by Mary-Kate Fotch
Downtown Portland. Source: Wikimedia Commons
In 2016, small talk is risky business in Portland, Oregon. Seemingly innocent questions like “How long have you lived here?” or “Are you originally from Portland?” can quickly turn a conversation sour. For some Portland natives, the way you answer this question will dictate the tone for the rest of your interaction, and God help you if your answer contains any variation of “I’m from California.”
The population of Portland is growing at a rapid rate, a fact that causes many lifelong residents to grumble and sigh in defeat. Heralded as “the new San Francisco,” Portland has seen a 5.2% population growth rate since 2010. According to census estimates released on March 26th, the Portland metro area has reached a population of approximately 2.35 million residents, with just over 116,000 transplants since 2010. Forbes counts Portland as one of the 20 fastest growing cities in America and recent estimates from the regional government Metro predict a 725,000 person increase over the next 20 years.
These statistics mean many things for the City of Roses: more competition for already highly sought after jobs, greater gentrification in older areas of the city, a higher cost of living and a booming real estate market for all 112 neighborhoods in the Portland metropolitan area.
The population of Portland is growing at a rapid rate, a fact that causes many lifelong residents to grumble and sigh in defeat. Heralded as “the new San Francisco,” Portland has seen a 5.2% population growth rate since 2010. According to census estimates released on March 26th, the Portland metro area has reached a population of approximately 2.35 million residents, with just over 116,000 transplants since 2010. Forbes counts Portland as one of the 20 fastest growing cities in America and recent estimates from the regional government Metro predict a 725,000 person increase over the next 20 years.
These statistics mean many things for the City of Roses: more competition for already highly sought after jobs, greater gentrification in older areas of the city, a higher cost of living and a booming real estate market for all 112 neighborhoods in the Portland metropolitan area.
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