Portland/Compare
Northwest vs St. Johns
Northwest and St. Johns are two official neighborhood associations in Portland. St. Johns is the calmer Part I map (89 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 | Northwest | St. Johns |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 11 | 89 |
| Schools | 50 | 50 |
| Walk | 44 | 37 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 47 | 17 |
| Median rent | $1,609 | $1,698 |
| Median home | $856,434 | $475,763 |
| Population | 16,685 | 16,742 |
| Commute to Downtown | 12 min | 25 min |
| Commute to OHSU | 18 min | 28 min |
| Commute to Lloyd | 16 min | 26 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Northwest | St. Johns |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 82% | 38% |
| Median age | 34.2 | 37.1 |
| Median income | $78K | $82K |
| Part I per 1k | 148.4 | 28.5 |
| Groceries / 800m | 9 | 9 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 76 | 96 |
| Parks / 800m | 16 | 26 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Portland city. Up 75% since 2014. NW is 3% below the 2024 city median. St. Johns is 3% above 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 Northwest if you want the cafes and the night and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. Vibe is 47 vs 17. 12 vs 25 minutes to Downtown. ACS median rent is $1,609 vs $1,698. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick St. Johns if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the quieter, family-leaning read. Safety is 89 vs 11. St. Johns is tagged family on this map; Northwest is not. Read both pages before you decide.
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
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.
$1,698 median rent · safety 89 · walk 37
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Northwest or St. Johns?
Northwest is the lower ACS median: $1,609 vs $1,698. About 82% rent in Northwest vs 38% in St. Johns. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Northwest more walkable than St. Johns?
Northwest wins the errand count (walk 44 vs 37). Groceries inside 800 meters: 9 vs 9. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Northwest or St. Johns?
St. Johns is the calmer Part I read (89 vs 11). Combined rate 28.5 vs 148.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Northwest or St. Johns?
Northwest leads the school axis (50 vs 50). Nearby rating is thin vs thin. Median age 34.2 vs 37.1. St. Johns has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
12 minutes from Northwest to Downtown, 25 from St. Johns. Northwest is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood association that is not Northwest or St. Johns: 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.
Scores are relative among official Portland neighborhood associations with the same editorial weights. Read the method.