7.2 out of 10

Woodlawn

45.5704726368999 -122.653529631521
Great for
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Clean & Green
  • Cost of Living
  • Eating Out
  • Lack of Traffic
Not great for
  • Medical Facilities
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Parking
  • Childcare
  •  
Who lives here?
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Schools 2/5
2yrs+

"Great Community Getting Recognition It Deserves"

An old, historic neighborhood, Woodlawn has much going for it and is finally recognized as a community escaping the shadows of its bordering neighbors. Woodlawn is a family friendly area whose origins started as a rural farming village over 150 years ago, making it the oldest settled town in Portland’s history. This area, now known as Woodlawn Historic District, has had several ups and downs in the past, mostly down but that has changed. Today, you will find charming, well kept older homes, and a variety of fun businesses, shops, restaurants and community activities, the most popular being the Trek in the Park held each summer which draws huge crowds.

The local community is active and works hard to continue improving Woodlawn. The Woodlawn Park is a popular meeting place and includes a playground, outdoor stage, sports fields and picnic areas. Keep in mind that this is well known artist community, so you will see lots of incredible art (street art being one) and noteworthy art shows.

Commuting to Downtown Portland is easy, being a short 15 minute car ride away and the airport is an accessible 10 minutes. All in all, this is a great community to consider.
Pros
  • Affordable
  • Historic
Cons
  • Streets can be tricky to navigate
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Up-And-Coming Historic Neighborhood"

Most of the businesses are on Columbia Boulevard (home to the Humane Society), Lombard Street, and Dekum Street, which offers one of my favorite blocks in the city, home to a coffee house, a brewery, and a pizza restaurant, among many other great locally-owned businesses. Be sure to visit the Firehouse, which offers wood-fired pizza.

Woodlawn is very diverse, with high numbers of African-American and Hispanic residents. Like other neighborhoods in this part of the city, Woodlawn can be described as up-and-coming; many new businesses have opened in the past five years. Homes here tend to be small bungalows and are relatively affordable, especially when compared with neighboring areas of the city. You'll find a few newer homes mixed in with homes built in the mid-20th century. These homes are set along quiet streets, and are mostly well maintained.

Towards the north end of the neighborhood is Woodlawn Park, a large triangular park that used to be the home of a train station. Woodlawn Elementary School is also located towards the north edge of the neighborhood. Unlike surrounding neighborhoods, many of Woodlawn's streets are not set on a perfect grid. Instead, they run at a 45 degree angle, making for some tricky intersections as you try to navigate through the neighborhood. Many residents commute by bike, so be sure to watch for cyclists as you cross these tricky intersections. You'll soon learn the diagonals, making commuting anywhere else in Portland easy.
Pros
  • Great businesses
  • Affordable
  • Historic
Cons
  • Streets can be tricky to navigate
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 2/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Historic Neighborhood full of Art and Culture"

Woodlawn is a historic neighborhood that is emerging as a great place to live. This NE Portland Neighborhood is nearby King, Vernon and Piedmont. This area was settled way back in 1860 and was once a farming village. Due to its close proximity to Vancouver, in the late 1800's a train station was set up in Woodlawn to assist commuters. Homes and businesses sprung up to support the street station. Currently, it has a lot of buildings on the historic registry as many of these old sites were preserved.

The Woodlawn City Park is a very nice perk for this area. There is a special Community Garden near the Park, which is a central gathering place for the neighbors.

There are also some very interesting shops and restaurants including Woodlawn Coffe and Breakside Brewery. Another nice restaurant is called the Firehouse Restaurant. This is an upscale place that specializes in sustainable cuisine. Every year, this neighborhood becomes more and more revitalized and interesting! It is nice that Woodlawn has its own store and restaurants. Of course, residents will be easily about to access the Alberta district as well.

While Woodlawn might feel far removed from downtown Portland, it actually quite easy for people to bike downtown. In fact, you will see a lot of bicyclists in this area.
Pros
  • Affordable
  • Historic
Cons
  • Some crime
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish

Best Neighborhoods to Live In

Best Cities to Live In

Tell everyone what you love about your neighborhood!

Leave a Review

Have a question?

How are schools? Is the area safe? What about public transit options?" Why not ask our community of locals!

Ask Now

Selling or Renting Your Home?

Maximize the selling price of your home by sharing what you love about your suburb to increase its appeal...

Leave a Review

Corporate Relocation Manager?

Enable your employees to share local knowledge in a private, trusted environment with those relocating... while building community.

Learn More