Portland Population (2021)
The population of Portland, Oregon is 632,309 (latest US census data). Portland is the largest city in the US state of Oregon, and the 26th largest city in the United States.
Portland is located in northern Oregon on the Willamette and Columbia rivers. It is the largest city and the seat (capital) of Multnomah county. It is also the second largest city in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle and just ahead of Vancouver.
The wider Portland metropolitan area has a population of 2,389,228 people, and is the 23rd largest metropolitan area in the US by population.
| Portland | Oregon | USA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 632,309 | 4,028,977 | 323,127,513 |
| Population Growth (since 2010) | 8.3% | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| Population Density (per sq mile) | 4,375.2 | 39.9 | 87.4 |
Portland population growth
The population of Portland is growing more rapidly than the population of Oregon or the United States as a whole. Between 2010 and 2015 Portland’s population grew by 8.3%, compared with 5.2% for Oregon and 4.1% for the United States.
Population growth in Portland was explosive in the city’s early years. For example, in the first decade of the 20th century number of people living in: grew by 129%. Growth stagnated between 1940 and 1990 – in fact in the 1970s put’s population actually fell by 4.2%.
Recent decades have seen a return to population growth in Portland, averaging between 10 and 21% every decade since 1980.
The table below lists the population of Portland at the time of each U.S. Census since 1860.
| Census Year | Population | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,874 | n/a |
| 1870 | 8,293 | 188.6% |
| 1880 | 17,577 | 111.9% |
| 1890 | 46,385 | 163.9% |
| 1900 | 90,426 | 94.9% |
| 1910 | 207,214 | 129.2% |
| 1920 | 258,288 | 24.6% |
| 1930 | 301,815 | 16.9% |
| 1940 | 305,394 | 1.2% |
| 1950 | 373,628 | 22.3% |
| 1960 | 372,676 | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 382,619 | 2.7% |
| 1980 | 366,383 | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 437,319 | 19.4% |
| 2000 | 529,121 | 21.0% |
| 2010 | 583,776 | 10.3% |
Portland ethnicity and race
Portland is less diverse than the US average, but more diverse than the state of Oregon.
The 2010 census revealed 72.2% of people in Portland are White (non-Hispanic). For comparison, 63.7% of people in the entire United States White, while 78.5% of people in Oregon are White.
The next most common races in Portland are Hispanic or Latino (9.4%), Asian (7.1%), Black or African-American (6.3%).
The table below lists each group, comparing it to Oregon and the United States as a whole.
| Statistic | Portland | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 72.2% | 78.5% | 63.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.4% | 11.7% | 16.3% |
| Black or African American alone | 6.3% | 1.8% | 12.6% |
| Asian alone | 7.1% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Two or more races | 4.7% | 3.8% | 2.9% |
| American Indian / Alaska native | 1.0% | 1.4% | 0.9% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
Portland economy / income statistics
Per capita income in Portland is higher than the US average, although not by much. Between 2011 and 2015, the average income was $32,938.
Poverty rates are slightly higher than the state average, which is slightly higher again than the national average.
| Statistic | Portland | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per Capita Income | $32,938 | $27,784 | $28,930 |
| Median household income | $55,003 | $51,243 | $53,889 |
| Poverty rate | 18.0% | 15.4% | 13.5% |
| Retail sales per capita (2012) | $14,107 | $12,690 | $13,443 |
Portland demographics – education
The number of high school graduates in Portland is 91.3%. This is slightly higher than the statewide average (89.8%), and higher again than the US average (86.7%).
Almost half (45.5%) of Portland residents have a bachelors degree or higher. This compares to 30.8% across the rest of Oregon, and 29.8% nationwide.
| Statistic | Portland | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| High School Graduates | 91.3% | 89.8% | 86.7% |
| Bachelors Degree | 45.5% | 30.8% | 29.8% |
Unless otherwise noted, data is from the US Census Bureau.