Helping Families One Home at a Time

Guide to Neighborhoods in Southwest Portland

Bridlemile - Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill - Hillsdale

Multnomah - Sylvan-Highlands

If you asked a hundred or so Southwest Portland residents why they chose to live on the "West Side" instead of the "East Side," most would give you three reasons:  schools, they like hilly terrain, and it all seems "close in."  You may also hear things like "safe neighborhoods" and "parks."

The area of Southwest Portland is home to many of the city's attractions such as the International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Gardens, Hoyt Arboretum, Children's Museum, and Oregon Zoo.  And they are only minutes from downtown.

Where is Southwest Portland?

West Burnside Street is the boundary on the north and the Willamette River is the east boundary. The south boundary going from east to west is Lake Oswego and Tigard. The city of Beaverton is the west boundary.

Southwest Portland Neighborhoods

Southwest Neighborhoods (SWNI) is a nonprofit coalition that provides support services in sixteen Southwest Portland, Oregon neighborhood associations and three business associations. SWNI is governed by a board of directors with representation from each neighborhood association and local business association.

These are the sixteen neighborhoods:  Arnold Creek, Ashcreek, Bridlemile, Collins View, Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill, Crestwood, Far Southwest, Hayhurst, Hillsdale, Homestead, Maplewood, Markham, Marshall Park, Multnomah, South Burlingame, and West Portland Park. Click here to view a map of the neighborhoods.

The neighborhoods of Healy Heights, Southwest Hills (Portland Heights and Council Crest) and Arlington Heights are also in the Southwest sector of Portland. Healy Heights and Southwest Hills are not members of a neighborhood coalition and Arlington Heights belongs to the Neighbors West/Northwest coalition.  Arlington Heights is profiled in the West Hills neighborhoods. 

Deciphering the difference between official neighborhood names as maintained by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) and what Portlanders call a neighborhood can be confusing.  For example, "Raleigh Hills" is referred to as the "Raleigh Hills neighborhood" but it is not an official neighborhood.  Rather it is an shopping area (plus other commercial enterprises) along SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway (Route 10) and SW Scholls Ferry Road (Route 210).  Two other southwest areas that Portlanders seem to think are Portland neighborhoods - Garden Home and West Slope - are actually in Washington County. 

Walking in Southwest Portland Neighborhoods

Walk Score ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live.  The top 7 neighborhoods in Portland are Walkers' Paradises. 45% of Portland residents have a Walk Score of 70 or above. 83% have a Walk Score of at least 50—and 17% live in Car-Dependent neighborhoods.  We have created a Walk Score for each of the neighborhood profiles below. Please note that we use an address in the center of each neighborhood to determine the Walk Score.  Scores will vary in a neighborhood depending upon the address.  

• Historic South Portland  This 4.7-mile walk explores historic South Portland, site of immigrant Jewish and Italian communities in the early 1900s, and then loops back along the Willamette River Greenway Trail and into the evolving South Waterfront District.  Along the way are parks, beautiful 19th century homes, quiet streets, and vies of Ross Island.

• The SW Trails Group is a committee of Southwest Neighborhoods Inc that uses volunteer efforts to make trail improvements, lead walks, work with Safe Routes to School, plan and advocate for pedestrian and bicycle safety and other improvements in SW Portland  Their walks are the second Saturday of each month, meet at 9 a.m. sharp under the Hillsdale Oak, behind the Dance Studio at SW Sunset Blvd and SW Capitol Highway near the concrete bleachers of the Wilson football field.

Portland Monthly Magazine Neighborhood Guide

The Portland Monthly magazine features neighborhoods in their April issue every year. It has a ton of information about neighborhoods to include their pick of the 20 best neighborhoods for the year.

To help those in the housing market, the magazine combines all the data from approximately 120 neighborhoods and communities in the Portland metro area in one easy-to-read document.  Include in the document are housing prices, school ratings, demographics, crime statistics, parks, commuting information, and services. Click here (PDF format) to download the document.

Search for Homes in Southwest Portland

To search for homes in Southwest Portland, go to Search Southwest Portland  You can use over 100 search parameters and then select a specific area off a community map by drawing a box around that area. alternatively, you can just specify the criteria and obtain all the current listings in southwest Portland.

 Bridlemile

This is a neighborhood of "Can Do" people, so if "involvement" is your motivation, you will fit right in.

A few years ago, some of the Bridlemile neighborhood residents got concerned about their environment and formed Bridlemile Creek Stewards.  The Stewards have successfully initiated and carried out a number of restoration projects beginning in October, 1998.  They have cleared over four acres, including more than 2000 feet of stream bank, and saved over 200 trees from ivy infestations. They planted over 7,700 native plants, installed erosion control and held four annual Southwest Portland Neighborhood Stream Festivals in 1999-2002.

Because of the success of these projects, they received a Community Service award from SOLV and were nominated for the Tualatin Riverkeepers Green Heron Award in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

 Bridlemile Elementary

The Bridlemile neighborhood has one of the best elementary schools in the Portland District as judged by their annual report card.  The Bridlemile Elementary School has consistently received an "Exceptional" rating on the Oregon Report card rating system.

The school grounds, because of the large size, function as a neighborhood gathering place.  It has two baseball diamonds which serve as an extension of Hamilton Park, a 10-acre park with greenspace and a renovated play structure.

 Origin of Name

Jack and Ruth Powell were early land owners of the area.  Ruth Powell explained that in 1947 her husband, Jack, was looking for property in Portland with enough acreage to build a home and garden.  They planned to develop the property and needed a name for it.  One night, before they moved to the area, Ruth Powell was brushing her teeth and thinking about the land. She thought, "Bridlemile, that is it."

 More About Bridlemile

Neighborhood Association Web Site  Bridlemile has one of the best (if not the best) neighborhood Web sites in the Portland community.
Location  Southwest of downtown.  Close enough to downtown but still out of the traffic and noise.
¹Drive Time to Downtown  12-13 minutes.
Topography  Gentle rolling hills all in a wooded setting.
Sidewalks and Streets  It's easy to get lost in Bridlemile as the winding streets often lead to dead-ends.  Very few sidewalks.
2005 Livability Study  97% of the Bridlemile residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good."  See Livability Study.
Public Transportation   Bridlemile does not have access to MAX light rail or the streetcar line.  It does have five bus routes in the neighborhood.  See TriMet for schedules.
²2000 Demographics  Population: 5,698.  Area size:  955 acres.  Average population density: 6 persons per acre. Number of households: 3,397.  Percent of home owners: 68.  Percent of renters: 32. Diversity: 12% non-Caucasian.
³Crime Stats for 2007  Fiour violent crimes, 8 residential burglaries, and 21 auto thefts.  Total crimes per 1,000 people was 14.
⁴Shopping and Services  Number of supermarkets: 1.  Number of health clubs: 1.
Two large supermarkets exist on the south border of the neighborhood on the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway:  Safeway and Albertsons. The road is a busy one with numerous commercial establishments along it.  You can get your car service, hair cut, and meet with your realtor if it is a Windermere agent working out of the Raleigh Hills office.
Eating Out  The Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway has a couple fast food places and also two note worthy restaurants.  One is the Pepper Tree Thai. An Irish pub sits in the far southwest corner of the neighborhood.
Walking Score  Most of the addresses in Bridlemile have a score in the 40s (not walkable) as recorded by Walk Score.
Parks  The neighborhood has two parks within its boundaries.  They also have two undeveloped parks.  Albert Kelly is a 12-acre park that has paths for hikers and runners along with a soccer field and playground.  In 2003, thanks to the efforts of the Bridlemile Creek Stewards, cleared out the blackberries, ivy and holly from the creek area in the northeast area of the park, and replace them with more appropriate native trees and shrubbery. They planted of hundreds of seedlings to include ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, grand fir, western hemlock, white alder, Oregon white oak and pacific willow. In addition, several varieties of roses, Oregon grape, flowering currants, a Chilean strawberry and other shrubs were planted along the banks of the creek.  Hamilton Park (10 acres) has paths, a soccer field, a softball field, and a tennis court. 
Public Library  The neighborhood does not have a public library - the closest one is the Hillsdale Library.
Who Lives in Bridlemile  Active people who want to contribute to their community.
Autos in the Neighborhood  I would venture to say that this community has more small cars (including hybrids) per capita than any other neighborhoods in Portland (maybe even in the entire country).
Schools  Elementary schoo: Bridlemile Elementary.  Middle school: West Sylvan Middle.  High school: Lincoln High School.
School Report Card Grades  Elementary school: A. Middle schools: A/B.  High school: A. Click heree for report card details.

⁵Bridlemile 2007 Home Prices

• Average price for homes sold in the Bridlemile neighborhood in 2007:  $554,820.

• Median price for homes sold in the Bridlemile neighborhood in 2007:  $500,000.

• 2007 price appreciation in the Bridlemile neighborhood:  5%.

• 5-year price appreciation in the Bridlemile neighborhood:  49%.

• 2007 metro area home prices:  The average price was $342,900 (6.3% appreciation from 2006) and the median price was $290,000 (7.2% appreciation from 2006).

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only.
 

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Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill
Neighborhood
Homes for Sale

Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill for Sale

Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Boundaries

The neighborhood is a long, varied strip south of downtown, roughly from the Marquam to Sellwood bridges and from Barbur Boulevard (west boundary) to the Willamette river (east boundary).

Maps of thee
Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Neighborhood

Click to enlarge

Map Showing Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Boundaries

Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill

Google Maps

Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill
 

Learn More About the
Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Neighborhood

Willamette Park is located at the south end of the neighborhood along the Willamette River.
The attractions are a boat dock/boat ramp, dog off-leash area, soccer field, and a tennis court.

Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Walk Score

 Hillsdale

Travel down I-5 south for 3.5 miles from downtown and the area off to the west is Hillsdale.

Driving through the neighborhood, you will note many shops, pubs, restaurants and coffee houses. With the close proximity of schools, parks, a library, and a shopping center, many families find this neighborhood a mix of suburbia yet very close to downtown.

 History

In the 1880's, Hillsdale was settled by German, Swiss and Italian immigrants. These new settlers cleared the forests and operated dairies and vegetable farms to supply food for the growing city of Portland.

In the 1890's, Southern Pacific Railroad built a line from Portland to Forest Grove, running along present day Barbur Boulevard, to what is now known as Bertha Boulevard. The Hillsdale stop was named the Bertha Station after the wife of one of the Southern Pacific officials.

In 1912, the Terwilliger Boulevard opened. In 1950, Fred Meyer built a large supermarket on Barbur Boulevard at Bertha Boulevard. In 1954, a 54 acre parcel was developed called the Wilson Park housing development.  In 1956, Wilson High School and Wilson Park Elementary School were built on the former Fulton Park Dairy site.

In 1993, the Hillsdale Vision Group was formed to discuss ways to improve Hillsdale. Hillsdale was nominated to become a Town Center under Metro's Region 2040 plan. In 1997, the Portland City Council approved the Hillsdale Town Center Plan. The project made Hillsdale consumer and pedestrian friendly..

 Hillsdale Farmers' Market

The Hillsdale Farmers' Market is the only year round farmers market in the Portland metro area. attendance at the market is often over 3,000 people each Sunday. The winter schedule is every other week from November to April. The Hillsdale Farmers Market is held in the parking lot between Rieke Elementary and Wilson High School where there is parking for several hundred cars.

 Origin of Name

The name has been in used since early pioneer days.  Hill is from the old Anglo-Saxon hyl and Norse holl.  Dale means a small valley. 

 More About Hillsdale

Neighborhood Association Web Site  Hillsdale.
Location  About 3.5 miles south on I-5 and then west.
¹Drive Time to Downtown  About ten minutes.   
Topography  Moderate rolling hills and wooded.
Streets and Sidewalks  Up and down and then around!  Find a street running true north/south or east/west and your compass will probably get so excited it will jump out of your hands.  Sidewalks are limited.
2005 Livability Study  96.8% of the Hillsdale residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good."  See Livability Study.
Public Transportation  TriMet has at least a dozen bus routes in the neighborhood most of which are Express Routes on I-5 (east boundary of neighborhood).  Hillsdale does not have a MAX light rail line or streetcar line.
²2000 Demographics  Population: 7,436.  Area size: 1,285 acres.  Average population density: 5 persons per acre. Number of households: 3,397.  Percent of home owners: 65.  Percent of renters: 35. Diversity: 10.1% non-Caucasian.
³Crime Stats for 2007  12 violent crimes, 19 residential burglaries, and 74 auto thefts.  Total crimes per 1,000 people was 40.
⁴Shopping and Services  Number of supermarkets: 2.  Number of health clubs: 1. Number of coffee shops: 2. Is it a mall or village center?  Located at 6000's SW Capitol Highway are numerous small shops and eating places. You'll find a good variety of shops that you need in the shopping area to include a bakery, food store (co-op), bagel shop, bank, hardware store, and of course a Starbuck's. 
Eating Out  Located at 6000's SW Capitol Highway are numerous small shops and eating places.  You will find every kind of store that you need in the shopping area to include a bakery, bagel shop,  and a Starbuck's. The Capitol Coffee House and Bistro at 6446 SW Capitol Highway offers not only an interesting decor (once a train depot and then coffee shop with a cigar store) with old-fashioned fixtures and outdoor seating but interesting food (Franco-Cuban-Cascadian).
Walking Score  Most of the residents in hillsdale must have a car as scores in the 50s (some walkable locations) as recorded by Walk Score.  Residents closer to the Hillsdale Village Center have scores in the high 60s and low 70s.
Parks George Himes is a 35 acre park located in the southeast corner of the neighborhood that is just for hikers and runners. Long and narrow, the 103-acre Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard Park follows the meandering SW Terwilliger Boulevard and it is a favorite for bikers, hikers, and runners.  Hillsdale Park is located at SW 27th Avenue and Beaverton Highway.  The 5.17 acre park offers a dog off-leash area and picnic tables.  The 1.13 acre DeWitt Park is for parents with small ones as it only has a playground and picnic tables.  Stephens Creek (3.38 acres) is part of the Willamette watershed, one of three major watersheds in southwest Portland. About a quarter mile to the southwest of Hillsdale lies the 90 acre Gabriel Park in the Multnomah neighborhood.
Public Library  The Hillsdale Library was awarded leed™ (leadership in energy and environmental design) gold certification as a "green building" in 2004, the year the southwest portland library reopened in its new location.  the library boasts a large collection of books as well as audio and visual materials.
Community Centers  The Mittleman Jewish Community Center is located at 6652 SW Capitol Highway.  Next door in the Multnomah neighborhood you will find  the Southwest Community Center (swimming, exercise classes, etc.) located in the 90 acre Gabriel Park.  The Fulton Community Center is located just across the Hillsdale west boundary and includes a basketball court, kitchen, meeting room, party room, and a stage.
Who Lives in Hillsdale  People who want to live on the edge - a bit of suburbia yet close to  downtown.
Autos in the Neighborhood  Small cars and big cars, just about everything they make can be seen in Hillsdale.
Schools  Elementary:  Rieke Elementary and Capitol Hill Elementary.  Middle school: Gray Middle.  High school: Wilson High Schooll.
School Report Card Grades  Elementary schools: A/B. Middle schools: A/B.  High schools: A/D. Click here for report card details.

 ⁵Hillsdale 2007 Home Prices

• Average price for homes sold in the Hillsdale neighborhood in 2007:  $430,808.

• Median price for homes sold in the Hillsdale neighborhood in 2006:  $388,000.

• 2007 price appreciation in the Hillsdale neighborhood:  18.

• 5-year price appreciation in the Hillsdale neighborhood:  46%.

• 2007 metro area home prices:  The average price was $342,900 (6.3% appreciation from 2006) and the median price was $290,000 (7.2% appreciation from 2006).

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only.

Multnomah

In 1908 the Oregon Electric Railway stopped here on it's way from Portland to Salem.  Now Multnomah Village is a special Portland neighborhood with a small town feeling.  The Village has maintained an atmosphere of good service with imaginative establishments.  Over 100 different businesses and community services, you will find antique stores, galleries, gift and specialty shops, distinctive restaurants and much more.  There is something for every mood, every preference, every individual.

B. Woodward laid out the land around Multnomah in 1902, naming north-south streets after states and east-west streets after trees.

Attractions are the convenient access to the Multnomah Arts Center (learn to paint, draw, dance, sing, play an instrument, etc.) and the Southwest Community Center (swimming, exercise classes, etc.) located in the 90 acre Gabriel Park.

A good source of information about the neighborhoods is the Multnomah Village Post, the local weekly newspaper.

More About Multnomah  

Neighborhood Association Web site  Multnomah.
Location  About four miles south on I-5 and where the freeway jogs to the southwest - Multnomah is just to the west.
¹Drive Time to Downtown  15 minutes.
Topography  Moderate rolling hills and wooded.
Streets and Sidewalks  Winding streets along with some grid patterns.  Some of the blocks have sidewalks.
2005 Livability Study  94.1% of the Multnomah residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good."  See Livability Study.
Public Transportation  TriMet has about ten bus routes. The neighborhood does not have access to MAX light rail or the streetcar line.
²2000 Demographics  Population: 6,625.  Area size: 924 acres.  Average population density: 7 persons per acre. Number of households: 3,196.  Percent of home owners: 47.  Percent of renters: 53. Diversity: 16.6% non-Caucasian.
³Crime Stats for 2007  13 violent crimes, 20 residential burglaries, and 47 auto thefts.  Total crimes per 1,000 people was 31.
⁴Shopping and Services  Number of supermarkets: 1.  Number of health clubs: 2. Number of coffee shops: 4.
The Village Center - main street and side streets - is like living in a small town. The village has numerous small shops and eating places.  If you're a reader, visit Annie Bloom's Books  - comfy armchairs, a house cat, and a complimentary cup of tea make you feel at home. Lacking is a food market but just head over the next neighborhood, Hillsdale, to pick up some groceries.
Eating Out   Any local will point in the direction of Marco's Cafe and Espresso Bar. Another favorite is the Lucky Labrador Public House and O'Connors. Pub.  The Fat City Cafe's walls are adorned with interesting pieces of history
Walking Score  Living close to the village center will get you a score in the 70s (very walkable) but many parts of Multnomah are not walkable.  Visit the Walk Score Web site. 
Cars in the Neighborhood  Small cars - Subarus are common.
Parks  The 90-acre Gabriel Park has something for everyone:  play ground, tennis courts, off-lease dog area, trails, and large fields for soccer and baseball/software.  In a corner of the park is the Southwest Community Center.  It  includes a basketball court, fitness room, gymnasium, kitchen, meeting room, party room, indoor swimming pool, and weight room.
Public Library  The closest library is a short drive to the east - the Hillsdale Library.
Who Lives in Multnomah  People who enjoy a sense of community with a range of housing (single family, townhomes, a few apartments).
Schools  Elementary schools: Rieke Elementary and Maplewood Elementary.  Middle school: Gray Middle. High school: Wilson High School.
School Report Card Grades  Elementary schools: A/B. Middle schools: A/B.  High school: D. Click heree for report card details.

⁵Multnomah 2007 Home Prices  

• Average price for homes sold in the Multnomah neighborhood in 2007: $327,077.

• Median price for homes sold in the Multnomah neighborhood in 2007: $326,000.

• 2007 price appreciation in the Multnomah neighborhood:  14%.

• 5-year price appreciation in the Multnomah neighborhood:  52%.

• 2007 metro area home prices:  The average price was $342,900 (6.3% appreciation from 2006) and the median price was $290,000 (7.2% appreciation from 2006).

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only.
 

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Multnomah Neighborhood
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Multnomah Homes for Sale

Multnomah Boundaries

North:  Southwest Vermont
South: I-5
East: 46th-Capitol Highway
West: Southwest 45th

Maps of the
Multnomah Neighborhood

Click to enlarge

Map Showing Multnomah Boundaries

Multnomah

Google Maps

Multnomah

Learn More About the
Multnomah Neighborhood

Photo Tour

Southwest Community Center

Includes an indoor family aquatics facility, classrooms, fitness and dance rooms, gymnasium, lobby and lounge, and preschool room.

Multnomah Walk Score

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Sylvan-Highlands Neighborhood
Homes for Sale

Sylvan-Highlands Homes for Sale

Sylvan Highland Boundaries

 U.S. 26 forms the south boundary for the neighborhood, with Southwest Burnside Road marking the north end. The Oregon Zoo is the east edge and the Washington County line is the west.

Maps of the
Sylvan Highland Neighborhood

Click to enlarge

Map Showing Sylvan Highlands Boundaries

Sylvan Highlands

Google Maps

Sylvan Highlands

International Rose Test Garden Tour

Self-Guide Tour of the International
Rose Test Garden

Learn More About the
Sylvan-Highlands Neighborhood

Sylvan-Highlands Walk Score

 Sylvan-Highland

This heavy wooded area just west of downtown has narrow winding streets with an absent of sidewalks. Its attraction is the quick drive to downtown and its closeness to the Zoo and Hoyt Arboretum trails.

Many of the houses that now face Highway 26 are from the 1930s and 1940s, when houses were built along the south edge of the neighborhood near the Portland Racquet Club. The rest of the neighborhood sprang up in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The neighborhood association supported the tunnel for light rail, which could have run above ground through the residential area. Residents also expressed concerns when the Oregon Department of Transportation began to redesign the U.S. 26 highway between Sylvan and Camelot Court, including a new overpass bridge. The overpass project now has a bridge with stanchions at each end that read 'Sylvan' on a background of trees.  The design that came from the neighborhood.

Most homes in Sylvan-Highlands are owner occupied. An apartment complex is at the south end of the neighborhood near the business district.

 Home Styles 

You will find some older homes along with 50s - 60s homes which is the predominant style.

¹Drive Time to Downtown  Estimated commuting time obtained from Yahoo Maps and Google Maps.  Drive time was calculated from a central intersection in each neighborhood to Pioneer Courthouse Square during the morning peak commute time.
²Demographics Data  Numbers were obtained from Census 2000 and www.portlandmaps.com.
³Crime Statistics  Numbers on crime represent total crimes for 2007 and were obtained from county sheriff departments and the Oregon State Police.  Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape, and aggravated assault.
⁴Shopping and Services  Numbers were determined from local directory listings and county/municipal library systems.
⁵Real Estate Values  Data on real estate values provided by Graphical Data, Homequest, and RMLS™.