Portland is a city located in Clackamas County Oregon. Portland has a 2024 population of 622,882. Portland is currently declining at a rate of -1.21% annually and its population has decreased by -4.66% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 653,344 in 2020.
The average household income in Portland is $117,687 with a poverty rate of 12.18%. The median age in Portland is 38.3 years: 38.3 years for males, and 38.4 years for females.
Portland is the most populous city in the state of Oregon and the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle and Vancouver. With its many rose gardens, Portland is known as the City of Roses, and it has been incorporated since 1851.
Portland is currently the 26th largest city in the US, just a few spots behind Seattle, the largest city in the Northwest. When the entire metro area of Portland (five counties in Oregon, and two counties in Washington) is tallied, and the total is nearly 2.4 million. There are about 4,375 Portlanders per square mile.
The African American population of Portland was just 2,000 in 1940, comprised mostly of railroad employees, many of whom were drawn to the area during the wartime ship construction boom. Many black people who came to the city settled in certain neighborhoods, including Vanport and Abina. Today, the African American population of Portland (6.3%) is more than three times the Oregon average, with more than two-thirds of all African American residents of Oregon living in the city.
Vietnamese Americans makeup 2.2% of the city's total population and represent the largest Asian ethnic group, followed by Chinese (1.7%), Filipino (0.6%), Korean (0.4%), Laotian (0.4%), Hmong (0.2%) and Cambodian (0.1%). There are two Chinatowns in Portland. About 12,000 Vietnamese people live in the city, which is one of the largest Vietnamese populations in the country.
Portland does remain a predominantly white city, although the percentage has dropped over the last fifty years. In 1940, 98% of the population was white. In 2009, Portland still had the 5th highest percentage of white residents among the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the country, while a study in 2007 found that Portland's urban area has the highest rate of white people in the United States.
The most significant influx of minorities into Portland occurred during World War II when the African American population grew more than ten times. After the war, a flood in Vanport displaced many. Issues like police hostility, mortgage discrimination, and job discrimination led to half of the black population leaving Portland after the war.
's population grew more than 10% from 2000 and 2010, and population growth in the Portland metro area has outpaced the national average for the last decade. This trend is expected to continue for the next five decades. Since the 2010 census, the population has grown an additional 8.3%.
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. Portland also leads Oregon's population growth, with numbers declining in many rural and eastern areas in favor of the city.
In October 2015, Oregon Metro released its urban growth report, which contains their population projections for the next twenty years. Metro is projecting continued growth until 2040, albeit at a slower rate than in previous forecasts. The metro area is anticipated to cross 3 million residents by 2040.
Oregon's population growth temporarily declined during the recession, which hit the region harder than most areas of the country, but it has already started to pick up with home values rising and job opportunities improving. The state still has higher-than-average unemployment and underemployment.
The area that is now Portland was occupied for centuries by two different bands of Upper Chinook Indians, who fished and traded along the river. The Tualatin Plains eventually became a settlement of Portland. In 1843, a man named William Overton saw commercial potential but lacked the money for a land claim. He made a deal with his partner, Asa Lovejoy, and Boston, for $0.25 to share the claim of 640 acres of land.
Overton eventually sold his half to Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine. Pettygrove and Lovejoy both wanted to name the new city after their home towns. This was settled in 1845 by a coin toss, which Pettygrove of Portland, Maine won.
When it was incorporated in 1851, Portland had more than 800 inhabitants, which grew to 17,500 by 1879.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Portland was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 465,878 | 72.11% |
Two or more races | 59,598 | 9.22% |
Asian | 54,516 | 8.44% |
Black or African American | 37,986 | 5.88% |
Other race | 18,243 | 2.82% |
Native American | 6,292 | 0.97% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 3,588 | 0.56% |
White
Two or more races
Asian
Black or African American
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 283,896 | 2.21 | 53.3 | 46.7 |
Non Family | 144,969 | 1.43 | 36.4 | 63.6 |
Married | 105,290 | 3 | 77.4 | 22.6 |
Female | 22,901 | 3.16 | 47.9 | 52.1 |
Male | 10,736 | 3.08 | 56.7 | 43.3 |
2.91
Average Family Size
2.21
Average Household Size
53.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 17,492 | 3.59% |
Associates Degree | 33,137 | 6.8% |
Bachelors Degree | 152,451 | 31.29% |
Graduate Degree | 103,550 | 21.25% |
High School Graduate | 72,861 | 14.96% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 14,844 | 3.05% |
Some College | 92,855 | 19.06% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 353,495 | 341,295 | 203,572 |
Hispanic | 40,661 | 32,690 | 14,832 |
Asian | 40,551 | 32,626 | 18,469 |
2+ Races | 35,203 | 31,824 | 16,212 |
Black | 25,002 | 22,319 | 7,009 |
Other Race | 11,539 | 8,820 | 3,296 |
Native American | 4,042 | 3,415 | 987 |
Islander | 2,246 | 2,014 | 433 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 96.55%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 57.59%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $63,944 | $73,670 | $56,323 |
Graduate Degree | $86,534 | $100,019 | $77,179 |
High School Graduate | $36,663 | $40,157 | $32,046 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $28,546 | $31,109 | $23,870 |
Overall | $54,406 | $58,044 | $50,103 |
Some College | $42,386 | $47,442 | $36,823 |
$54,406
Average Earnings
$58,044
Average Male
$50,103
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
82.12% of Portland residents speak only English, while 17.88% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 6.31% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 432,842 | 42,600 | 9.84% |
Hispanic | 64,542 | 10,425 | 16.15% |
Black | 37,088 | 9,750 | 26.29% |
Multiple | 58,155 | 8,167 | 14.04% |
Asian | 53,480 | 7,330 | 13.71% |
Other | 18,060 | 3,952 | 21.88% |
Native | 5,968 | 1,219 | 20.43% |
Islander | 3,558 | 902 | 25.35% |
12.18%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.86%
Male Poverty Rate
12.49%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Portland is Black, with 26.29% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Portland is White, with 9.84% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.73%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.49%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.84%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 27.96% |
High School | 18.93% |
Some College | 12.95% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.37% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 34.51% |
Male Unemployed | 27.48% |
Female Employed | 6.72% |
Male Employed | 5.08% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $116,103 | $150,063 |
Households | $85,876 | $117,687 |
Married Families | $136,571 | $171,671 |
Non Families | $60,267 | $82,787 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
40.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.2%
Male Marriage Rate
40.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
25,627
Number of Veterans
22,813
Male Veterans
2,814
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 9,335 |
Second Gulf War | 5,114 |
First Gulf War | 4,556 |
Korea | 1,674 |
World War II | 452 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 6,865 |
75+ | 6,035 |
35 to 54 | 5,486 |
55 to 64 | 5,069 |
18 to 34 | 2,172 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 20,969 | 5.24% |
Black | 1,757 | 6.14% |
2+ Races | 1,453 | 3.45% |
Hispanic | 1,354 | 2.76% |
Asian | 753 | 1.64% |
Other Race | 412 | 3.03% |
Native American | 268 | 5.64% |
Islander | 15 | 0.57% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.12%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.26%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
70.9%
Labor Force Participation
66.9%
Employment Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
38.24%
Born in Portland
87.36%
Native Born
12.64%
Foreign Born
5.33%
Non Citizen
7.31%
Naturalized
87.36% of Portland residents were born in the United States, with 38.24% having been born in Oregon. 5.33% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 584,805 | -7,616 | -1.29% |
2028 | 592,421 | -7,615 | -1.27% |
2027 | 600,036 | -7,615 | -1.25% |
2026 | 607,651 | -7,616 | -1.24% |
2025 | 615,267 | -7,615 | -1.22% |
2024 | 622,882 | -7,616 | -1.21% |
2023 | 630,498 | -4,170 | -0.66% |
2022 | 634,668 | -8,511 | -1.32% |
2021 | 643,179 | -10,165 | -1.56% |
2020 | 653,344 | -1,034 | -0.16% |
2019 | 654,378 | 3,224 | 0.5% |
2018 | 651,154 | 2,978 | 0.46% |
2017 | 648,176 | 5,111 | 0.79% |
2016 | 643,065 | 11,120 | 1.76% |
2015 | 631,945 | 10,970 | 1.77% |
2014 | 620,975 | 10,721 | 1.76% |
2013 | 610,254 | 5,733 | 0.95% |
2012 | 604,521 | 8,911 | 1.5% |
2011 | 595,610 | 10,134 | 1.73% |
2010 | 585,476 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 529,121 | 91,802 | 20.99% |
1990 | 437,319 | 69,171 | 18.79% |
1980 | 368,148 | -11,819 | -3.11% |
1970 | 379,967 | 7,291 | 1.96% |
1960 | 372,676 | -952 | -0.25% |
1950 | 373,628 | 68,234 | 22.34% |
1940 | 305,394 | 3,579 | 1.19% |
1930 | 301,815 | 43,527 | 16.85% |
1920 | 258,288 | 51,074 | 24.65% |
1910 | 207,214 | 116,788 | 129.15% |
1900 | 90,426 | 44,041 | 94.95% |
1890 | 46,385 | 28,808 | 163.9% |
1880 | 17,577 | 9,284 | 111.95% |
1870 | 8,293 | 5,419 | 188.55% |
1860 | 2,874 | -581,931 | -99.51% |