The Town FilesPortland, Oregon
City in Multnomah County · population 652,503 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $581,500
- Household income
- $90,919
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 38.8
Portland is a city of 652,503 people in Multnomah County, Oregon. The median home is worth $581,500, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Oregon towns, hipper than 99% of Oregon towns, better transit than 99% of Oregon towns.
How Portland ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Portland is worth $581,500, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $90,919, which is more affordable than 20% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,655 a month. 52.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portland | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $581,500 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,655 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $90,919 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 52.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Portland
| People | Portland | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.8% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.4% | — |
| Work from home | 28.5% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Portland
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 37.3°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 18 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portland since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 5, 1972 about 4.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 300 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 1, 2019.
Severe weather in Multnomah County since 1996
Multnomah County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3429: Covid-19 |
| September 3, 2017 | Fire | FM-5203: Eagle Creek Fire |
Jobs and pay in Multnomah County
Multnomah County had 498,988 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,772 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Portland itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Portland
153 public schools with 75,315 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Douglas High School | 9-12 | 2,810 | 20.7 |
| Westview High School | 9-12 | 2,413 | 22.8 |
| Grant High School | 9-12 | 2,179 | 21.4 |
| Sunset High School | 9-12 | 1,879 | 22.4 |
| Franklin High School | 9-12 | 1,811 | 17.8 |
| Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School | 9-12 | 1,650 | 20.4 |
| Leodis V. McDaniel High School | 9-12 | 1,649 | 16.7 |
| Lincoln High School | 9-12 | 1,579 | 20.8 |
| Cleveland High School | 9-12 | 1,472 | 19.4 |
| Roosevelt High School | 9-12 | 1,454 | 16.7 |
| Stoller Middle School | 6-8 | 1,032 | 24.0 |
| Parkrose High School | 9-12 | 1,011 | 24.7 |
Towns near Portland
- West Haven-Sylvan, OR5.8 mi · 9,299 people · home $782,400
- Raleigh Hills, OR6.3 mi · 6,196 people · home $913,700
- Milwaukie, OR6.5 mi · 21,119 people · home $505,100
- West Slope, OR6.6 mi · 7,223 people · home $755,300
- Cedar Mill, OR7.3 mi · 17,259 people · home $878,300
- Vancouver, WA7.4 mi · 190,915 people · home $462,400
- Garden Home-Whitford, OR7.4 mi · 7,081 people · home $624,900
- Cedar Hills, OR7.9 mi · 8,379 people · home $611,400
Portland questions
Is Portland, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portland scores better for retirees than 11% of Oregon towns and quieter than 6%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Portland?
The median owner-occupied home in Portland is valued at $581,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,919, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,655 a month.
What is the weather like in Portland?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 37.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Portland get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 5, 1972. The typical Oregon town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)