If you’re looking for a great place to live in Oregon, you have lots of beautiful cities to choose from. Oregon’s largest cities offer an endless list of things to do, including countless outdoor activities. Most of Oregon’s best cities are situated in the fertile, 150-mile Willamette Valley, home to 19,000 acres of vineyards and over 500 wineries. The valley is bordered by the Cascade Mountain Range to the east and the Oregon Coast Range to the west, offering stunning views. Approximately 70 percent of Oregon’s population lives in the valley, which includes the cities of Portland, Eugene, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, and Beaverton. Cities outside of the Willamette Valley are gateways to the Pacific coast and Oregon’s high-desert region.
With our list of the 10 largest cities in Oregon, you’ll learn about each area’s population, average income, house prices, and more. The data comes from the US Census. Find which factors are important to you in deciding which Oregon city is the right fit for you and your family.
State Demographics
Oregon ranks 27th nationally in population and 20th in median household income. Here are some interesting facts about Oregon.
- Population: 4,217,737
- Median Age: 39.7
- Median household income: $67,058
- Median price of housing: $354,600
- Area of state (square miles): 95,988
- Density (people per square mile): 43.9
Which of the Largest Cities in Oregon is Right for You?
1. Portland
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Portland, known as the “City of Roses” for its favorable growing climate for roses, is Oregon’s largest and most populated city. It serves as a major port in the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 47% of Oregon’s population lives in the Portland metropolitan area. Portland was settled in the 1830s. Transportation of goods and timber were the main industries.
Today, Portland is known for high-tech, which emerged there in the 1990s. With the nickname Silicon Forest, Portland is home to Intel, Tektronix, HP, and Xerox. Portland is also home to big athletic/outdoor businesses like Nike, Adidas, Under Armor, and Columbia. Portland is also very environmentally conscious. It has lots of parks and green spaces and tons of diverse, wide-open areas, including mountains, deserts, and beaches you can explore.
- Portland Population: 653,467
- Portland Area: 145 mi²
- Portland Median Age: 37.5 years old
- Portland Median Household Income: $76,231
- Portland Median House Price: $445,200
- Portland Density: 4,740 people per square mile
- Portland Map
2. Salem
About 1 hour south of Portland, Salem is the second-major city in Oregon, set in the northwest region in the center of the Willamette Valley and is only about an hour away from the Cascade Mountains and the ocean beaches. Salem is a growing, diverse city with a historic downtown and plenty of residential and commercial development. Salem is known for pure air and beautiful parks. The city is famous for the Salem Film Festival, family-friendly Riverfront Park, golf courses, and delicious Northwest cuisine.
Salem was incorporated in 1857 and has served as the state capital since 1859. Salems’ earliest industries were agriculture and ranching. Today, Salem is home to many major businesses, including Amazon, Garmen, Kettle Foods, Don Pancho, and NORPAC.
- Salem Population: 174,377
- Salem Area: 49.23 mi²
- Salem Median Age: 34.8 years old
- Salem Median Household Income: $61,580
- Salem Median House Price: $286,600
- Salem Density: 5,201 people per square mile
- Salem Map
3. Eugene
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Eugene, the third-largest city in Oregon, is home to the University of Oregon, a major track and field university. Eugene sits on the southern end of the Willamette Valley. A big part of Eugene culture is healthy living and outdoor exercise, with miles of hiking and biking trails surrounding the city. Eugene is also the birthplace of Nike.
The area around Eugene was settled in 1846 and named Eugene City in 1853. Eugene’s growth was stimulated by the Oregon and California Railroad in 1871, where it became an agricultural and lumber center. The MacKenzie River recreational area and Willamette National Forest are headquartered in the city.
- Eugene Population: 172,614
- Eugene Area: 40.54 mi²
- Eugene Median Age: 36.9 years old
- Eugene Median Household Income: $51,269
- Eugene Median House Price: $329,000
- Eugene Density: 3,998 people per square mile
- Eugene Map
4. Gresham
Oregon’s fourth-biggest city is a suburb of Portland and is situated less than 30 minutes east. Gresham is only minutes from iconic Mount Hood, Multnomah Falls, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, making it the perfect location for outdoor life.
European settlers arrived in the area in 1851. Gresham was incorporated in 1905. Today, Gresham has transitioned from an agricultural community into an energetic, innovative, and rapidly growing city, providing a high quality of life. Top industries like general, aerospace, and semiconductor manufacturing, and food processing are located there.
- Gresham Population: 109,379
- Gresham Area: 23.64 mi²
- Gresham Median Age: 37.7 years old
- Gresham Median Household Income: $53,892
- Gresham Median House Price: $337,800
- Gresham Density: 4,647 people per square mile
- Gresham Map
5. Hillsboro
Hillsboro is the 5th largest city in Oregon. Located on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, Hillsboro offers high-tech, green spaces, and family-friendly traditions. The city was founded in 1842 and remained a small community until the arrival of high-tech companies in the 1980s.
Hillsboro is the center of Oregon’s Silicon Forest, home to Intel’s largest campus. Synopsys, Epson, and Oracle are some of the other high-tech companies in Hillsboro. C2C, Southern Cross Cable, and VSNL Transpacific, three fiber optic cable systems that link the United States across the Pacific Ocean, are also headquartered in Hillsboro. Major companies like Adobe, NetApp, Umpqua Bank, OHSU, and Fortune Data Centers have data centers there.
- Hillsboro Population: 109,120
- Hillsboro Area: 25.49 mi²
- Hillsboro Median Age: 34.4 years old
- Hillsboro Median Household Income: $86,038
- Hillsboro Median House Price: $382,300
- Hillsboro Density: 4,282.55 people per square mile
- Hillsboro Map
6. Bend
Bend is the main city in central Oregon. Located on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range, Bend has an arid climate and is populated with junipers, sagebrush, and bitterbrush. The city was first settled in the early 1900s and incorporated as a city in 1905. Initially a logging town, today Bend is a dream location for those who love outdoor sports like mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, paragliding, and golf.
Bend is where you’ll find more than a dozen microbreweries, including the Deschutes Brewery, which is the eighth-largest craft brewery in the nation. Bend’s brewing culture includes events such as the Bend Oktoberfest, the Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew and Whiskey Fest, Bend Brewfest, and Central Oregon Beer Week.
Bend has also become a popular retirement destination in recent years.
- Bend Population: 100,430
- Bend Area: 33.32 mi²
- Bend Median Age: 39.8 years old
- Bend Median Household Income: $69,998
- Bend Median House Price: $426,600
- Bend Density: 3,203 people per square mile
- Bend Map
7. Beaverton
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Beaverton is located 7 miles west of Portland and is a part of the Portland metropolitan area. Settlers first arrived in Beaverton in 1847 and established it as a mill town and farming community. In 1868, the railroad spurred growth that led to the town becoming incorporated in 1893.
The world headquarters of Nike is just outside the Beaverton city limits. Other major companies like Reser’s Fine Foods and Leupold & Stevens, who make rifle scopes and other specialty optics, are located in Beaverton.
Beaverton is part of the Silicon Forest and the home of numerous high-tech companies, including the Linux Technology Center of IBM, Tektronix, Maxim Integrated Products, and VeriWave.
- Beaverton Population: 99,040
- Beaverton Area: 19.58 mi²
- Beaverton Median Age: 38.2 years old
- Beaverton Median Household Income: $73,260
- Beaverton Median House Price: $428,100
- Beaverton Density: 5,084 people per square mile
- Beaverton Map
8. Medford
Medford is located in southern Oregon, approximately 27 miles north of the California border and about 75 miles east of the pacific ocean. In 1883, a depot was established in Medford for the expanding California and Oregon Railroad and the city was incorporated in 1905.
Medford is a short drive from Crater Lake National Park and the Oregon Caves National Monument. Medford is also the headquarters for the Rogue River National Forest and is known for its fruit and truck-farm produce, timber, pears, and tourism.
Vance DeBar “Pinto” Colvig, the voice of Disney’s cartoon dog Pluto, came from Medford. Olympic medalist and high jumper Dick Fosbury, who invented the revolutionary Fosbury Flop, attended Medford High School. Famous actor and dancer Ginger Rogers lived close to Medford for many years.
- Medford Population: 83,084
- Medford Area: 25.79 mi²
- Medford Median Age: 39.6 years old
- Medford Median Household Income: $54,737
- Medford Median House Price: $312,400
- Medford Density: 3,279 people per square mile
- Medford Map
9. Springfield
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The ninth-biggest city in Oregon, Springfield is located in the Southern Willamette Valley and is only about 5 miles from Eugene. The two cities make up the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area. Springfield was settled in 1848 and incorporated in 1885. The name comes from a natural spring located within the current city boundaries. For most of the 20th century the timber industry dominated Springfield, and the city is still a producer of plywood, ethyl alcohol, plastics, electronic components, corrugated cardboard, and fibreboard. Since the 1990s, Springfield’s economy has diversified. PeaceHealth is the largest employer in the city.
Springfield is a natural gateway to the region’s outdoor adventures around the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers. Cascades & Coast Adventure Center and Cabela’s Outfitters are located here and cater to the numerous outdoor enthusiasts who pass through the community every year.
- Springfield Population: 62,077
- Springfield Area: 82.98 mi²
- Springfield Median Age: 36.1 years old
- Springfield Median Household Income: $47,695
- Springfield Median House Price: $204,700
- Springfield Density: 4,775 people per square mile
- Springfield Map
10. Corvallis
Corvallis is the last city on our list. It’s located in central-western Oregon and home to Oregon State University. Corvallis’s claim to fame is that it’s the westernmost city in the contiguous 48 states. First settled in 1845 along the banks of the Willamette River, the town was named Marysville in 1849. The name was changed to Corvallis in 1853. Four years later, in 1857, the city was incorporated.
Oregon State University is the major employer in the city. Other notable companies here include Samaritan Health Services, SIGA Technologies, Evanite Fiber, ONAMI, and HP Inc. Corvallis is known as a Tree City USA due to at least 47 public parks in and around the city limits. Avery Park and Natural Area is one of the most popular parks and is home to the Oregon State Beavers cross-country teams.
- Corvallis Population: 58,028
- Corvallis Area: 14.39 mi²
- Corvallis Median Age: 27.4 years old
- Corvallis Median Household Income: $52,942
- Corvallis Median House Price: $330,500
- Corvallis Density: 4,109 people per square mile
- Corvallis Map
FAQs
How many cities are there in Oregon?
There are 240 cities in Oregon.
What is the most populous city in Oregon?
Portland is the most populous city in Rhode Island.
How many people live in Oregon?
4,217,737 people live in Rhode Island.
Largest Cities in Oregon Map
After learning about all the major cities in Oregon, which ones sound like they would be a good fit for you? You might even be drawn more to one that isn’t on our list as Oregon has so many great places to live.
When you come to a decision on which city to move to, your next step is to begin preparing for your transition. That’s where our team of movers comes in. We’d be thrilled to help you, no matter which city you’re moving to. Our professional crew at PDX Moving knows all these areas very well, and we’re committed to making your relocation process as easy as possible!
Give us a call today at (503) 308-4373 to find out about our moving services, or you can complete our Request a Quote form above to get a free moving estimate!
