2023 Best Places to Raise a Family in Oregon

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: Very safe, clean, and quiet neighborhood. Great for families with kids, singles, or couples. Lots of dogs and great walking paths.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 29,277

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.47 out of 5  15 reviews

Niche User: I've lived here since I was born. I loved the people, the clean air, fresh water, and access to good healthy food in a sustainable city.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 5,168

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• grade A+

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Population 1,188

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  30 reviews

Current Resident: SO many friendly families in the area, we moved from a neighborhood with NO kids to play with to Oak Hills that has literally dozens within a stone’s throw. Great schools, beautiful surroundings, lots of job opportunities for white collar workers.... Read 30 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 11,715

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Cedar Mill is an upper middle-class suburb outside of Portland, OR and to the north of Beaverton, OR. It is a mostly residential area, although there are good chain restaurants and bigger national stores like target, best buy, new seasons, and more. Most of the students in the area attend the Beaverton School District school, which is a great school district but not outstanding. The cost of living is relatively high, and new houses can easily reach 1 million. The people in the area are nice but not very extroverted and willing to start conversation with anyone like one might experience in the South. Overall, I would rate my experience in Cedar mill a 4.5/5 rounded to a 5. The only downside is the cost of living and being ok with people that will grow to like you but are somewhat distant if you don't interact with them.... Read 25 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 18,987

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: This neighborhood is full of great people who are down to earth and extremely caring. The area is very clean. It is near many good schools going from grade school all the way up to high school. Alameda street has a lot of food bars to pick from.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 5,132

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: This site's wildly inaccurate and ridiculous description of my neighborhood says: "In Sylvan-Highlands there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks." As a 20+ year home owner and resident of the Sylvan Highlands neighborhood, this statement is simply absurd. Although there are many such business in nearby downtown, there are NO BARS, restaurants, or coffee shops within the residential part of the neighborhood. The only businesses of any kind are found on the outskirts of the neighborhood. The sole exception to this is the Portland Tennis Club, perhaps the most expensive/exclusive club of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. It sits in the middle of the neighborhood. There are not "many" parks, but the neighborhood is dominated by one very large one: Washington Park, which consists of more than 410 acres and some 15 miles of hiking trails. Contained inside of Washington Park is Portland's Hoyt Arboretum, whose 188 acres comprise almost half of Washington Park.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 1,254

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.43 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: I was born and raised in Cedar Hills. My parents were one of the first to move to Cedar Hills in the 40’s. Some refer to Cedar Hills as similar to the Leave It To Beaver neighborhood. Cedar Hills had one of the first shopping centers dedicated for a subdivision; Cedar Hills Shopping Center, and we had our own airport, Bernard’s Airport. Back then everybody knew everybody. I remember mom belonged to the Cedar Hills Garden Club. And Foothill St was featured in the Oregonian during Christmas as every house had a white Christmas Tree in the front yard. Many of the streets had block parties, and many homeowners got together to plant flowering trees in the parking strips. There was never any crime. Walking to Ernie’s Store and towing your red wagon was super fund. You give the grocery list to a checker and they would fill the wagon; including s carton of Kool’s cigarettes. No money was needed because they would put it on mom’s account. Life was simple then.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 9,511

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 2,070

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 5,441

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: The police are everywhere. Because it is such a small and affluent community they have little to do in the way of serious crime, so watch out for speeding tickets, especially if your car looks out of place (old and not a Mercedes).... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Population 1,575

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  85 reviews

Current Resident: West Linn is a great place to live, lots of trees and natural areas. There is an overall diverse selection of housing, with tidy upscale residential in Hidden Springs, Rosemont, and BHT built in the 90s/early 2000s. Marylhurst has a bit more of a range with many houses being built as far back as the 60s/70s, and the Robinwood, Bolton, and Sunset areas have a lot more affordable homes in the sub-$600k area. The charming Old Willamette area has many different shops and bars/places to eat and two(!) large hardware stores. Oh, and you can't forget the beautiful estates in the Stafford and Pete's Mountain area. Overall the city is safe and tidy, having everything you would need. Multiple grocery stores, hardware stores, and fast food places. One downfall is the lack of gas stations up on the hill, you need to go all the way to basically Oregon City to fill up, which is a pity as most of the nicer homes are on the hill. There is a nice Chevron with a touchless carwash in Willamette though.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 27,173

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  95 reviews

Current Resident: I love my neighborhood! We have such kind, thoughtful neighbors. Everything we need is within 10 minute drive... resturants, grocery, movies. The Lake Theater is the best!... Read 95 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 40,390

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: I love Eastmoreland for the well-maintained historic homes, safe quiet streets, and huge shady trees. We have also been really pleased with the public schools. I have a correction for the description on this site, though. Eastmoreland does not have its own business district, so you need to go to Woodstock or Sellwood or another surrounding neighborhood to shop, run errands, or go out to eat. Not having a business district can be thought of as an advantage when you see how much they are encroaching on residential areas of Portland, but it also makes Eastmoreland less functionally walkable and bikeable.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Population 4,340

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: The Southwest Hills are a wonderful place to live. The local public schools are fantastic, and everyone in the neighborhood is very nice. There are lots of parks, making the whole neighborhood very family-friendly. There are dozens of trails for walking, hiking, and biking. All the houses are closely connected to these outdoor activities. While there is a strong residential feeling, the neighborhood is extremely close to downtown and anything one could need.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 5,867

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.46 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: My neighbors are so kind and generous. When we first moved into our home, we were greeted with cookies and jam. Everyone has always been so welcoming to our family. Best of all, we have 1 large neighborhood block party every year and numerous spontaneous street parties through out the year. The parties are fun for both adults and children. We even all go trick or treating together. Our neighbors trust me with their children, homes, and pets. I have been given many job opportunities from my neighbors. I would definitely give my neighborhood a 10 out of 10. The only thing to make this neighborhood better, is to had more amazing families!... Read 13 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Population 1,498

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: In my neighborhood I feel very safe and free to leave my car unlocked, or walk around at night.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 3,609

• Suburb of Portland, OR

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 1,999

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: I love it here, there are so much to do within walking distance, including Washington Park and several grocery stores, bars. Everything you could need is nearby... Read 10 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 2,142

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: I love that Irvington is really close to the city center without apartments costing an absolute fortune. It's a very dog-friendly neighborhood and pedestrian-friendly as well! The neighborhood itself is really quite gorgeous and is in close proximity to several bars and restaurants. A major downside is that there are tons of homeless people digging through trash bins and make a mess. They also yell and tell me that they'll steal my dog which is a little unnerving.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 6,755

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Such a wonderful neighborhood, my favorite in the Pacific NW! Laurelhurst Park was designed by the firm who designed Central Park and it's both heavily used and well maintained. An ideal combination of wild and urban with lots of summertime events and people having family reunions, practicing tai-chi, throwing frisbees, reading quietly, walking dogs, interval training, birding, etc etc. There is a real neighborhood feel here, residents are friendly & welcoming, invested in the neighborhood and engaged in the Portland community at large. Caring neighbors who never leave...seriously, it's hard to find homes here because once people have experienced living here they can't imagine living anywhere else. I can walk to multiple grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, shops, the library, the park, breakfast, bars, etc, and I feel safe doing so. Anything I can't walk to is bikeable or bus-able. Easy freeway access for the commute (PDX is a 15 min drive), but so leafy you'd never know it. LOVE!!!... Read 7 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 4,894

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• grade A

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 1,298

• Neighborhood in Beaverton, OR

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: This is one of the most ecologically sound areas in the metro area. It's beautiful and much of nature has been kept intact, built around instead of over. Extensive old-growth forests, pathways, and a rec center complete the neighborhood. As a BIPOC parent, my kids have been welcomed with open arms and feel very safe and comfortable here. Homes are all built in the same time period and style, so you get 1990's homes on large lots for a decent price. This neighborhood is on a hill, so we rarely have random people walking/driving through, and it's very safe. It's a place where kids walk to school and where you can sleep with the windows open. Zoned for Nancy Ryles elementary which is a magical little school that everyone treasures.... Read 16 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 6,625

• Neighborhood in Portland, OR

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  11 reviews

Niche User: This is such a great location in the Portland metro area with easy access to downtown, the interstate, and shopping, while at the same time feeling far enough removed from the bustle of the city. We love to walk in Tryon creek and the Riverview Nature area. Just wish there were more local coffee shops/restaurants.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 5,554

• Neighborhood in Beaverton, OR

• •
  Rating 3.42 out of 5  12 reviews

Niche User: There are a lot of outdoor things to do for kids and adults of all ages. It's also a safe and fun community. What I want to see in the future is more schools because the schools I attended had too many kids that classrooms would over flow with students. There wasn't enough desks and chairs to go around.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 1,743