Portland, Oregon Population Growth or Decline

Portland, Oregon has a storied history from a sleepy PNW city with a small-town feel to a booming mid-size metro, to a recently stagnant population.

Population growth or decline plays a key role in the greater Portland real estate market and Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor keeps a close eye on the numbers.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to tour your home. Call today to set an appointment.

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor
4% Max. to Sell a Home
Cancel Anytime Policy
Licensed Since 2003
503-714-1111

If you’re considering buying a home in the next twelve months, Kami Price, buyers specialist would love to hear what you’re looking for. Call today to set an appointment.

Kami Price, Realtor
Represented Hundreds of Buyers
Licensed since 2004
503-773-0000

Are People Moving Out of Portland? A Population Update for 2023

March 6, 2023

What is happening in Portland these days in terms of population growth? After the massive surge in Oregon’s population over the decade from 2010-2020, with growth of 10.6% leading up to the disruption of the pandemic, what factors have affected Portland’s population over the last three years? Let’s take a look at the most recent trends influencing population fluctuations in and around the Portland Metro area. As we shared in our last population update, the statistics since 2020 continue to tell two different stories within the Portland metro. The population growth of Portland suburbs (the whole metro) and population loss within the City of Portland’s official boundaries (the city proper). Portland Population Decreased in 2021 There was already a slight...

Are People Moving out of Portland? Population 2022 Update

June 3, 2022

What has happened to Portland over the past two years in terms of population growth? While it may seem to reason that with all Portland has endured—social unrest and the riots of 2020 overlapping the pandemic—residents would have left in search of serenity or safety. The statistics lead us to telling two different stories within the Portland metro. The population growth of Portland suburbs (the whole metro) and population loss within the official City of Portland boundaries (the city proper). The U.S. Census Bureau for Portland city proper says Portland (not its suburbs) lost 11,000 residents from July 2020 to July 2021. County by county research below was done by the fantastic PSU population center and results go through summer...

How Many Californians are Moving to Portland? – 2022 Report

March 4, 2022

Californians have been migrating north to Oregon for years, and despite the pandemic, the past couple of years have been no different. While COVID did slow both in- and out-migration in early 2020, some population growth returned in 2021, according to the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC). This isn’t to say that Oregon is experiencing a population boom. It isn’t. But, Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties all saw increases in population with key factors being more affordable real estate and job availability. With home prices increasing as they have in the past couple of years here in Portland, it’s hard to believe people find them attractive, but they do. Especially when coming from California, where the median home...

Portland Vs. California: What’s Driving Migration in 2021?

February 8, 2021

It’s old news that Californians love Portland, and a lot of them have been moving here! It’s a trend that’s been going strong for many years now, sometimes to the chagrin of native Portlanders. According to the Oregon Employment Department, Oregon saw an average net in-migration of 21,784 Californians every year from 2014-2018. While there’s no denying that’s a huge number, it doesn’t mean they all came to Portland. As we found last year, Portland isn’t receiving a disproportionate number of California migrants. Rather, Oregon saw population growth statewide. But as we all know, 2020 was an unusual year. Covid-19 has affected so many aspects of our lives, but what about moving? It’s impossible to understand migration to Portland from...

Are People Moving Out of Portland? 2021 Population Update

January 11, 2021

It’s fair game to say that we’ve had quite a dramatic year here in Portland. Between the pandemic and the protests, many may be wondering if folks are moving out of Portland in search of safer cities or quieter suburbs. When it comes to this hot button topic, some trends you may have seen in the news may include: Condo Sales Are Down. Are slowing condo sales across the city an indication of people avoiding making the move to Portland? Crime May Be Up. While national media covers the downtown protests, is crime in Portland rising? An Uncertain Economy. It’s no secret that it’s been a tough year nationally and globally. How does Portland’s economy match up? Rest assured, we...

Is California Taking Over Portland? 2020 Update

March 6, 2020

Anyone who spends much time talking to newcomers in Portland (and as real estate agents, we do a lot of that), will notice one thing over and over: There are a lot of Californians coming here! Note the following recent trends:  Nearly 40,000 Californians move to Oregon every year (source: Oregon Employment Department) Every year, 20,000 Oregonians also move to California (Oregon Employment Department) 30-40% of Oregon’s incoming population over the past few years has been made up of Californians (Oregon Office of Economic Analysis) Should we pay attention to this? Yes, real estate market trends and population dynamics are closely linked. But the story is more complicated than how many Californians are coming here. In other words, Portland’s population...

Is Portland the New California? – 2019 Update

September 27, 2019

Median rents are going up across Portland. The population is growing, and Portland real estate market values are all over the place. For an explanation, some would look to our neighbors in California. The Golden State is by far the biggest exporter of residents to Oregon. According to the Oregon Employment Department, about 40,000 people move here from California every year. Currently, 43% of adults living in Oregon were born in the state, while 18% were born in California, says the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. All this migration to Oregon has significant impacts on the Portland housing market: We need more homes, especially in the Portland area. But is it fair to say that California is taking over the...

Is Portland the new California?

April 27, 2018

Although California dwarfs Oregon in population, economic output and real estate values — as well as the number of days of sunshine! — the fact is that many more people come to Oregon from California than move in the other direction. Can Portland’s recent boom be blamed on California, and will Oregon soon be just another piece of the Golden State? There’s no question that these two West Coast states have a relationship, beginning with a parallel history of development. Colonization began with timber and then gold rushes, followed swiftly by agriculture in the lush river valleys. Climate took it from there, with thousands pouring to California’s sunny southern cities while Oregon remained a timber-and-shipping state. Portland’s population barely grew...

Portland Versus California: What’s driving migration?

September 25, 2015

The Oregon real estate news sites have been abuzz with renewed angst from Portlanders about the migration of Californians to Oregon’s biggest metro area. From writing angry comments below news articles to actually slapping “no Californians” stickers on real estate agents’ for-sale signs, some people are really having a hard time accepting that someone from out-of-state might come buy a home in Portland. They are concerned that out of state buyers will continue to raise real estate market prices in Portland and decrease home affordability and availability. While home affordability and availability is an important and relevant issue, migration has a significant impact on the entire Oregon economy and affects far more than the Portland real estate market. Change is...

Can Portland Real Estate Market keep up with Population Growth?

November 20, 2014

It’s hard to say whether Portland’s population is growing because of jobs, the “hip” factor or because this city is really one of the best in the country for people of all generations and backgrounds. In any case, in June of this year Metro planners were estimating that Portland, Oregon will add 750,000 people to its metro area in the next 20 years. And a recent report in Portland Business Journal showed that Portland’s population growth is on track, adding more than 9,000 residents to the city in 2014 alone. Nearly three-quarters of this growth came from new residents surging to the area, with the rest coming from “natural” population growth — the number of births minus the number of...