Wealthiest neighborhoods in Portland

Thinking about moving to Portland, Oregon, and looking for upscale Portland neighborhoods? It can be kind of confusing trying to figure out which area will hold the best choices for you, but as luxury real estate agents in Portland we were able to dive into the numbers for you and showcase our top wealthiest neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon.

Living in Portland Population Stats

Let’s go over some stats of the Portland population to get started. This will give you a sense of how great it is to live in Portland, and how we were able to come up with this list of neighborhoods.

Portland is the largest city in the state of Oregon, with a 2020 population of 653,115. Portland is currently growing at a rate of 0.83% annually and its population has increased by 13.76% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 583,776 in 2010. The current median house value in Portland, Oregon, is $467,621. Portland has a huge variety of different people from all walks of life, but the median age in Portland is 37 years old.

A recent Forbes article found that Portland is the 10th fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States with a stable growth rate of 1.8% per year. Oregon Metro released its urban growth report in October of 2015. The report shows population projections for the next twenty years with a continued growth until 2040. The Portland metro is set to exceed 3 million residents by 2040.

So, now that we’ve established that it is an awesome place to buy a home, where in all this do you find Portland’s luxury estates? We cross-referenced the stats along with our insider knowledge to get you a list of 7 Luxury Neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon. 

 Wealthiest Neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon

West Linn

Population: 27.37k

Median Home: $839,500

Median Income: $124k

Area Feel: Sparse suburban

Families with Children: 75%

Top Schools: Lakeridge High School, West Linn High School, Three Rivers Charter School, Hallinan Elementary School, Lakeridge Middle School.

Let’s kick this thing off with West Linn. West Linn is a suburb of Portland with a population of 27k+. This area is in Clackamas County, one of the more forgiving districts for property taxes. It’s geographically located between the Willamette and Tualatin rivers on the southern outskirts of Portland. West Linn is one of the oldest settlements in Oregon, and it’s right across the Willamette River from historic and ever-charming Oregon City.

West Linn is consistently rated on many different reports as one of the best places to live in Oregon.

You’ll find tons of upscale restaurants, coffee shops, and bars in West Linn. West Linn is also home to some pretty great parks such as Tanner Creek Skate Park, Willamette Park, and Fields Bridge Park. It’s home to a killer farmer’s market too. The Summer Street Market has fresh local produce, artisan gifts, vintage and thrift vendors, food, a beer and wine garden and live music.

West Linn is well-known around Portland for their annual street dance, Dance in the Streets, where people literally have one massive dance party in the streets.

If you’re looking to buy a luxury estate in West Linn, the starting point is $1M to $6M, and worth every penny. 

Learn More: Top 9 Suburbs to live in Portland, Oregon

Lake Oswego

Population: 40.7k

Median Home: $1.4 million

Median Income: $120k

Families with Children: 72%

Top Public Schools: Lake Oswego Senior High School, Lake Oswego Middle School, Lakeridge High School, West Linn High School, Oak Creek Elementary, Forest Hills Elementary, Lakeridge Middle School

Top Private Schools: Our Lady of the Lake School, International Leadership Academy, West Hills Montessori School, Park Academy, KinderCare Learning Center. 

Rated #1 in Best Places to Live in Clackamas County by Niche.com, Lake Oswego is also in Clackamas County with some areas extending out to Multnomah and Washington Counties. Although pretty mellow, you’ll find a ton of great restaurants, coffee shops, and parks in “Lake O”.

Lake Oswego is, as you’d imagine, located on a big, beautiful lake. The area has a huge selection of luxury homes, most of which are tucked into the hillside–giving them outstanding views. Luxury homes in Lake Oswego start at the $1M mark and go all the way up to the $10M mark. It’s by far the most well known wealthy neighborhood in Portland.

Learn More: Living in Lake Oswego

Southwest Hills

Population: 6,279 

Median Home: $1.1 million

Median Income: $131k

Area Feel: Urban Suburban Mix

Families with Children: 27%

Top Public Schools: Lincoln High School, Le Monde French immersion school,  Ainsworth Elementary School, Rieke Elementary School, West Sylvan Middle School

Top Private Schools: Northwest Academy, The International School

The Southwest Hills area is actually a collection of amazing neighborhoods such as Portland Heights, Arlington Heights, and our favorite, Healy Heights. Located in Multnomah County, Southwest Hills is just a short walk into downtown. It’s also right by Washington Park, The Timbers Stadium, Oregon Zoo, Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden. 

You’ll find neighborhood pubs, awesome restaurants, hiking for miles, and literally anything else you could think of. Like Lake Oswego, you’ll find the luxury homes in the Southwest Hills, Portland, to be tucked away into the hillside and equipped with some of the best views in Portland. You’ll pay anywhere from $1M to $3M to buy a luxury home in the Southwest Hills.

Pearl District

Population: 6k

Median Home: $547,470

Median Income: $72,458

Area Feel: Dense urban

Families with Children: 3%

Top Public Schools: Lincoln High School, Le Monde French immersion school,  Richmond Elementary School, West Sylvan Middle School, Emerson School

Top Private Schools: CLASS Academy, ChildPeace Montessori School

Part of downtown Portland, the Pearl District is an area that’s super popular with young professionals, and is considered an up and coming wealthy neighborhood of Portland. Also located in Multnomah County, the Pearl is within reach of some of the finest bakeries, restaurants, hole-in-the-wall eateries, bars, and coffee shops in all of the Portland metro.

The Pearl comes with a very unique history. Not so long ago, the area was a mostly-abandoned rail yard, and one of the roughest areas in Portland. Since then, it has spruced up to be the most upscale urban neighborhood in the city. There are no single family homes in the Pearl District. Instead, you have the choice of lofts, condos, a few townhomes, and some extraordinary penthouse suites. Many of the renovated buildings still show the history of the area, but now in a much more polished way. The penthouse suites in the Pearl District start at $1.7M and go up to $7M.

Learn More: Living in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon

NW Hillside – 23rd and Knobhill 

Population: 12,059

Median Home: $870k

Median Income: $88,175

Area Feel: Urban

Families with Children: 13%

Top Public Schools: Lincoln High School, Sunset High School, School of Science and Technology, International School of Beaverton

Top Private Schools: CLASS Academy, ChildPeace Montessori School

Rated #2 in the Best Neighborhoods to Live in Portland, the Northwest Hillside area is an absolute dream for those looking for a larger renovated colonial home or a new build close to all the action but far enough away to have some peace and quiet. One of our favorite spots, Nob Hill, is located in between two of Portland’s major hubs for great food and upscale shopping. NW 21st and NW 23rd streets offer a whole range of amazing different cuisines with everything from the super popular Bamboo Sushi to the equally popular authentic Jewish Deli, Kornblatt’s.  

Northwest hillside puts you right by the Alphabet District and downtown Portland. Luxury homes in this area start at the low $1M mark all the way up to $15M.

Bethany

Population: 24,396

Median Home: $613k

Median Income: $135k

Top Public Schools: Westview High School, Sunset High School, School of Science and Technology, International School of Beaverton

Top Private Schools: Bethany Village Montessori School, The Goddard School, West Union KinderCare

Niche.com rates Bethany #1 in Best Suburbs to Live in Oregon. It’s also the wealthiest neighborhood in the state. Interestingly, the name “Bethany” in Greek means “house of welcome” which emulates exactly how this neighborhood feels.

Bethany is an unincorporated community located in Washington County. One huge benefit to living in Washington County is that it is the best for home tax rates in the entire metro and surrounding suburbs. It’s also less than five minutes from the Portland Hillsboro Airport.

Luxury homes in Bethany tend to be more on the traditional home design with colonial exteriors and modern interiors plus a mix of new build and renovated. Although, there are some custom homes that have the modern style inside and out, and there’s plenty of room to build your own custom home here. Wherever you purchase, homes in Bethany often come with wraparound views and a lot of greenery. A luxury pad here will cost you anywhere from $1M to $10M.

Eastmoreland

Population: 4,335

Median Home Value: $853k

Median Income: $124,592

Families with Children: 36%

Area feel: Sparse Suburban

Top Public Schools: Grant High School, Le Monde French Immersion School, Richmond Elementary School, Emerson School, and Llewellyn Elementary School.

Top Private School: Holy Family School

Consistently rated the #1 Best Neighborhood to Live in Portland by niche.com, Eastmoreland is a gem that you might miss upon your first spin around the city. It’s located in inner SE Portland and is part of Multnomah County. One of the busier spots on the list, Eastmoreland has access to a lot of great bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. 

Many families and young professionals live in Eastmoreland and residents tend to be liberal. Eastmoreland is home to the infamous Reed College, which has been attended by Steve Jobs and many other celebrity-status geniuses.

The luxury homes in Eastmoreland are a mix of modern, colonial style, and country cottage. To buy a luxury home in Eastmoreland, you’re looking at a starting point of $1.5M and going up to $2.5M-$3M.

Thinking about moving to Portland, OR?

As licensed real estate agents in Oregon and Washington, we specialize in helping people who are looking to move here. Our combined experience and vast number of connections in the Portland real estate market are hard to beat. 

If you’re thinking about moving to Portland, OR, or its suburbs, we can help you find your perfect home in the right neighborhood for you. If you have questions about moving to Portland, feel free to call, text, or email us.