Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 529,121 people residing in the city, organized into 223,737 households and 118,356 families. The population density is 1,521/km² (3,939.2/mi²). There are 237,307 housing units at an average density of 682.1/km² (1,766.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 77.91% White, 6.64% African American, 1.06% Native American, 6.33% Asian, 0.38% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. 6.81% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Related Topics:
As of the census of 2000 - Population density - White - African American - Native American - Asian - Pacific Islander - Other races - Hispanic - Latino

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Out of 223,737 households, 24.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% are married couples living together, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% are non-families. 34.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.3 and the average family size is 3.

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In the city the population is spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.9 males.

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The median income for a household in the city is $40,146, and the median income for a family is $50,271. Males have a reported median income of $35,279 versus $29,344 reported for females. The per capita income for the city is $22,643. 13.1% of the population and 8.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.7% of those under the age of 18 and 10.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Oregon has a 9% income tax which tends to suppress accurate reporting. Figures delineating the income levels based on race are not available at this time.

Related Topics:
Per capita income - Poverty line

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Portland is becoming increasingly diverse. Recent trends have more young people moving into the city

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as older, more established white families with children move to the suburbs. Although the overwhelming majority of the city's population is still White, 60% of people moving to Oregon are minorities.

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However, though the population of the city is increasing, the total population of children is diminishing, which has put pressure on the public school system to close schools. A recent New York Times story noted that Portland is now educating fewer children than it did in 1925, and the city will have to close the equivalent of three to four elementary schools each year for the next decade.

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Portland's public school system has remained rather segregated. Three of its high schools (Cleveland, Lincoln and Wilson) are over 80% white, while three other high schools (Jefferson, Marshall and Roosevelt) are over 70% non-white. The remaining four schools are more ethnically balanced.

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Media

The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland. The Willamette Week is a major alternative weekly publication distributed throughout the metro area. Other local weekly papers in the area include the Portland Tribune (a biweekly), The Portland Mercury, and the Oregon Herald. The Business Journal of Portland also covers many business news related stories. BarFly Magazine is a popular weekly periodical covering the city's nightlife and bar scene.

Related Topics:
The Oregonian - Willamette Week - Alternative weekly - Portland Tribune - The Portland Mercury

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Portland is well served by television and radio. The metro area is the 23rd largest Designated Market Area (DMA) in the U.S., consisting of 1,086,900 homes and 0.992% of the U.S. market. The major network television affiliates include KOIN 6 (CBS), KATU 2 (ABC), KGW 8 (NBC), KPTV 12 (FOX), KWBP 32 (WB), and KPDX 49 (UPN).

Related Topics:
Designated Market Area - KOIN - CBS - KATU - ABC - KGW - NBC - FOX - WB - UPN

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: See also: List of radio stations in Oregon, Portland in popular culture

Related Topics:
List of radio stations in Oregon - Portland in popular culture

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Parks and outdoor attractions

Portland is proud of its parks and its legacy of preserving open spaces. In fact, it has one of the highest parks-per-capita ratios among cities in the United States.

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Forest Park is the largest wilderness park within city limits in the United States, with over 5,000 acres (20 km²). Portland is also home to Mill Ends Park, the world's smallest park (being a two-foot diameter circle, its area is only about 0.3 square meters). Washington Park is just west of downtown, and is home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden.

Related Topics:
Forest Park - Mill Ends Park - Oregon Zoo - Portland Japanese Garden - International Rose Test Garden

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Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park runs along west bank of the Willamette for the length of downtown. The 37 acre (150,000 m²) park was built in 1974 after Harbor Drive was removed and now plays host to large events throughout the year. Portland's downtown also features two groups of contiguous city blocks dedicated for park space; they are referred to as the North and South Park Blocks.

Related Topics:
Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park - 1974 - Harbor Drive

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Portland is also home to Portland Classical Chinese Garden, an authentic representation of a Suzhou-style walled garden. Local construction workers provided the site preparation and foundation and dozens of workers from Suzhou, using material from China, constructed its walls and other structures, including a tea house.

Related Topics:
Portland Classical Chinese Garden - Suzhou - Tea house

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The only state park in the area is Tryon Creek State Park; its creek still has a run of steelhead. Nestled within the park is the Tryon Life Community Farm, an aspiring urban ecovillage and educational center.

Related Topics:
Tryon Creek State Park - Steelhead - Ecovillage

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Beer

Portland and certain other Oregon cities (like Hood River and Bend), are well-known for their good beer. It is often said that Portland is the home of the microbrew revolution. Some illustrate Portlanders' interest in the beverage by an offer made in 1888, when local brewer Henry Weinhard volunteered to pump beer from his brewery into the newly dedicated Skidmore Fountain. However, the renown for quality beer dates to the 1980s, when microbreweries and brewpubs began to pop up all over the city. Their growth was supported by the abundance of local ingredients, including two-row barley, over a dozen varieties of hops, and the pure water from Bull Run and other watersheds of nearby Mount Hood.

Related Topics:
Hood River - Bend - Beer - Beverage - 1888 - Henry Weinhard - Brewery - 1980s - Microbreweries - Brewpub - Barley - Hops - Bull Run - Watershed - Mount Hood

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Today, the city has more craft brewers than any other city in North America. The McMenamin brothers alone have over thirty brewpubs scattered throughout the metropolitan area, many in renovated theaters and other old buildings otherwise destined for demolition. Other notable Portland brewers include Widmer Brothers, Bridgeport Brewing Company and the Pyramid Brewing Company. In 1999, 'beerhunter' and author Michael Jackson called Portland a candidate for the beer capital of the world because the city boasted more breweries than Cologne, Germany.

Related Topics:
McMenamin brothers - Theaters - Cologne, Germany

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Portland hosts a number of festivals throughout the year in celebration of beer. One of them, the Oregon Brewers Festival, is the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in North America.

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Sports

Portland has one major league, professional sports team, as well as several minor league teams. The Portland Trail Blazers are a basketball team that play in Rose Garden Arena. The Trail Blazers won their only NBA Championship in 1977. The team has several players in the Basketball Hall of Fame, including Dra?en Petrovi?, Bill Walton, Lenny Wilkens, and Clyde Drexler ("The Glide").

Related Topics:
Portland Trail Blazers - Basketball - Rose Garden Arena - NBA Championship - 1977 - Basketball Hall of Fame - Dra?en Petrovi? - Bill Walton - Lenny Wilkens - Clyde Drexler

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The city is also home to the Portland Beavers, a Triple-AAA team for the San Diego Padres, the Portland Winterhawks, an ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, and the Portland Timbers, of the United Soccer Leagues, a second tier professional soccer team in the U.S. The Portland Beavers and Portland Timbers play in PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium), and the Winterhawks play in Rose Garden Arena. The Portland Lumberjax is also a professional lacrosse team, scheduled to begin play in 2006 in the National Lacrosse League. Portland is also an annual circuit on the Champ Car World Series.

Related Topics:
Portland Beavers - Triple-AAA - San Diego Padres - Portland Winterhawks - Ice hockey - Western Hockey League - Portland Timbers - United Soccer Leagues - Soccer - PGE Park - Portland Lumberjax - Lacrosse - 2006 - National Lacrosse League - Champ Car World Series

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Skiing is particularly popular with Portlanders. The area is served by a number of resorts located on nearby Mount Hood, including Timberline, which allows skiing year round. The only other resort in North America with summer skiing is Whistler in British Columbia.

Related Topics:
Mount Hood - Timberline - North America - Whistler - British Columbia

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Local Alpenrose Dairy is host to the yearly Little League Softball World Series.

Related Topics:
Alpenrose Dairy - Little League

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