Portland/Compare
Hillsdale vs Northwest
Hillsdale and Northwest are two official neighborhood associations in Portland. Hillsdale is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 11). Northwest wins the errand count. Northwest has the lower ACS median ($1,609).
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.
Scores
Fit axes among official Portland neighborhood associations.
| Axis | Hillsdale | Northwest |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 84 | 11 |
| Schools | 50 | 50 |
| Walk | 24 | 44 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 9 | 47 |
| Median rent | $1,664 | $1,609 |
| Median home | $787,561 | $856,434 |
| Population | 4,694 | 16,685 |
| Commute to Downtown | 16 min | 12 min |
| Commute to OHSU | 12 min | 18 min |
| Commute to Lloyd | 22 min | 16 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Hillsdale | Northwest |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 21% | 82% |
| Median age | 43.2 | 34.2 |
| Median income | $149K | $78K |
| Part I per 1k | 30.6 | 148.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 3 | 9 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 91 | 76 |
| Parks / 800m | 16 | 16 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Portland city. Up 75% since 2014. Hillsdale is 1% above the 2024 city median. NW is 3% below the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Hillsdale if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the quieter, family-leaning read. Safety is 84 vs 11. Hillsdale is tagged family on this map; Northwest is not. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Northwest if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 47 vs 9. Walk is 44 vs 24. Read both pages before you decide.
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.
$1,664 median rent · safety 84 · walk 24
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.
$1,609 median rent · safety 11 · walk 44
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Hillsdale or Northwest?
Northwest is the lower ACS median: $1,664 vs $1,609. About 82% rent in Northwest vs 21% in Hillsdale. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Hillsdale more walkable than Northwest?
Northwest wins the errand count (walk 24 vs 44). Groceries inside 800 meters: 3 vs 9. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Hillsdale or Northwest?
Hillsdale is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 11). Combined rate 30.6 vs 148.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Hillsdale or Northwest?
Hillsdale leads the school axis (50 vs 50). Nearby rating is thin vs thin. Median age 43.2 vs 34.2. Northwest has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
16 minutes from Hillsdale to Downtown, 12 from Northwest. Northwest is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood association that is not Hillsdale or Northwest: 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.
Scores are relative among official Portland neighborhood associations with the same editorial weights. Read the method.