Portland, Oregon

Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, with a population of 652,503 as of 2020 according to the Wikipedia page on Portland. It is the county seat of Multnomah County and is located in the Willamette Valley region of the Pacific Northwest. Portland is known for its parks, bridges, coffee culture, microbreweries, and its unofficial slogan “Keep Portland Weird”.

History

Portland was founded in 1845 and officially incorporated in 1851. The city got its name from a coin toss between founders Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, with Pettygrove winning the toss for his hometown of Portland, Maine. Early industries included shipping, manufacturing, and lumber, aided by the city’s port location at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Portland grew rapidly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Learn more about Portland’s history here.

Geography and Population

Portland is located in northwest Oregon where the Willamette and Columbia rivers meet. It covers 145 square miles in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. Portland’s 2020 population was 652,503, making it the 25th most populous city in the United States. The Portland metropolitan area, comprising those 3 counties, had a population of 2.492 million in 2020, making it the 24th largest metro area in the U.S.

Economy

Portland has a diverse economy based on industries such as technology, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and retail. Major local companies include Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear, Leatherman, and Portland General Electric. The metro area’s GDP was $147 billion in 2019. Learn more about Portland’s economy at the Portland Development Commission website.

Government

Portland has a commission form of government with a mayor and four commissioners. The current mayor is Ted Wheeler. The city government offices are located at:

City of Portland
1221 SW 4th Ave #340
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4000

Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County. The county government offices are located at:

Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214
Phone: (503) 988-3043

Education

Public education in Portland is provided by six school districts:

• Portland Public Schools – largest district in Oregon
• Parkrose School District
• David Douglas School District
• Reynolds School District
• Centennial School District
• Gresham-Barlow School District

Higher education options include Portland State University, University of Portland, Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, and Oregon Health & Science University.

Transportation

Public transportation in Portland is provided by TriMet, which operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and paratransit. The main airport is Portland International Airport. Portland is also a major freight port, with two terminals along the Willamette River.

The city is very bike-friendly, with over 300 miles of bike lanes and paths. It also has an extensive urban streetcar system.

Major Employers

Here are some of Portland’s major private sector employers, with over 4,000 local employees each:

• Intel – 20,000 employees
  2501 NW 229th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97124
  Phone: (503) 696-8080
• Providence Health System – 18,335 employees
  4800 NE 20th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
  Phone: (503) 215-1111
• Nike Inc. – 12,000 employees
  One Bowerman Dr, Beaverton, OR 97005
  Phone: (503) 671-6453
• Legacy Health System – 10,934 employees
  1919 NW Lovejoy St, Portland, OR 97209
  Phone: (503) 413-7711
• Fred Meyer Stores – 10,000 employees
  3800 SE 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97202
  Phone: (503) 232-8844

Culture and Tourism

Portland is known for its parks, bridges, independent music scene, craft breweries and distilleries, and quirky, artsy vibe. Popular attractions and landmarks include:

• Powell’s City of Books – largest independent bookstore in the world
• Pittock Mansion – historic French Renaissance chateau, (45.5224° N, 122.7167° W)
• International Rose Test Garden – featuring over 10,000 rose plants
• Portland Japanese Garden – considered top Japanese garden outside of Japan
• Portland State University campus
• Oregon Zoo
• Forest Park – one of the largest urban forests in the U.S.
• Portland bridges – 12 bridges span the Willamette River, including iconic steel bridges
• Washington Park – home to the rose garden, Japanese garden, and Oregon Zoo (45.5176° N, 122.7093° W)

The city’s culture revolves around its parks, gardens, museums, microbreweries, food carts, and events like the Portland Rose Festival.

Popular annual events include:

• Portland Rose Festival
• Oregon Brewers Festival
• Portland Marathon
• Portland International Film Festival
• Music festivals like PDX Pop Now and Project Pabst

Professional sports teams include the Portland Trail Blazers (NBA basketball), Portland Timbers (MLS soccer), and Portland Thorns FC (NWSL soccer).

Places to Visit

Here are some top attractions and landmarks to visit in Portland:

• Powell’s City of Books – flagship Powell’s store downtown covers an entire city block (1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209)
• Pittock Mansion – historic chateau in West Hills with panoramic views (3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210)
• Portland Japanese Garden – calming oasis inside Washington Park (611 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205)
• Steel Bridge – iconic double-deck vertical lift bridge over the Willamette River (built 1912)
• Oregon Zoo – exhibits like the Africa Rainforest and Polar Passage (4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221)
• Portland Art Museum – oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest (1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205)

Map of Portland

This map shows the main areas of Portland, Oregon.

Visitor Information

For more information on visiting Portland, check out the Travel Portland website or the Visit Portland Facebook page. You can also get updates from the city on the City of Portland website or Facebook page.