5 Amazing Features of Bethany – NW Portland

“Suburbs are cool again” proclaims the National Association of Realtors, and they’re not just talking about places to beat the summer heat! The last five years have seen the resurgence of the suburbs, while growth in major cities across the US has slowed. In fact, suburban areas now comprise close to 80% of the population of the top 50 metro areas in the US, according to a 2016 study. The Portland suburbs are booming as well.

The community of Bethany, Oregon, is a textbook example of that pattern. Just outside of Portland and Beaverton, this suburb recently accounted for one of the largest expansions in the Portland metro area’s Urban Growth Boundary in recent history. Because Bethany is considered an unincorporated area in Washington County, and is not its own city, it’s hard to find exact data on Bethany’s growth. However, several major developers are building new homes at the rate of dozens per year, and these communities embody the features everyone loves about suburbs: Quiet, green and livable. 

Here are five things you may not know about the Portland suburb known as Bethany:

1. Big employers nearby. Bethany is in the midst of Oregon’s Silicon Forest, the moniker given to the area that’s home to hundreds of tech companies and startups like Intel and Tektronix. Apparel is also big here: Nike and Columbia Sportswear are both headquartered close to Bethany. 
2. It’s a recreation destination. Bethany’s Claremont Golf Course is a 9-hole course with four sets of tees for different skill levels. Locals love it and golfers from across the region seek it out. Not into golf? Forest Park wraps around the Northeast edge of the neighborhood, famed for being one of the largest urban forests in the United States. Go get lost on over 80 miles of trails, many of them dog-friendly. 
3. It’s served by Beaverton School District. Bethany kids enjoy the perks of attending schools in one of the state’s biggest districts. Beaverton schools, which serve the nearby suburbs of Aloha and Hillsboro as well, are nationally recognized for their excellent student achievement and innovative programs.
4. The median Bethany household income is more than double the national average. In fact, at $121,000, the median household income in this suburb is also double the Portland and Beaverton averages. It follows that the median home price here is also a bit higher than the neighboring cities’, and so is the rate of home ownership.  
5. It’s home to a college campus. Portland Community College’s Rock Creek Campus hosts 18,000 students in college-transfer and technical programs, as well as 30 farm animals in its vet-tech program. The public is free to wander its 260-acre campus, which contains woodlands, wetlands, gardens and outdoor artworks. 

Are you ready to cool off in the Portland suburbs? Curious about homes currently on the real estate market in Bethany? Our Top 1% Buyers’ Agent is accepting new clients.