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".
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 a 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.
| Population |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
| Population (000's) |
2137.6 |
2166.5 |
2207.5 |
2218.8 |
| Change (000's) |
41.0 |
28.9 |
41.0 |
11.3 |
| % Change |
1.9 |
1.3 |
1.9 |
0.5 |
Source: US Census Bureau
| Education |
Post
Secondary |
Associates
Degree |
Bachelors
Degree |
Advanced
Degree |
|
27.7% |
7.0% |
19.2% |
9.5% |
Souce: Claritas
| Employment |
June 2008 |
June 2009 |
| Portland Metro |
5.3% |
11.6% |
| State of Oregon |
5.9% |
12.2% |
| USA |
5.6% |
9.5% |
Source: OLMIS Portland Metro Labor Trends - August 2009
|
Job Growth |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
| Nonfarm Employment (000s) |
1015.3 |
1034.9 |
1035.5 |
986.7 |
| # of Jobs (000s) |
31.7 |
19.6 |
0.6 |
-48.8 |
| % Change |
3.1 |
1.9 |
0.1 |
-4.9 |
Source: OLMIS - Oregon Labor Market Information System
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.
|
15,500 Employees
|
14,684 Employees
|
12,600 Employees
|
12,000 Employees
|
9,000 Employees
|
|
8,251 Employees
|
7,000 Employees
|
5,969 Employees
|
5,640 Employees
|
City of Portland
5,587 Employees |
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