95 Neighborhood Profiles Showcase Economic And Livability Issues

PORTLAND, Ore.— Portland grew rapidly between 2010 and 2020 and the city is feeling the economic and livability growing pains. 2020 Census data collected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic put Portland’s total population at 652,503 (up from 583,776 in 2010). With the City's government structure changing, data is needed to help inform Portlanders, community advocates, and elected leaders seeking solutions about ratepayer investments, public resources, social service programs and future commissioner districts.

The Office of Community & Civic Life (Civic Life) partnered with Portland State University’s Population Research Center (PSU) to collect and package data from the 2020 Census and other sources in 94 data-rich neighborhood profiles and one citywide profile. Last summer, Civic Life previewed the data-rich profiles in order to receive feedback from City employees, neighborhood associations, community groups, and individual Portlanders. Civic Life and PSU are taking that feedback to refine the profiles and build a user-friendly, searchable database that will launch later this year.

“Portland’s transition to a new form of government gives us the opportunity to rebuild it with equity at its core,” said Chief Administrative Officer Michael Jordan. “This data highlights the issues facing our communities and will help groups like the Independent District Commission, whose mandate includes defining districts by equal population, shape a government that is responsive and adaptable to the needs of all Portlanders.” 

Packaging the data this way provides a deeper look into unique neighborhood characteristics and challenges that are often overlooked.

“We have already heard that these profiles are being used by Neighborhood Associations and Districts to better focus their services,” said Civic Life Interim Director Michael Montoya. “I expect these profiles to influence bureau recommendations that go to Council, as well as other community-led initiatives.”

What Data is in the 95 Neighborhood Profiles?
Demographic data has traditionally been organized in census blocks, which do not match Portland’s 94 neighborhood boundaries. Civic Life and PSU painstakingly matched this data to neighborhood boundaries using a variety of sources to populate the profiles.

Those sources include:  

• 2020 census;
• American Community Survey;
• Feeding America food insecurity data;
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index;
• Portlandness: A Cultural Atlas; and
• National Center for Health Statistics Life Expectancy Estimate.

The profiles feature neighborhood characteristics and rankings for the five top and bottom variables of each neighborhood. These include population, poverty rate, English proficiency, home-ownership rate, and severely rent-burdened households, among others.

Here is a preview of what the data reports would look like ranking neighborhoods by a variety of topics. This new map tool will be available later in 2023:

Neighborhood Data

You can view all 95 neighborhood profiles on our website:

95 Neighborhood Profiles

Here is a PDF preview of what the data reports would look like ranking neighborhoods by a variety of topics. This new map tool will be available later in 2023:

You can access designed high  resolution JPEGs of what the data reports would look like ranking neighborhoods by a variety of topics:

Folder with High Resolution Images

Portland Engagement Project
Civic Life will host dozens of conversations across Portland this spring. The listening sessions, along with the data-rich profiles, are part of the multi-year Portland Engagement Project (PEP). PEP is an opportunity for Portlanders to help expand its existing engagement model to solve issues today and into the future.

Civic Life will announce the schedule of the PEP listening sessions later this month.

For more information, visit portland.gov/civic/portland-engagement-project.

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