Home to more microbreweries than any other U.S. city and the world’s largest independently owned bookstore, it’s no wonder about 652K people reside in Portland, Oregon. If you’re looking at homes for sale in Portland, you’ll see that the median home price is 535,000. Alternatively, if you’re considering apartments for rent in Portland, you can expect to pay $1,572 for a 1 bedroom and $2,045 for a 2 bedroom, on average. If those prices are out of your budget – don’t worry! There are, thankfully, plenty of affordable Portland suburbs near the city that may be a great fit for you and your household.
As you begin to search for the right home or apartment, consider these 10 affordable suburbs within driving distance of Portland that you can move to today. That way, you can still commute to Portland if you work in the city and don’t have to miss out on everything that keeps Portland weird.
With a median home sale price of $378,150, about $150,000 less than Portland, Fairview is the most affordable Portland suburb on our list. The population of Fairview is significantly less than Portland, at 10,424 residents, and is just under 30 minutes away from downtown. Living in Fairview, you’ll have close access to the Salish Ponds Wetland Park, a lovely escape to enjoy nature. This suburb is also home to Blue Lake Regional Park and Chinook Landing Marine Park where you can catch beautiful views of the Columbia River.
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Vancouver, Washington is Portland’s second most affordable suburb. While located in Washington state, it lies just across the Interstate Bridge and 15 minutes from the city center. Notable activities in Vancouver are visiting Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and walking or biking along the Waterfront Renaissance Trail. When living in this suburb of 190,915 people, you can also spend time exploring the Pearson Air Museum. Due to its close proximity to Portland, Vancouver is also a great place to live if you need to make a daily or weekly commute into the city center.
Driving 25 minutes away from the city will land you in the suburb of Troutdale. With a population of 16,300, you’ll have a small town feel all while being able to visit Portland in your free time. If you decide to call Troutdale home, make sure to visit Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site to fish along the Sandy River and spend time exploring the world-class outdoor recreation areas of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood.
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With homes near the same price as Troutdale, but with a slightly longer drive to Portland, Gresham lands at the fourth spot on our list. About 114,247 people live in this Portland suburb, where you’ll find Nadaka Nature Park & Garden, which features a playground, community garden, and nature trails. Don’t forget to check out the kayaking at Oxbow Regional Park or fish along the Sandy River Gorge.
40 minutes away from downtown Portland, you will find the suburb of Newberg. With 25,138 people living in this affordable town, Newberg is a great option to consider when looking to stay relatively close to Portland without paying the premium for a home in the city. In Newberg, you’ll find numerous wineries and George Fox University. Don’t forget to stop by Rogers Landing once you move here, a boating area along the majestic Willamette River. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll make friends with a resident that owns a boat.
A recognizable suburb of Portland is Aloha, where nearly 54K residents live and the home prices are about $70,000 less than in the city. From The Reserve Vineyard & Golf Club to checking out Harvey the Giant Rabbit, a unique art installation, there’s many activities to do and see in Aloha, making it a great suburb to consider moving to.
Claiming the seventh spot on our list of affordable Portland suburbs is Milwaukie, which is about 15 minutes away from the heart of the city. Home to the largest and oldest Dogwood tree and 21,119 residents, moving to Milwaukie will give you a small town feel just outside of Portland. If you’re going to call this affordable suburb home, plan time to explore Elk Rock Island and the Milwaukie Bay Park.
If you’ve lived in Portland for a while, you may know someone who has moved to Gladstone. About 12,017 residents call this affordable suburb home, so you’ll have a fraction of Portland’s population while staying close to the city. Make sure to visit Meldrum Bar Park, High Rocks Park, and Dahl Beach City Park once you move to Gladstone.
Beaverton, Oregon is a great place to consider moving to that will get you access to downtown Portland in just about 15 minutes. About 97,494 people live in this affordable small suburban town, but you’ll be surrounded by nature to explore in your free time. Attractions in Beaverton include exploring Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Lowami Hart Woods. Beaverton is also home to the Nike Global Headquarters.
Last but not least on our list of affordable Portland suburbs, is Sherwood. If you’re lucky to avoid traffic, it’ll only take about 35 minutes to drive into Portland. Sherwood has a population of 20,450, significantly less than Portland’s population. Home to Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge and a variety of wineries, you’ll have plenty of activities to explore during your free time. If you’re not sure about buying your first home, you can check out the most affordable Portland suburbs to rent an apartment.
Methodology:Affordability based on whether a suburb is less than the median sale price of Portland and under a 40-minute drive from downtown Portland. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during October 2021. Average rental data from Rent.com May 2022. Population data sourced from United States Census Bureau.
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Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Content Marketing Specialist. In her 4 years at Redfin, Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability. A California-native, Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers’ markets. Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef’s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records.
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