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Most walkable neighborhoods in Portland
Where a grocery run is realistic on foot — or at least with fewer car trips. Official Portland neighborhood associations, counted inside 800 meters.
We count groceries, cafes, parks, and transit stops inside 800 meters of each official neighborhood association. It is an errand map, not a Walk Score license, and not a vibe contest. Rankings stay inside Portland.
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Data period. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · PPB May 2025 – Apr 2026 · OSM Sep 2026. ACS and PPB retrieved 2026-09-23; OSM retrieved 2026-09-23. Editorial copy last revised Sep 2026.
The ranking
Top 10 of 20 official neighborhood associations. Same order for every reader. Fit is a number inside Portland only.
| # | Neighborhood | Fit | Rent | Schools | Safety | Walk |
|---|
| 1 | Downtown | 82 | $1,403 | 50 | 16 | 100 |
| 2 | St. Johns | 56 | $1,698 | 50 | 89 | 37 |
| 3 | Northwest | 51 | $1,609 | 50 | 11 | 44 |
| 4 | Multnomah | 51 | $1,615 | 50 | 100 | 22 |
| 5 | Hillsdale | 49 | $1,664 | 50 | 84 | 24 |
| 6 | King | 48 | $2,019 | 50 | 79 | 21 |
| 7 | Pearl | 47 | $1,908 | 50 | 21 | 33 |
| 8 | Goose Hollow | 47 | $1,541 | 50 | 32 | 34 |
| 9 | Richmond | 46 | $1,751 | 50 | 53 | 23 |
| 10 | Boise | 45 | $1,708 | 50 | 58 | 17 |
The official name is Portland Downtown. Pioneer Courthouse Square and the bus mall are the center; the Part I count includes visitors and the night. Walk is the point. A yard is not. Old Town is a different association and not this row.
- Walk index
- 100
- Safety index
- 16
- Published fit
- 82
NightlifePlanned
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Downtown vs St. Johns
The bridge, the plaza, and a peninsula that feels like its own town. St. Johns is the official association. Cathedral Park is a different association and not this row. Downtown is a trip, not a walk.
- Walk index
- 37
- Safety index
- 89
- Published fit
- 56
Family streets
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? St. Johns vs Northwest
Nob Hill, NW 23rd, and the Alphabet District are searches inside the Northwest District. The grid is older than the Pearl, and the shops are why the property count is not quiet. Goose Hollow is the stadium side.
- Walk index
- 44
- Safety index
- 11
- Published fit
- 51
Nightlife
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Northwest vs Multnomah
Multnomah Village is the search inside the Multnomah association. A main street, houses up the hill, and the lowest property rate in this set. Hillsdale is the next hill. Downtown is a drive.
- Walk index
- 22
- Safety index
- 100
- Published fit
- 51
Family streets
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Multnomah vs Hillsdale
Southwest hills and a town center, with a shorter OHSU trip than most of this set outside Goose Hollow. Houses, not a strip. Do not confuse it with the Northwest District.
- Walk index
- 24
- Safety index
- 84
- Published fit
- 49
Family streets
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Hillsdale vs King
Alberta Arts is the search. The official association is King. The street is cafes; the numbered streets are houses. Concordia shares the Alberta alias farther east. Boise is Mississippi, not this row.
- Walk index
- 21
- Safety index
- 79
- Published fit
- 48
Nightlife
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? King vs Pearl
Search Pearl or Pearl District. Warehouses turned condo stacks, with a grocery that arrived with the towers. The property rate is written by the shops as much as the residents. Northwest is the older grid next door.
- Walk index
- 33
- Safety index
- 21
- Published fit
- 47
NightlifePlanned
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Pearl vs Goose Hollow
Between Providence Park and the West Hills. A MAX line, smaller apartments, and the short OHSU commute in this set. It is not Nob Hill, and it is not the Pearl.
- Walk index
- 34
- Safety index
- 32
- Published fit
- 47
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Goose Hollow vs Richmond
Hawthorne’s south side and the eastern run of Division both land in Richmond. Cafes, houses, and the lowest violent rate in this set. Sunnyside is the north side of Hawthorne, its own association.
- Walk index
- 23
- Safety index
- 53
- Published fit
- 46
Nightlife
Explore neighborhood
Stuck between these two? Richmond vs Boise
Mississippi Avenue is the search. The official association is Boise. The street is the night; the blocks off it are houses. Alberta is King, one association east — not this polygon.
- Walk index
- 17
- Safety index
- 58
- Published fit
- 45
Nightlife
Explore neighborhood
Common questions
Same list, said in questions. The numbers are in the table.
What does this Portland ranking actually measure?+−
Who can do more of a week on foot. We count mapped groceries, cafes, parks, and transit inside 800 meters — an errand map, not a Walk Score license.
Why is Downtown #1?+−
Downtown wins the errand count — walk 100 vs 37 in St. Johns. Groceries within 800 meters: 25 vs 9.
How is this different from the family list?+−
The family list pays for nearby schools and a quieter map. This one pays for the grocery and the transit stop. A lawn with a long drive can win families and lose here.
Why isn't Concordia on this list?+−
Concordia is official and still off this top 10. Walk 10 — groceries 3, transit 54 inside 800 meters. A bigger yard can lose to a shorter shop.
Can I compare a Portland score to another city?+−
No. Hyde Park in Austin is not Hyde Park in Chicago. A 72 here is a rank inside this city’s official neighborhood associations, not a grade you can carry across a state line.
What does rent mean on this list?+−
ACS median gross rent among these 10 areas runs $1,403 to $2,019. Five-year survey, studios through large apartments mixed together — not a listing you can message tonight.
Everyone sees this order so the list is arguable. Set your own weights · Method.