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Portland Facts
Portland, Oregon, has often been called the big city with the small town feel. Its mild weather, breathtaking scenery, exciting location and friendly people have all contributed to its appearance on numerous "Best Of" lists, including Online Insider's "Top 10 Least Expensive Cities", Money Magazine's "Top 10 Places to Vacation" and "Top 10 Best Places to Live", and American Style Magazine's "Top 25 Arts Destinations". For more Portland praises check out our Portland in the News section.
Nestled between the beautiful Coast Range on the west and the spectacular Cascade Range on the east, Portland sits at the junction of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. From downtown Portland, it's just a 90 minute drive to the scenic Oregon coast, an hour-and-a-half to Mt. Hood and some of the best skiing in the country, a half-an-hour to the peaceful vineyards and farms of the fertile Willamette Valley, and less than three hours to a Mariner's game in Seattle. With an ethnically diverse population of about 2.2 million, Portland is the 28th largest metropolitan area in the country, the fourth largest city on the West Coast, and the largest city in the state. It includes six counties spread over 5000 square miles. In 1806, Lewis and Clark discovered the land that would later become the city of Portland. Asa Lovejoy, a native of Massachusetts, and Francis Pettygrove, a native of Maine, founded the city in 1851. Lovejoy wanted to name this city after his beloved Boston, but Pettygrove wanted to name it after his hometown of Portland. A coin toss settled the dispute, and the rest, as they say, is history. Sheltered by two mountain ranges, Portland enjoys mild weather all year long, rarely experiencing the severe weather extremes common to much of the rest of the country. However, that doesn't mean that Portland doesn't have seasons. July and August are warm and dry, with average high temperatures in the upper 70's and lower 80's. The occasional winter snowstorm blankets the city in a few inches of snow that stay around long enough to be enjoyed but rarely long enough to annoy. In the fall, the many deciduous trees around the city put on a colorful show to delight the eye. And spring blossoms prove that Portland truly is the "City of Roses." Downtown Portland offers residents and visitors a wide variety of shops, professional services, restaurants, housing, entertainment venues, museums and parks. Pioneer Courthouse Square serves as Portland's town square. Often called "Portland's Living Room", the square is the site of summer concerts, rallies, the annual Christmas tree lighting and more. Pioneer Courthouse Square is named for the historic Pioneer Courthouse located next to the square. Portland's downtown is dotted with award-winning historic districts. Old Town Chinatown, Skidmore, Yamhill, and the Pearl all feature carefully preserved historic buildings that have been renovated to provide space for offices, shops, restaurants and housing. On the east side of the river, the Lloyd District and the Central Eastside Industrial District add to the economic development of the city. The Lloyd District features the Lloyd Center Mall, the Rose Quarter, including the Rose Garden Arena - home of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA basketball team and the Oregon Convention Center. Portland boasts the lowest housing costs of the major metropolitan West Coast cities. With all of the natural and urban amenities, Portland is a bargain compared to Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. The Portland region has a real estate market with a wide variety of housing styles to choose from. Regional planners have embraced accessibility, so even quiet suburbs are still just minutes from central destinations. The region supports a variety of family needs with different housing options. Near downtown Portland, the emerging South Waterfront and Pearl District provide urban living with high-rise condominiums and hip brownstones. Other nearby cities such as Lake Oswego, Vancouver, Gresham and Beaverton are supporting urban lifestyles with denser, mixed-use developments. More traditional housing stock can be found as well. Historic neighborhoods present tree-lined streets with Victorian and Craftsman quality. High quality new construction provides home ownership opportunities in the surrounding communities. Apartments abound throughout the region, ensuring that you will be able to find a place to suit your needs. Downtown, you can find historic buildings and trendy Manhattan style lofts; in the suburbs, apartments may be larger and more affordable, and many are located near Portland's renowned public transportation. Taxes and Fees The State of Oregon does not impose:
return to top Health Care With more than a dozen hospitals and a vast array of clinics to choose from, residents of the Portland Metro area have access to the finest medical care in the state. Health systems such as Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health System, Oregon Health Sciences University, and Providence Health System operate hospitals and clinics to meet the health care needs of the community. With the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and an assortment of alternative health care clinics, Portland offers consumers a real choice in health care. |
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