Evening temperatures fall to or below freezing 32 nights per year on average, but very rarely below 18 °F (−8 °C). There are only 2.1 days per year where the daytime high temperature fails to rise above freezing; the mean for the lowest high is at the exact freezing point of 32 °F (0 °C).[93] The lowest overnight temperature ever recorded was −3 °F (−19 °C),[92] on February 2, 1950,[93] while the lowest daytime high temperature ever recorded was 14 °F (−10 °C) on December 30, 1968.[93] The average window in which freezing temperatures may occur is between November 15 and March 19, allowing a growing season of 240 days.[93]
Annual snowfall in Portland is 4.3 inches (10.9 cm), which usually falls between December and March.[94] The city of Portland avoids snow more frequently than its suburbs, due in part to its low elevation and theurban heat island effect. Neighborhoods outside of the downtown core, especially in slightly higher elevations near theWest Hills andMount Tabor, can experience a dusting of snow while downtown receives no accumulation at all. The city has experienced a few major snow and ice storms in its past, with extreme totals having reached 44.5 in (113 cm) at the airport in 1949–50 and 60.9 in (155 cm) at downtown in 1892–93.[95][96]
Summers in Portland are warm, dry, and sunny, though the sunny warm weather is short-lived, from mid-June to early September.[97] June, July, August and September account for a combined 4.19 inches (106 mm) of total rainfall – only 11% of the 36.91 in (938 mm) of annual precipitation. The warmest month is August, with an average high temperature of 82.3 °F (27.9 °C). Because of its inland location 62 miles (100 km) from the coast, as well as the protective nature of theOregon Coast Range to its west, Portland summers are less susceptible to the moderating influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Consequently, Portland occasionally experiencesheat waves, with temperatures rising above 90 °F (32 °C) for a few days. However, on average, temperatures reach or exceed 80 °F (27 °C) on only 61 days per year, of which 15 days will reach 90 °F (32 °C) and only 1.3 days will reach 100 °F (38 °C). In 2018 more 90-degree days were recorded than ever before.[98]
On June 28, 2021, Portland recorded its all-time record high temperature of 116 °F (47 °C) and its warmest daily low temperature of 75 °F (24 °C) during amajor regional heat wave.[99] The record had been broken for three consecutive days with daytime highs of 108 °F (42 °C) on June 26 and 112 °F (44 °C) on June 27; the previous record of 107 °F (42 °C) was set in July 1965 and matched twice in August 1981.[100][101] A temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) has been recorded in all five months from May through September. The warmest night of the year averages 68 °F (20 °C).[93]
Spring and fall can bring variable weather including high-pressure ridging that sends temperatures surging above 80 °F (27 °C) and cold fronts that plunge daytime temperatures into the 40s °F (4–9 °C). However, lengthy stretches of overcast days beginning in mid-fall and continuing into mid-spring are most common. Rain often falls as a light drizzle for several consecutive days at a time, contributing to 157 days on average with measurable (≥0.01 in or 0.25 mm) precipitation annually. Temperatures have reached 90 °F (32 °C) as early as April 30 and as late as October 5, while 80 °F (27 °C) has been reached as early as March 16 and as late as October 21.Thunderstorms are uncommon andtornadoes are very rare, although they do occur.[102][103]
Climate data for Portland, Oregon (PDX), 1991–2020 normals,[b] extremes 1940–present[c][105]
Portland's cityscape derives much of its character from the many bridges that span the Willamette River downtown, several of which are historic landmarks, and Portland has been nicknamed "Bridgetown" for many decades as a result.[58] Three of downtown's most heavily used bridges are more than 100 years old and are designated historic landmarks:Hawthorne Bridge (1910),Steel Bridge (1912), andBroadway Bridge (1913). Portland's newest bridge in the downtown area,Tilikum Crossing, opened in 2015 and is the first new bridge to span the Willamette in Portland since the 1973 opening of the double-deckerFremont Bridge.[109]
Panorama of downtown Portland in the evening against the backdrop ofMount Hood, viewed fromPittock Mansion.
The Willamette River runs through the center of the city, whileMount Tabor (center) rises on the city's east side.Mount St. Helens (left) andMount Hood (right center) are visible from many places in the city.
The five previous addressing sectors of Portland, prior to the addition of South Portland
The Willamette River, which flows north through downtown, serves as the natural boundary between East and West Portland. The denser and earlier-developed west side extends into the lap of theWest Hills, while the flatter east side extends for roughly 180 blocks until it meets the suburb ofGresham. In 1891 the cities of Portland,Albina, andEast Portland were consolidated, creating inconsistent patterns of street names and addresses. It was not unusual for a street name to be duplicated in disparate areas. The "Great Renumbering" on September 2, 1931, standardized street naming patterns and divided Portland into five "general districts", North, Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest (which includesdowntown Portland). House numbers were also changed from 20 per block to 100 per block and adopted a single street name on a grid. For example, the 200 block north of Burnside is either NW Davis Street or NE Davis Street throughout the entire city.[110]
With the recent addition of South Portland, Portland now has six addressing sections. All addresses and streets within the city are prefixed by N, NW, NE, S, SW or SE with the exception ofBurnside Street, which is prefixed with W or E. The Willamette River divides the city into east and west while Burnside, which traverses the entire city lengthwise, divides the north and south. Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest Portland are respectively north or south of Burnside, and east or west of the Willamette. North Portland is a triangular peninsula bounded on the north by the Columbia River, on the east by N Williams Avenue, and on the west by the Willamette River as it bends to the northwest. South Portland was established on May 1, 2020, from a former part of Southwest Portland where the Willamette bends east of the nominal North-South meridian. House numbers numbers on east–west streets in this area formerly had a leading zero, which was dropped as the street prefix (including north–south streets) was changed from Southwest to South. For example, the current address of 246 S California St. was formerly 0246 SW California St. and the current address of 4310 S Macadam Ave. was formerly 4310 SW Macadam Ave.
The new South Portland addressing section was approved by the Portland City Council on June 6, 2018[111] and is bounded bySW Naito Parkway, SW View Point Terrace and theTryon Creek State Natural Area to the west, SW Clay Street to the north, the Willamette River to the east, and city limits to the south.[112] In 2018, the city's Bureau of Transportation finalized a plan to transition this part of Portland into South Portland, beginning on May 1, 2020, to reduce confusion by 9-1-1 dispatchers and delivery services.[113] With the addition of South Portland, all six addressing sectors (N, NE, NW, S, SE and SW) are now officially known as sextants.[114]
The five previous addressing sections of Portland, which were colloquially known as quadrants despite there being five,[115][116] have developed distinctive identities, with mild cultural differences and friendly rivalries between their residents, especially between those who live east of the Willamette River versus west of the river.[117]
The Pearl District inNorthwest Portland, which was largely occupied by warehouses, light industry and railroad classification yards in the early to mid-20th century, now houses upscaleart galleries, restaurants, and retail stores, and is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city.[118] Areas further west of the Pearl District include neighborhoods known as Uptown and Nob Hill, as well as the Alphabet District and NW 23rd Ave., a major shopping street lined with clothing boutiques and other upscale retail, mixed with cafes and restaurants.[119]
Lloyd District from downtown Portland
Northeast Portland is home to theLloyd District,Alberta Arts District, and theHollywood District. North Portland is largely residential and industrial. It containsKelley Point Park, the northernmost point of the city. It also contains theSt. Johns neighborhood, which is historically one of the most ethnically diverse and poorest neighborhoods in the city.[120]
Old Town Chinatown is next to the Pearl District in Northwest Portland. In 1890 it was the second largest Chinese community in the United States.[121] In 2017, the crime rate was several times above the city average. This neighborhood has been called Portland's skid row.[122]
Southwest Portland is largely residential.Downtown district, made up of commercial businesses, museums,skyscrapers, and public landmarks represents a small area within the southwest address section. Portland's South Waterfront area has been developing into a dense neighborhood of shops, condominiums, and apartments starting in the mid-2000s. Development in this area is ongoing.[123] The area is served by thePortland Streetcar, theMAX Orange Line and fourTriMet bus lines. This former industrial area sat as abrownfield prior to development in the mid-2000s.[124]
Southeast Portland is largely residential, and consists of several neighborhoods, includingHawthorne District,Belmont,Brooklyn, andMount Tabor.Reed College, a private liberal arts college that was founded in 1908, is located within the confines of Southeast Portland as isMount Tabor, a volcanic landform.
South Portland includes the Lair Hill, Johns Landing and South Waterfront districts and Lewis & Clark College as well as the Riverdale area of unincorporated Multnomah County south of the Portland city limits.
Graph showing the city's population growth from 1850 to 2010[129]
The 2020 census reported the city as 68.8%White (449,025 people), 8.1%Asian (52,854), 5.9% Black or African American (38,217), 1.1% Native American (7,335), 0.6% Pacific Islander (3,919), and 10.7% from two or more races (69,898).[126] 11.1% were Hispanic or Latino, of any race (72,336). Whites not of Hispanic origin made up 66.4% of the total population.[126]
The 2010 census reported the city as 76.1%White (444,254 people), 7.1%Asian (41,448), 6.3% Black or African American (36,778), 1.0% Native American (5,838), 0.5% Pacific Islander (2,919), 4.7% belonging to two or more racial groups (24,437) and 5.0% from other races (28,987).[127] 9.4% wereHispanic or Latino, of any race (54,840). Whites not of Hispanic origin made up 72.2% of the total population.[127]
In 1940, Portland's African-American population was approximately 2,000 and largely consisted of railroad employees and their families.[130] During the war-timeLiberty Ship construction boom, the need for workers drew many Black people to the city. The new influx of Black people settled in specific neighborhoods, such as theAlbina district andVanport. The May 1948 flood which destroyed Vanport eliminated the only integrated neighborhood, and an influx of blacks into the northeast quadrant of the city continued.[130] Portland'slongshoremen racial mix was described as being "lily-white" in the 1960s when the localInternational Longshore and Warehouse Union declined to represent grain handlers since some were black.[131]
Ethnic origins in Portland
Racial/Ethnic Makeup of Portland (2020)[126] NH=Non-Hispanic
White NH (66.4%)
Black NH (5.70%)
Native American NH (0.70%)
Asian NH (8.00%)
Pacific Islander NH (0.60%)
Other race NH (0.60%)
Multi-racial NH (7.00%)
Hispanic Any Race (11.1%)
Over two-thirds of Oregon's African-American residents live in Portland.[130] As of the 2000 census, three of its high schools (Cleveland, Lincoln and Wilson) were over 70% White, reflecting the overall population, whileJefferson High School was 87% non-White. The remaining six schools have a higher number of non-Whites, including Blacks and Asians. Hispanic students average from 3.3% at Wells to 31% atRoosevelt.[132]
Portland residents identifying solely as Asian Americans account for 7.1% of the population; an additional 1.8% is partially of Asian heritage.Vietnamese Americans make up 2.2% of Portland's population, and make up the largest Asian ethnic group in the city, followed byChinese (1.7%),Filipinos (0.6%),Japanese (0.5%),Koreans (0.4%),Laotians (0.4%),Hmong (0.2%), andCambodians (0.1%).[133] A small population ofIu Mien live in Portland. Portland has two Chinatowns, with New Chinatown in the 'Jade District' along SE 82nd Avenue with Chinese supermarkets, Hong Kong style noodle houses,dim sum, and Vietnamesephở restaurants.[134]
With about 12,000 Vietnamese residing in the city proper, Portland has one of the largest Vietnamese populations in America per capita.[135] According to statistics, there are over 4,500Pacific Islanders in Portland, making up 0.7% of the city's population.[136] There is aTongan community in Portland, who arrived in the area in the 1970s, and Tongans and Pacific Islanders as a whole are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the Portland area.[137]
Portland's population has been and remains predominantlyWhite. In 1940, Whites were over 98% of the city's population.[138] In 2009, Portland had the fifth-highest percentage of White residents among the 40 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. A 2007 survey of the 40 largest cities in the U.S. concluded Portland's urban core has the highest percentage of White residents.[139] Some scholars have noted the Pacific Northwest as a whole is "one of the last Caucasian bastions of the United States".[140] While Portland's diversity was historically comparable to metro Seattle and Salt Lake City, those areas grew more diverse in the late 1990s and 2000s. Portland not only remains White, but migration to Portland is disproportionately White.[139][141]
The Oregon Territory banned African American settlement in 1849. In the 19th century, certain laws allowed the immigration of Chinese laborers but prohibited them from owning property or bringing their families.[139][142][143] The early 1920s saw the rapid growth of theKu Klux Klan, which became very influential in Oregon politics, culminating in the election ofWalter M. Pierce as governor.[142][143][144]
The largest influxes of minority populations occurred during World War II, as the African American population grew by a factor of 10 for wartime work.[139] After World War II, theVanport flood in 1948 displaced many African Americans. As they resettled,redlining directed the displaced workers from the wartime settlement to neighboringAlbina.[140][143][145] There and elsewhere in Portland, they experienced police hostility, lack of employment, andmortgage discrimination, leading to half the black population leaving after the war.[139]
In the 1980s and 1990s, radical skinhead groups flourished in Portland.[143] In 1988,Mulugeta Seraw, an Ethiopian immigrant, was killed by three skinheads. The response to his murder involved a community-driven series of rallies, campaigns, nonprofits and events designed to address Portland's racial history, leading to a city considered significantly more tolerant than in 1988 at Seraw's death.[146]
As of the2010 census, there were 583,776 people living in the city, organized into 235,508 households. The population density was 4,375.2 people per square mile. There were 265,439 housing units at an average density of 1,989.4 per square mile (768.1/km2). Population growth in Portland increased 10.3% between 2000 and 2010.[150] Population growth in thePortland metropolitan area has outpaced the national average during the last decade, and this is expected to continue over the next 50 years.[151]
Out of 223,737 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 3. The age distribution was 21.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,146, and the median income for a family was $50,271. Males had a reported median income of $35,279 versus $29,344 reported for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,643. 13.1% of the population and 8.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.7% of those under the age of 18 and 10.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Figures delineating the income levels based on race are not available at this time. According to theModern Language Association, in 2010 80.9% (539,885) percent of Multnomah County residents ages 5 and over spoke English as theirprimary language at home.[152] 8.1% of the population spoke Spanish (54,036), with Vietnamese speakers making up 1.9%, and Russian 1.5%.[152]
The Portland metropolitan area has historically had a significantLGBT population throughout the late 20th and early 21st century.[153][154] In 2015, the city metro had the second highest percentage of LGBT residents in the United States with 5.4% of residents identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, second only to San Francisco.[155] In 2006, it was reported to have the seventh highest LGB population in the country, with 8.8% of residents identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and the metro ranking fourth in the nation at 6.1%.[156] The city held its firstpride festival in 1975 on thePortland State University campus.[157]
Portland has been cited as the leastreligious city in the United States with over 42% of residents identifying as religiously "unaffiliated",[158] according to the nonpartisan and nonprofitPublic Religion Research Institute's American Values Atlas.[159]
Tent camps setup on the sidewalk in the Lloyd District neighborhood.
A 2019 survey by the city's budget office showed that homelessness is perceived as the top challenge facing Portland, and was cited as a reason people move and do not participate in park programs.[161] Calls to 911 concerning "unwanted persons" have significantly increased between 2013 and 2018, and the police are increasingly dealing with homeless and mentally ill.[162] Homelessness has taken a toll on the sense of safety among visitors, and residents and business owners are adversely impacted.[163] Even though homeless services and shelter beds have increased, as of 2020 homelessness is considered an intractable problem in Portland.[164]
When encampments were being cleared in theSpringwater Corridor in 2016, a community member from the nearbyLents neighborhood raised concerns that those campers were simply moving to their neighborhood. An aide, Lucas Hillier from then mayorCharlie Hales's office publicly mocked the citizen on a Facebook post that it's nothing compared to the Springwater Corridor camp referencing aKPTV story writing "You think that one is bad, check out this douchebag." While the aide issued an apology, the citizen commented that the mayor's office was very disconnected from issuez faced by their constituents.[165][166] As of 2020, Lucas Hillier manages the campsite cleanup program for the city.[167]
The proposed budget for 2022–23 includes $5.8MM to buy land for affordable housing, and $36MM to equip and operate "safe rest villages".[168] A 2022 initiative approved by the Portland city council makes homeless camping illegal, eventually requiring homeless individuals to move into mass shelters.[169]
Portland voters passed the Supportive Housing Services tax in 2020. In 2019, the reported number of homelessness was around 4,000 people. That number rose to over 10,000, though some of that increase was due to a change in counting methods in 2022.[170]
According to theFederal Bureau of Investigation'sUniform Crime Report in 2009, Portland ranked 53rd in violent crime out of the top 75 U.S. cities with a population greater than 250,000.[171] The murder rate in Portland in 2013 averaged 2.3 murders per 100,000 people per year, which was lower than the national average. In 2011, 72% of arrested male subjects tested positive for illegal drugs and the city was dubbed the "deadliest drug market in the Pacific Northwest" due to drug related deaths.[172]
In the PortlandMetropolitan statistical area which includes Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill Counties, OR and Clark and Skamania Counties, WA for 2017, the murder rate was 2.6, violent crime was 283.2 per 100,000 people per year. In 2017, the population within the city of Portland was 649,408 and there were 24 murders and 3,349 violent crimes.[173]
In the years following the Covid Pandemic, the city saw an increase in crime with car theft rates in Portland reaching the fifth highest of any US metropolitan area in 2023[174][175] with more than 11,000 vehicles stolen in 2022, up from 6,500 in 2019."[176]Similarly, an increase in violent crime peaked in 2022 with a record 101 homicides.[177] In 2021, Portland recorded 90 homicides, compared with 20 in 2016, and 27 in 2017.[178]
As of 2025[update], violent crime in the city saw a marked decline, representing the highest drop of any city covered by the Major City Chiefs Mid Year Report at a 51% decrease from 2024.[13] However, Portland has the second highest property crime per 100,000 population in the United States.[179] The city saw just 17 homicides in the period from Jan 1, 2025 to June 30 as opposed to 35 during the same time frame in the previous year.[14] Car theft also saw a significant decrease starting in 2024, with the city seeing the lowest number of cars stolen since recording began in 2015.[15]
Portland's location is beneficial for several industries. Relatively low energy cost, accessible resources, north–south and east–west Interstates, international air terminals, large marine shipping facilities, and both west coast intercontinental railroads are all economic advantages.[180]
The city's marine terminals alone handle over 13 million tons of cargo per year, and the port is home to one of the largest commercial dry docks in the country.[181][182] ThePort of Portland is the third-largest export tonnage port on the west coast of the U.S., and being about 80 miles (130 km) upriver, it is the largest fresh-water port.[180]
Technology is a major component of the city's economy, with more than 1,200 technology companies existing within the metro.[180] This high density of technology companies has led to the nicknameSilicon Forest being used to describe the Portland area, a reference to the abundance of trees in the region and to theSilicon Valley region in Northern California.[186] The area also hosts facilities for software companies and onlinestartup companies, some supported by localseed funding organizations andbusiness incubators.[187] Computer components manufacturerIntel is the Portland area's largest employer, providing jobs for more than 15,000 people, with several campuses to the west of central Portland in the city ofHillsboro.[180]
Breweries are another major industry in Portland, which is home to 139 breweries/microbreweries, the 7th most in the nation, as of December 2018.[192] Additionally, the city boasts a robustcoffee culture that now rivals Seattle and hosts over 20 coffee roasters.[193]
In 2016, home prices in Portland grew faster than in any other city in the United States.[195] Apartment rental costs in Portland reported in November 2019 was $1,337 for two bedroom and $1,133 for one bedroom.[196]
In 2017, developers projected an additional 6,500 apartments to be built in the Portland Metro Area over the next year.[197] However, as of December 2019, the number of homes available for rent or purchase in Portland continues to shrink. Over the past year, housing prices in Portland have risen 2.5%. Housing prices in Portland continue to rise, the median price rising from $391,400 in November 2018 to $415,000 in November 2019.[198] There has been a rise of people from out of state moving to Portland, which impacts housing availability. Because of the demand for affordable housing and influx of new residents, more Portlanders in their 20s and 30s are still living in their parents' homes.[199] There is a considerable amount of "Airbnb type" rentals in the city. An audit in 2018 located around 4,600 listings, of which 80% were illegally operated.[200][201]
Portland has no sales tax, and residents face some of the highest taxes in the United States. The state levies the sixth highest income tax on individuals, the top begins in at $125,000.[202] Including local taxes, Portland Oregon has the 2nd highest top marginal rate in the United States at 14.7737%. The city rates ranks first forS-Corporations,Partnerships andLLCs and first forC-Corporations.[203] In addition to state taxes, Portland has the nation's fifth-highest effective property tax rate on median-valued homes among major cities[204] and the 13th highest rate for commercial property taxes. The city also imposes a 1% Clean Energy Surcharge on business with more than $1 billion in worldwide receipts and more than $500k in Portland revenue.
In 2020, Portland voters passed bills to impose a Supportive Housing Services tax and a Preschool for All Personal Income tax.[205][206] The goal of the Supportive Housing Services tax was to raise $250 million annually to address homelessness across greater Portland by levying a 1% tax on income above $125,000 for individuals or $200,000 for couples filing jointly, and a 1% business income tax on net income for business with receipts above $5 million. The Preschool for All tax is 1.5% on $125k individual / $200k joint filers and an additional 1.5% on income over $250k individuals / $400k joint. Both rates are expected to increase by 0.8% in 2027.[206]
ThePortland Art Museum owns the city's largest art collection and presents a variety of touring exhibitions each year and, with the recent addition of the Modern and Contemporary Art wing, it became one of the United States' 25 largest museums. TheOregon Historical Society Museum, founded in 1898, which has a variety of books, film, pictures, artifacts, and maps dating back throughout Oregon's history. It houses permanent and temporary exhibits about Oregon history, and hosts traveling exhibits about the history of the United States.[229]
Oaks Amusement Park, in the Sellwood district of Southeast Portland, is the city's onlyamusement park and is also one of the country's longest-running amusement parks. It has operated since 1905 and was known as the "Coney Island of the Northwest" upon its opening.[230]
Portland has 58 active breweries within city limits,[234] and 70+ within the surrounding metro area.[234] and data compiled by the Brewers Association ranks Portland seventh in the United States as of 2018.[235]
Portland hosts a number of festivals throughout the year that celebrate beer and brewing, including theOregon Brewers Festival, held inTom McCall Waterfront Park. Held each summer during the last full weekend of July, it is the largest outdoor craft beer festival in North America, with over 70,000 attendees in 2008.[236] Other major beer festivals throughout the calendar year include the Spring Beer and Wine Festival in April, the North American Organic Brewers Festival in June, thePortland International Beerfest in July,[237] and the Holiday Ale Festival in December.
The city became a pioneer of state-directed metropolitan planning, a program which was instituted statewide in 1969 to compact theurban growth boundaries of the city.[238] Portland was the first city to enact a comprehensive plan to reducecarbon dioxide emissions.[239]
In November 2008, a Multnomah County judge dismissed charges against a nude bicyclist arrested on June 26, 2008. The judge stated that the city's annualWorld Naked Bike Ride – held each year in June since 2004 – has created a "well-established tradition" in Portland where cyclists may ride naked as a form of protest against cars and fossil fuel dependence.[243] The defendant was not riding in the official World Naked Bike Ride at the time of his arrest as it had occurred 12 days earlier that year, on June 14.[244]
The city of Portland has over 400 pieces of permanently sitedpublic art.[245][246] One of the oldest pieces of public art in the city isSkidmore Fountain, which was completed in 1888.[247] Most pieces are maintained by theRegional Arts & Culture Council, an organization that is partially funded by the city government. Several outdoor statues, sculptures, and monuments were removed or vandalized following the 2020George Floyd protests.[248] Apercent for art ordinance was passed by Portland's city council in 1980 to allocate funding for public artwork in the capital budgets of major city projects.[245]
Despite being the 19th most populatedmetro area in the United States, Portland contains only one franchise from the four major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB), making it the United States' second most populated metro area with that distinction, behindSan Antonio, which also has only an NBA team (theSpurs). The city has been often rumored to receive an additional franchise, although efforts to acquire a team have failed due to stadium funding issues.[250] An organization known as thePortland Diamond Project (PDP)[251] has worked with MLB and local government, and there are plans to have an MLB stadium constructed atZidell Yards in theSouth Waterfront neighborhood.[252] The PDP has not yet received the funding for this project.
On September 18, 2024, it was announced that the city would receive a WNBA franchise named thePortland Fire, slated to start in 2026.[253]
Portland sports fans are characterized by their passionate support. The Trail Blazers sold out every home game between 1977 and 1995, a span of 814 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in American sports history.[254] The Timbers joined MLS in 2011 and sold out 163 consecutive games through March 8, 2020, when they played their final home game prior to MLS suspending the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[255] The Timbers season ticket waiting list has reached over 10,000, the longest waiting list in MLS.[256] In 2015, they became the first team in the Northwest to win theMLS Cup. Player Diego Valeri marked a new record for fastest goal in MLS Cup history at 27 seconds into the game.[257]
The annualCambia Portland Classic women's golf tournament in September, now in its 50th year, is the longest-running non-major tournament on theLPGA Tour, plays in the southern suburb ofWest Linn.[258]
Running is a popular activity in Portland, and every year the city hosts thePortland Marathon as well as parts of theHood to Coast Relay, the world's largest long-distance relay race (by number of participants). Portland served as the center to an elite running group, theNike Oregon Project until its 2019 disbandment following coach Alberto Salazar's ban due to doping violations.[260]
Historic Erv Lind Stadium is located inNormandale Park.[261] It has been home to professional and college softball.
Forest Park is the largest wilderness park in the United States that is within city limits
Parks and greenspace planning date back toJohn Charles Olmsted's 1903Report to the Portland Park Board. In 1995, voters in the Portland metropolitan region passed a regional bond measure to acquire valuable natural areas for fish, wildlife, and people.[267] Ten years later, more than 8,100 acres (33 km2) of ecologically valuable natural areas had been purchased and permanently protected from development.[268]
Portland's downtown features two groups of contiguous city blocks dedicated for park space: theNorth andSouth Park Blocks.[271][272] The 37-acre (15 ha)Tom McCall Waterfront Park was built in 1974 along the length of the downtown waterfront afterHarbor Drive was removed; it now hosts large events throughout the year.[273] The nearby historically significantBurnside Skatepark and five indoorskateparks give Portland a reputation as possibly "the most skateboard-friendly town in America."[274]
In February 2015, the City Council approved a total ban on smoking in all city parks and natural areas effective July 1, 2015. The ban includes cigarettes, vaping, as well as marijuana.[275]
Since January 1, 2025, the city of Portland is governed by amayor–council government system. Elected officials include themayor, a 12-member city council, and a city auditor. The city council is responsible for legislative policy, while the mayor appoints a professionalcity manager who oversees the various bureaus and day-to-day operations of the city. The mayor is electedat-large, while the council is elected in four geographic districts usingsingle transferable vote, with 3 winning candidates per district. Portland's current form of government was approved by voters in a 2022 ballot measure, with thefirst elections under the new systemheld in 2024.[276]
ThePortland Office of Community and Civic Life (formerly Office of Neighborhood Involvement)[277] serves as a conduit between city government and Portland's95 officially recognized neighborhoods. Each neighborhood is represented by a volunteer-basedneighborhood association which serves as a liaison between residents of the neighborhood and the city government. The city provides funding to neighborhood associations through seven district coalitions, each of which is a geographical grouping of several neighborhood associations. Most (but not all) neighborhood associations belong to one of these district coalitions.
Portland strongly favors theDemocratic Party; registered Democrats (51.2%) outnumberRepublicans (10.5%) nearly 5 to 1. All city offices arenon-partisan.[280] However, almost all of the city's elected officials are known to be Democrats.Fred L. Peterson in 1952 is the city's last elected Republican mayor, and no Republican has served as mayor even on an interim basis sinceConnie McCready held the post from 1979 to 1980.
Sam Adams, the former mayor of Portland, became the city's first openly gay mayor in 2009.[282] In 2004, 59.7 percent of Multnomah County voters cast ballots againstOregon Ballot Measure 36, which amended theOregon Constitution to prohibit recognition ofsame-sex marriages. The measure passed with 56.6% of the statewide vote. Multnomah County is one of two counties where a majority voted against the initiative; the other isBenton County, which includesCorvallis, home ofOregon State University.[283] On April 28, 2005, Portland became the only city in the nation to withdraw from aJoint Terrorism Task Force.[284][285] As of February 19, 2015, the Portland city council approved permanently staffing the JTTF with two of its city's police officers.[286]
Voter registration and party enrollment as of January 2022[update][287]
Video of Portland's urban growth boundary. The red dots indicate areas of growth between 1986 and 1996.
The city consulted with urban planners as far back as 1904, resulting in the development ofWashington Park and the40-Mile Loop greenway, which connects many of the city's parks.[288] Portland is often cited as an example of a city with strongland use planning controls.[289] This is largely the result of statewide land conservation policies adopted in 1973 under GovernorTom McCall, in particular the requirement for anurban growth boundary (UGB) for every city and metropolitan area. The opposite extreme, a city with few or no controls, is typically illustrated byHouston.[290][291][292][293]
1966 photo shows sawdust-fired power plant on the edge of downtown that was removed to make way for dense residential development. High rises to left in background were early projects of the Portland Development Commission
Oregon's 1973 "urban growth boundary" law limits the boundaries for large-scale development in each metropolitan area in Oregon.[294] This limits access to utilities such as sewage, water and telecommunications, as well as coverage by fire, police and schools.[294] Portland's urban growth boundary, adopted in 1979, separates urban areas (where high-density development is encouraged and focused) from traditional farm land (where restrictions on non-agricultural development are very strict).[295] This was atypical in an era when automobile use led many areas to neglect their core cities in favor of development alonginterstate highways, in suburbs, andsatellite cities.
The original state rules included a provision for expanding urban growth boundaries, but critics felt this was not being accomplished. In 1995, the State passed a law requiring cities to expand UGBs to provide enough undeveloped land for a 20-year supply of future housing at projected growth levels.[296] In 2007, the legislature changed the law to require the maintenance of an estimated 50 years of growth within the boundary, as well as the protection of accompanying farm and rural lands.[151] The growth boundary, along with efforts of the Portland Development Commission to create economic development zones, has led to the development of a large portion of downtown, a large number of mid- and high-rise developments, and an overall increase in housing and business density.[297]
Prosper Portland (formerly the Portland Development Commission) is a semi-public agency that plays a major role in downtown development; city voters created it in 1958 to serve as the city'surban renewal agency. It provides housing and economic development programs within the city and works behind the scenes with major local developers to create large projects. In the early 1960s, the Portland Development Commission led the razing of a large Italian-Jewish neighborhood downtown, bounded roughly by I-405, the Willamette River, 4th Avenue and Market street.[298] MayorNeil Goldschmidt took office in 1972 as a proponent of bringing housing and the associated vitality back to the downtown area, which was seen as emptying out after 5 pm. The effort has had dramatic effects in the 30 years since, with many thousands of new housing units clustered in three areas: north of Portland State University (between I-405, SW Broadway, and SW Taylor St.); the RiverPlace development along the waterfront under the Marquam (I-5) bridge; and most notably in the Pearl District (between I-405, Burnside St., NW Northrup St., and NW 9th Ave.).
Historically,environmental consciousness has weighed significantly in the city's planning and development efforts.[299] Portland was one of the first cities in the United States to promote and integrate alternative forms of transportation, such as theMAX Light Rail and extensive bike paths.[299] The Urban Greenspaces Institute, housed inPortland State University Geography Department's Center for Mapping Research, promotes better integration of the built and natural environments. The institute works on urban park, trail, and natural areas planning issues, both at the local and regional levels.[300] In October 2009, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted aclimate action plan that will cut the city's greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.[301]
As of 2012, Portland was the largest city in the United States that did not addfluoride to its public water supply,[302] andfluoridation has historically been a subject ofcontroversy in the city.[303] Portland voters have four times voted against fluoridation, in 1956, 1962, 1980 (repealing a 1978 vote in favor), and 2013.[304] In 2012 the city council, responding to advocacy from public health organizations and others, voted unanimously to begin fluoridation by 2014. Fluoridation opponents forced a public vote on the issue,[305] and on May 21, 2013, city voters again rejected fluoridation.[306]
Former public schools in the city includedWashington High School, which operated from 1906 until 1981, as well asAdams andJackson, which also closed the same year.
The Oregonian is the only daily general-interest newspaper serving Portland. It also circulates throughout the state and inClark County, Washington.
Smaller local newspapers, distributed free of charge in newspaper boxes and at venues around the city, include thePortland Tribune (general-interest paper published on Wednesdays),Willamette Week (general-interestalternative weekly published on Wednesdays), andThe Portland Mercury (another alt-weekly, targeted at younger urban readers and published every other Thursday). The Portland area also has newspapers that are published for specific communities, includingThe Asian Reporter (a weekly covering Asian news, both international and local) andThe Skanner (a weeklyAfrican-American newspaper covering both local and national news). ThePortland Business Journal covers business-related news on a weekly basis, as doesTheDaily Journal of Commerce, its main competitor.Portland Monthly is a monthly news and culture magazine.The Bee, over 110 years old, is another neighborhood newspaper serving the inner southeast neighborhoods.[317]
Legacy Health, a non-profit healthcare system in Portland, operates multiple facilities in the city and surrounding suburbs.[318] These includeLegacy Emanuel, founded in 1912, in Northeast Portland; andLegacy Good Samaritan, founded in 1875, and in Northwest Portland.[318]Randall's Children's Hospital operates at the Legacy Emanuel Campus. Good Samaritan has centers for breast health, cancer, and stroke, and is home to theLegacy Devers Eye Institute, the Legacy Obesity and Diabetes Institute, the Legacy Diabetes and Endocrinology Center, the Legacy Rehabilitation Clinic of Oregon, and theLinfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing.[319]
In 2008, 12.6% of all commutes in Portland were on public transit.[320]TriMet operates most of the region's buses and theMAX (short for Metropolitan Area Express)light rail system, which connects the city and suburbs. Opened in 1986, the MAX system has expanded to five lines, with the latest being theOrange Line toMilwaukie, which began operating in September 2015.[321]WES Commuter Rail opened in February 2009 in Portland's western suburbs, linkingBeaverton andWilsonville.
The city-ownedPortland Streetcar serves two routes in the Central City –downtown and adjacent districts. The first line, which opened in 2001 and was extended in 2005–07, operates from the South Waterfront District through Portland State University and north through the West End of downtown, to shopping areas and dense residential districts north and northwest of downtown. The second line that opened in 2012 added 3.3 miles (5.3 km) of tracks on the east side of the Willamette River and across theBroadway Bridge to a connection with the original line.[322] The east-side line completed a loop to the tracks on the west side of the river upon completion of the newTilikum Crossing in 2015,[323] and, in anticipation of that, had been named the Central Loop line in 2012. However, it was renamed theLoop Service, with an A Loop (clockwise) and B Loop (counterclockwise), when it became a complete loop with the opening of the Tilikum Crossing bridge.
Fifth and Sixth avenues within downtown comprise thePortland Transit Mall, two streets devoted primarily to bus and light rail traffic with limited automobile access. Opened in 1977 for buses, the transit mall was renovated and rebuilt in 2007–09, with light rail added. Starting in 1975 and lasting nearly four decades, all transit service within downtown Portland was free, the area being known by TriMet asFareless Square, but a need for minor budget cuts and funding needed for expansion prompted the agency to limit free rides to rail service only in 2010,[324] and subsequently to discontinue the fare-free zone entirely in 2012.[325]
TriMet provides real-time tracking of buses and trains with its TransitTracker, and makes the data available to software developers so they can create customized tools of their own.[326][327]
Union Station
I-5 connects Portland with the Willamette Valley,Southern Oregon, and California to the south and withWashington to the north.I-405 forms a loop with I-5 around the central downtown area of the city andI-205 is a loop freeway route on the east side which connects to thePortland International Airport.U.S. 26 supports commuting within the metro area and continues to the Pacific Ocean westward andMount Hood andCentral Oregon eastward.U.S. 30 has a main, bypass, and business route through the city extending toAstoria to the west; throughGresham, Oregon, and the easternexurbs, and connects toI-84, traveling towardsBoise, Idaho.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Portland atUnion Station on three routes. Long-haul train routes include theCoast Starlight (with service from Los Angeles to Seattle) and theEmpire Builder (with service to Chicago). TheAmtrak Cascades state-supported trains operate betweenVancouver, B.C., andEugene, Oregon, and serve Portland several times daily. The city is also served byGreyhound Lines intercity bus service, which also operatesBoltBus, an express bus service. The city's first airport was theSwan Island Municipal Airport, which was closed in the 1940s.
Portland is the only city in the United States that owns operating mainlinesteam locomotives, donated to the city in 1958 by the railroads that ran them.[328]Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700 and the world-famousSouthern Pacific 4449 can be seen several times a year pulling a specialexcursion train, either locally or on an extended trip. The "Holiday Express", pulled over the tracks of theOregon Pacific Railroad on weekends in December, has become a Portland tradition over its several years running.[329] These trains and others are operated by volunteers of theOregon Rail Heritage Foundation, an amalgamation of rail preservation groups which collaborated on the finance and construction of theOregon Rail Heritage Center, a permanent and publicly accessible home for the locomotives, which opened in 2012 adjacent to OMSI.[330]
In Portland, cycling is a significant mode of transportation. As the city has been particularly supportive ofurban bicycling it now ranks highly among the mostbicycle-friendly cities in the world.[331]Bicycles accounted for 2.8% of commuting in 2021. Bicycle commuting declined by 46% between 2016 and 2022 according toPortland Bureau of Transportation report.[332] For its achievements in promoting cycling as an everyday means of transportation, Portland has been recognized by theLeague of American Bicyclists and othercycling organizations for its network of on-street bicycling facilities and other bicycle-friendly services, being one of only three U.S. cities to have earned a Platinum-level rating.[333] A newbicycle-sharing system,Biketown, launched on July 19, 2016,[334] with 100 stations in the city's central and eastside neighborhoods.[335]
Portland abolished the requirement for parking minimum as well asMinneapolis andAustin.[336]
As of 2015, Portland is owed $32.4 million in unpaid parking citations due to thecity government's refusal to collect more aggressively.[337]
The city's main source of drinking water is several reservoirs in theBull Run Watershed, which consists of roughly 102 square miles (260 km2) of forested land just west of Mount Hood. The city also operates 25 groundwaterwells near the Columbia River in Northeast Portland, which supplements the cities water supply during the summer.[338]
^According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon's population, as of 2019, was 4,217,737; the portion of the MSA that lies in Oregon has a population of 1,992,088, which leaves 47% of Oregon's population residing within the metro.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Portland have been kept at PDX since October 13, 1940.[104] In January 1996, snow measurements for PDX were moved to the NWS Portland office 4 mi (6.4 km) to the east at 5241 NE 122nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97230-1089.[95]
^ab"Portland Sees Decline in Violent Crime; Homicides Down 51% in First Half of 2025".portland.gov. August 8, 2025. RetrievedAugust 19, 2025.Compared to January through June 2024, overall violent crime in Portland fell by 17 percent. Aggravated assaults dropped by 18 percent, robberies declined by 10 percent, and sexual assault reports were down 12 percent. Notably, homicides fell from 35 incidents to 17 incidents – a reduction of 51 percent – representing the largest homicide decrease of any major city in the report.
^Orloff, Chet (2004). "Maintaining Eden: John Charles Olmsted and the Portland Park System".Yearbook of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers.66:114–19.doi:10.1353/pcg.2004.0006.ISSN0066-9628.S2CID129896123.
^"Overton Cabin".Oregon History Project. Archived fromthe original on November 17, 2015. RetrievedOctober 29, 2015.
^MacColl, E. Kimbark (November 1976).The Shaping of a City: Business and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1885 to 1915. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press Company.OCLC2645815.
^"City Flower". City of Portland Auditor's Office – City Recorder Division. Archived fromthe original on April 23, 2009.
^abStern, Henry (June 19, 2003). "Name comes up roses for P-town: City Council sees no thorns in picking 'City of Roses' as Portland's moniker".The Oregonian
^Hagestedt, Andre (April 7, 2009)."The Missing Oregon Coast: Waves After Dark". RetrievedApril 30, 2009.I'm used to seeing that hint of dawn back in P-town, with my wretched habit of playing video games until 6 a.m
^"Station: PORTLAND INTL AP, OR".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived fromthe original on July 15, 2023. RetrievedJuly 15, 2023.
^abcMacColl, E. Kimbark (1979).The Growth of a City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1915–1950. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press.ISBN978-0-9603408-1-1.
^Levinson, Marc (2008).The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger. Princeton University Press.ISBN978-0-691-13640-0. Related sources noted by Levinson: Journal of Negro History 65, no. 1 (1980): 27; Clyde W. Summers, "Admission Policies of Labor Unions", Quarterly Journal of Economics 61, no. 1 (1946): 98; Wilson, Dockers, p. 29. The Portland grain workers' case is mentioned in Charles P. Larrowe, Harry Bridges: The Rise and Fall of Radical Labor in the United States (New York, 1972), p. 368. 16. On Portland, see Pilcher, The Portland Longshoremen, p. 17;
^abcdFrazier, John W.; Tettey-Fio, Eugene L. (2006).Race, Ethnicity, and Place in a Changing America. Global Academic Publishing.ISBN978-1-58684-264-2.
^"Mount Tabor Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. RetrievedNovember 7, 2006.
^Korn, Peter (July 18, 2006). "Forest Park Fallacy: Boosters' Claim of 'Largest Forested City Park' Is Long Outdated".Portland Tribune. Pamplin Media Group.
Barth, Jack (1991).Roadside Hollywood:The Movie Lover's State-By-State Guide to Film Locations, Celebrity Hangouts, Celluloid Tourist Attractions, and More. Contemporary Books.
Chandler, J.D. (2013).Hidden History of Portland, Oregon. Arcadia Publishing.ISBN978-1-62619-198-3.
Falsetto, Mario (2015).Conversations with Gus Van Sant. Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN978-1-44224-766-6.
Freilich, Robert H; Sitkowski, Robert J.; Mennilo, Seth D. (2010).From Sprawl to Sustainability: Smart Growth, New Urbanism, Green Development. Amer-Bar-Asso.
Human Rights Campaign (2013).Healthcare Equality Index 2013. HRC.ISBN978-1-934765-27-2.
John, Finn (2012).Wicked Portland: The Wild and Lusty Underworld of a Frontier Seaport Town. History Press.ISBN978-1-60949-578-7.
Marschner, Janice (2008).Oregon 1859: A Snapshot in Time. Timber Press. p. 187.ISBN978-0-88192-873-0.
Mass, Clifford (2008).The Weather of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press.ISBN978-0-29598-847-4.
Abbott, C. (2001).Greater Portland: Urban Life and Landscape in the Pacific Northwest. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.ISBN0-8122-1779-9.;full text online
Abbott, Carl.Portland in Three Centuries: The Place and the People (Oregon State University Press; 2011) 192 pages; scholarly historyonline
Abbott, Carl.Portland : gateway to the Northwest (1985)online
Abbott, C. (2001).Greater Portland: Urban Life and Landscape in the Pacific Northwest. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.ISBN0-8122-1779-9.;full text online
Hodges, Adam J.World War I and Urban Order: The Local Class Politics of National Mobilization. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
Holbrook, Stewart (1986) [Reprint of 1952 edition].Far Corner: A Personal View of the Pacific Northwest. Sausalito, California: Comstock Editions.ISBN978-0-89174-043-8.
MacColl, E. Kimbark (1976).The Shaping of a City: Business and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1885 to 1915. Portland, Oregon: Georgian Press.OCLC2645815.online
MacColl, E. Kimbark (1979).The Growth of a City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1915 to 1950. Portland, Oregon: Georgian Press.ISBN978-0-9603408-1-1.
MacGibbon, Elma (1904).Leaves of knowledge. Spokane: Shaw & Borden Co.OCLC3877939. RetrievedJune 22, 2013. Contents: "Elma MacGibbon reminiscences of her travels in the United States starting in 1898, which were mainly in Oregon and Washington." Includes chapter "Portland, the Western Hub."
.jpg)
.jpg)
_-_Portland_Area%2c_OR(ThreadEx).svg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
