The 9 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Portland

Portland is a city of neighborhoods bursting with personality and dripping in self-expression. With a relaxed vibe, a mad respect for the environment, and bike lanes for days, this city is home to artists, free-spirits, and the young-at-heart.

The booming tech industry tucked into the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest has earned itself the nickname The Silicon Forest. Portland is also the 9th greenest city in the entire country, and is one of the hottest cities for young professionals.

Whether you’re into a mind-blowing coffee culture, a consistently rated best beer city in the country, a thriving arts community, or a love of all things local, Portland’s packed full of curious culture waiting to be explored.

Amidst the idyllic walkable streets and the highest percentage of bike commuters in the country, you’ll find plenty of folks doing their part to ‘keep Portland weird.’

So, break out your parent’s old record player, invest in a solid raincoat, and brush up on your brew knowledge as you prepare to join the surges of creative people making their way into this haven of self-expression. Pump those bike tires and weave yourself into the brilliant tapestry that is Portland.

In order to help you find that perfect home base–because we know it isn’t easy to find the right vibe for the right budget–we’ve put together a list of the top nine quirky and charming neighborhoods that help give Portland its incredible reputation.

What's more, we've built a ranking system for each one to help you make this big decision. We’re ranking:

• Atmosphere: nightlife & entertainment, shopping & restaurants, and beauty & parks

• Amenities: schools, public transit, and points of interest

• Experience: safety, affordability, and walkability

• The end result is a prioritized list of the best places to move to in Portland, Oregon.

Why listen to us? We may not have as many one-of-a-kind shops as Portland, but we have been curating top rental experiences across the country for a long time. We’ve picked up a thing or two along the way!

Perfect for young professionals and sports fanatics looking for a lively neighborhood with an easy commute to downtown.

Goose Hollow gets its funky name from its interesting history. Back in the day when the neighborhood was founded, many of the local women took to raising geese in the once wild and undeveloped areas. Although the name has stuck throughout the years, you’d be hard pressed to find any geese in the streets these days.

This close-knit neighborhood enjoys the ideal mix of downtown living and an established, residential community.

Sports fans will feel right at home with not one, but two legendary soccer teams. Providence Park is a stadium that belongs to both the Portland Thorns FC and the Portland Timbers FC. Join the local crowds showing support in the stadium, or if you aren’t fast enough to grab a ticket, head over to the many local sports bars to catch the game with a local brew.

Into reusing and recycling? You’ll adore Scrap, Portland’s well-loved creative reuse center that is brimming with ideas, inspiration, and materials for your next weekend project.

Looking to find out why Goose Hollow scores a perfect five in our Beauty & Parks category? Visit Washington Park right next door for some of the best views of the city, an International Rose Garden, museums, wilderness, and even a zoo!

All of the convenience, history, and incredible greenspace in Goose Hollow does make living in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Portland come at a more expensive price tag with Affordability scoring a two out of five.

Come check out this vegan foodie’s paradise handily situated right next to downtown.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Goose Hollow scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals looking for an urban, artsy, and bike-friendly neighborhood.

Buckman & Kerns–say hello to the eccentric east side of Portland. Delightful tree-lined streets surrounded by historic homes, bordered by peaceful parks. The Buckman & Kerns area is an oasis for pedestrians and cyclists looking to move around the city effortlessly.

Come and meander down the picture-perfect streets, do some window shopping, stop for a drink–or two–in the sunshine… This neighborhood is ideal for those looking to enjoy themselves in idyllic parks and lush outdoor spaces.

Due to the banging beer culture in this neighborhood, the locals tend to be younger, single 20-and-30 somethings. A great spot to meet people and plan your next outdoor adventure. Whether you swipe right or wait for your meet-cute, you’ll have plenty of date ideas to debrief with your friends afterwards.

Laugh until you cry at the Helium Comedy Club, take a trip down the memory lane of retro gaming at Electric Castle’s Wunderland. Support local food and music at the Portland Night Market… You get the idea.

If you’re looking for a place to relax after all of that socializing, hit up Colonel Summers Park or take your four-legged best friend to the Washington High Dog Park. Enjoy the waterfront views at Eastbank Esplanade and you’ll understand why Buckman & Kerns has a perfect score in Beauty & Parks.

With high scores in Schools, Points of Interest, and Public Transit, Buckman & Kerns is the right neighborhood for those looking to enjoy a night out, enjoy the day in, or enjoy the day outdoors.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Buckman & Kerns scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young families, hipsters and young professionals looking for the famous Portland feel.

Although Boise is the official name, if you’re a local, you’ll call it the Mississippi Neighborhood, Mississippi Street, or the Mississippi District. It’s one of the hottest neighborhoods in Portland with trendy shops, vibrant cafes, and an insane amount of Food Carts.

This street is bursting with colorful art and draws you right into everything this neighborhood has to offer. Located only 10-minutes north of downtown, this effortlessly cool street is home to hip shops, famous restaurants, and enough people watching opportunities to last a lifetime.

Do you like endless food options on a night out? You’ll find something on this street for every craving. Dying for some southern food? Try Miss Delta Restaurant and Bar for some classic biscuits and gravy. Desperate to find some delicious gluten free pizza? Head over to the local favorite, Mississippi Pizza. Feeling adventurous? Try the famous, experimental farm-to-table Quaintrelle. Whatever craving you have, Mississippi Avenue will satisfy it.

Meet ‘The Lightbulb Lady’ at Sunlan Lighting and discover this iconic store taking light bulbs to a whole new level. Experience Paxton Gate, an eccentric shop that was featured in the famous Portlandia show. Every shop along this street has a unique story waiting to be told.

Mississippi Avenue boasts impressive scores in Nightlife & Entertainment, Shopping & Restaurants, and in Walkability. You’ll truly become local when you start complaining about the cost of living as Affordability scores a two out of five.

This unusual, exciting, and eccentric area is the perfect place to get the true Portland experience.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Mississippi Avenue scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals looking to live in the middle of all the action.

Portland’s quirky downtown is both memorable and unique. This extremely well-connected neighborhood is full of walkable streets, world-class shopping, and contagious good energy.

Locals brag about one of the most beautiful downtowns of any city in terms of lush green space and connection to the outdoors. A perfect score in Beauty & Parks means that you’re never far from a park that looks like a postcard.

This compact area is easy to get around by foot and is well-connected by the city’s public light rail, the bus system and the Portland Streetcar. Here in Downtown, we have perfect scores in both Walkability and Public Transit which allow residents to not only move around the neighborhood, but also the greater Portland area, with ease.

Downtown Portland is a cultural hub that draws in visitors and residents alike. Don’t miss places like the South Park Blocks, a green corridor crossing through the heart of the city. It’s home to the famous Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society, and Portland State University.

Looking for weekend plans? From the quirky charm of Mill Ends Park–a park just 24 inches long, complete with a small swimming pool and a diving board for butterflies, to the Oregon Brewers Festival that draws in crowds of over 60 thousand you’re sure to find fun in every size.

The neighborhood is focused on improving the safety in the area, however, there is still work to be done as Safety only scores a two out of five. So, make sure to invest in a sturdy bike lock to continue to enjoy the unbeatable convenience of riding your bike on the daily.

With enchanting events like the Portland farmer’s market, the unbelievable Powell's City bookstore, and enough restaurants to satisfy your inner foodie, you’ll find magic around every street corner in Downtown Portland. Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Downtown Portland scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for extroverts who want to be surrounded by people and high-end shopping.

Located in Northwest Portland, Nob Hill is considered Portland’s most European neighborhood. This upscale neighborhood is known for the best shopping and people-watching in the area.

This neighborhood holds a charming piece of Portland's history and draws a consistent crowd that takes advantage of the walkable and bikeable streets. If you’re looking for hustle and bustle, lots of character, and something going on everywhere you turn, then look no farther.

Local laws are centered around pedestrian and bike safety so you can feel safe and secure making your way around your neighborhood. A perfect score in Walkability, a five-minute drive into Downtown, and a four out of five in Public Transit make it super easy to get where you want to go.

To keep up with the Portland traditions and famous weird vibes, Nob Hill offers the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum which is home to bizarre and strange collections that you have to see to believe.

To soak up some sun and get your time in nature, go for a weekend hike in the 70 miles of trails in the nearby Forest Park or find your inner peace at the idyllic and authentic Portland Japanese Garden.

Check out the countless top-notch eateries, set some new trends with all of your new finds at the charming boutiques, enjoy a show at Cinema 21, break out your best karaoke duet with your buddies at VoiceBox, and take advantage of endless happy hour deals all over the neighborhood.

Living in Nob Hill gives you big-city fun in a neighborhood-sized setting.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Nob Hill scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for those looking for a relaxed and safe community with lots of history.

Sellwood-Moreland is a neighborhood with a small-town neighborly vibe. Ideal for people looking for a quieter pace of life.

This self-sustaining neighborhood has a strong sense of community pride. An impressive perfect score in both Schools and Affordability makes this area at the top of the list for those considering family life in the future.

With an amusement park that’s been around since 1905 and a single-screen cinema that originally opened in 1926, Sellwood-Moreland brings a historic vibe to the table that adds some depth and personality to everyday life.

Delightful history, friendly neighbors that you actually know, and a five-star rating in Shopping & Restaurants? Yes please! In Sellwood-Moreland you have access to unique cuisine like the mouth-watering Asian-fusion teahouse called Jade Bistro & Patisserie and the fresh, house-made bagels at the Either/Or cafe. Enjoy becoming a regular at Kay’s Bar, a local dive bar that has weathered Portland’s wild transformations since 1934.

For your nature fix, head over to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge for 170 acres of meadows, woodlands, and wetlands or catch the sunset from the winding trails along the Willamette River.

As a quaint, safe, and vintage-loving neighborhood where all are welcome and the days move easy, Sellwood-Morland is a quintessential place to get both the old and the new Portland experience.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Sellwood-Moreland scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young people looking for an affordable and buzzing neighborhood with its own unique personality.

Now for our top three neighborhood finalists. In third place we’ve got the Hosford-Abernathy & Hawthorne neighborhood, known for its bohemian vibe. A place that mixes eclectic charm with quirky expression; a low-key lifestyle with a lively nightlife.

Vintage shops full of that next statement piece for the house, for your wardrobe, or for your next gift exchange. Block after block of eccentric cafes and prime thrift shopping. Be ready to sip through and sift endless amounts of possibility.

Take in the epic panoramic views of downtown from the top of an extinct volcano! Mt. Tabor Park is a century-old public space full of forested trails, fresh air, and adventure.

It’s also home to the Portland Adult Soapbox Derby—which is as wild as it sounds. Fulfill your need for speed and go for gold as you race your way down the volcano in homemade vehicles, surrounded by cheering spectators.

Catch an evening movie after work at the Cinemagic Theater, grab brunch at the local chain restaurant Fried Egg I’m in Love, or peruse your way through the House of Vintage–you’ll find plenty of things to do as you become a local in this beloved neighborhood.

Hosford-Abernathy & Hawthorne score highly in Affordability and Safety, and give you incredible perfect scores in Public Transit, Walkability, Points of Interest, and Nightlife & Entertainment!

Come check out this happening neighborhood for everything from classic diners to cozy bookstores to unforgettable festivals. Grab the latest craft beer flavor and brush up on your Pinball skills as you become a local in this eccentric and quirky community.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Hosford-Abernathy & Hawthorne scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals looking for a classy, luxurious life with all the shopping you can dream of.

NW 23rd Avenue, also known as Trendy-Third Avenue, is one of the most popular shopping districts in all of Portland–think sophistication, luxury, and class.

Located just above Nob Hill, this neighborhood has a charming European feel and is the place in Portland to find upscale everything. NW 23rd is known for its long, bustling stretch of unique, one-of-a-kind stores and eateries.

Situated between Washington Park and Forest Park, the Northwest District enjoys a high score in Beauty & Parks. Hike the Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park or head over to the extensive 70-mile trail system at Forest Park for some adventurous fun and the chance to show off your new Lululemons.

Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Honey Lavender, Double Fold Vanilla… these are just some of the mouthwatering, delicious combinations at the famous ice-cream shop, Salt and Straw. If you prefer dinner before your dessert, check out The Fireside Gastro Pub for northwestern cuisine in a gorgeous, contemporary space or head over to Bamboo Sushi–the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant.

The Northwest District has exceptional public schools, a vibrant nightlife, cuisine to impress even the toughest food critics, and enough to keep you busy all year long. It’s no wonder that this neighborhood comes in second place in our top neighborhoods in Portland!

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Northwest District scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals looking to be in the middle of the hippest and hottest area in Portland.

Chic, artistic, lively... urban living at its finest. Welcome to our top neighborhood in Portland; the Pearl District. This bustling and buzzing branch of Portland has an industrial vibe featuring gorgeous galleries and cutting-edge cultural institutions.

Here in this neighborhood, art takes center stage with the highest concentration of art galleries in the entire city and a home for the city's biggest theater organization. A perfect score across all of our entertainment categories means that you’ll have no problems filling up your social schedule with nonstop art, culture, and cuisine.

On the first Thursday of every month, check out the First Thursday Street Gallery for free exhibits and art galleries filled with work by local artists. Get lost in the world’s largest independently owned bookstores that covers an entire city block. Let your inner child loose at the interactive fountains at Jamison Square.

The Pearl District also boasts some of the best brewpubs in the Portland area–which is really saying something when Portland is known for being home to some of the finest beer on earth!

With places like the Deschutes Brewery and Public House which features 18 taps of both experimental beers and time-tested classics, the industrial-chic rooftop at 10 Barrel Brewing, and the Teardrop Lounge–a place that redefines handcrafted cocktails, you can happily become an expert in local brew culture.

People in this neighborhood are always on the move, ready to seize the day and take full advantage of all the upscale shopping, urban parks, and urban historic charm. With remarkably high scores in almost every category across the board, the Pearl District is the place to be for people looking for hip, high-quality, happiness.

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories, with 5 being the best.

Here's how Pearl District scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍 📍 📍 📍 📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability: 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Time to break down the numbers from our top neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon.

Let's get the bad news over with first. Affordability isn’t great, coming in with a 2.9/5. It all depends on where you’re coming from as Portland is more affordable than some of your bigger cities on the coast, but has a higher cost of living on average than many interior areas.

Like any big city, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and it’s no different in Portland as Safety scores a 3.3. Schools also come in the middle of the scale and score an average of 3.6

Now for the good news. Portland scores an insanely impressive 4.9/5 in Walkability making it one of the most walkable cities around. Invest in some comfy footwear and get those steps in as you explore everything this city has to offer.

With super high scores in Shopping & Restaurants (4.6), Points of Interest (4.6), and Nightlife & Entertainment (4.3) you’re more than covered in terms of finding ways to enjoy your free time and living it up–all without leaving the comfort of your neighborhood.

On top of that, both Public Transit and Beauty & Parks score a 4.3, making it not only a ridiculously easy commute to get where you’re going, but a beautiful and enjoyable one as well.

For a city nestled in nature–close to the beach and close to the mountains and bursting with creative energy, take a look at all that Portland has to offer.