Guide to the Forest Park Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

Built along a ridge northwest of downtown and only 10-15 minutes from the attractions of the Northwest District, it combines rolling green pastures and views east and west. The Forest Park neighborhood is named because of its proximity to the 5,000 plus acre Forest Park, the southern portion of which lies within the neighborhood boundaries and the rest of which is adjacent. Most of the neighborhood lies within unincorporated Multnomah County, though it does include some areas within Portland city limits.

If you desire the "look and feel" of a suburban community but want to be close to downtown, examine the Forest Park neighborhood closely.

The 600 acre development named Forest Heights is located to the southwest of the Forest Park neighborhood - it is in Washington County. It is commonly referred to as the "Intel Country Club" because so many of the Intel engineers who work in Hillsboro live in Forest Heights.

Forest Park is a great place to bring up a family as some of the best schools in Oregon are located in the neighborhood. For example, the Forest Park Elementary has been rated "exceptional" since 2004. See the latest State of Oregon Department of Education Report Cards.

Origin of the Name Forest Park

The neighborhood is located adjacent to the 5,000 plus acre City of Portland Forest Park.

Forest Park Home Styles

Diversity in homes styles and sizes are the attraction. Townhomes under 2,000 square foot to 3,000 plus square foot detached single-family homes are found in Forest Park. Most have been constructed in the last ten years and the area is still being developed. Many of the homes have views of the coast range to the West and are within walking distance of the 5,127 acre Forest Park which is on the east side of the elongated neighborhood (about 5 miles in length).

¹Forest Park Home Prices

• Number of Homes Sold in Forest Park—►  21 homes sold in 2011 and 10% were distressed sales. 17 homes sold in 2010 and 24% were distressed properties sales.
• Average Price for Homes Sold in Forest Park—►  $604,329 in 2011.
• Median Price for Homes Sold in Forest Park—►  $570,000 in 2011, $600,000 in 2010, $610,000 in 2009, $655,000 in 2008, and $762,500 in 2007.
• 1-Year Median Sales Price Change in Forest Park—►  2010 to 2011 the sales price change was -5%. 2009 to 2010 the sales price change was -2%.
• 5-Year Median Sales Price Change in Forest Park—►  2007 to 2011 the sales price change was -32%. 2006 to 2010 the sales price change was -29%.
• Portland Metro Area Median Home Price—►  $221,000 in 2011, $239,900 in 2010, $247,000 in 2009, $278,000 in 2008, and $290,000 in 2007.
• Portland Metro Area Average Home Price—►  $263,300 in 2011, $282,100 in 2010. $289,900 in 2009. $330,300 in 2008, and $342,000 in 2007.

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only. View Forest Park homes currently for sale by clicking here.

Walking in Forest Park: 70 Miles of Trails

Portland's Forest Park is the 14th largest city park in the United States and some authorities say it is the largest wooded park in the country. Covering 5,000 plus acres, it provides a hushed and peaceful environment of a varied and evolving forest ecosystem. Overlooking the Willamette River, the Park stretches for nearly eight miles along the northeast slope of the Tualatin Mountains between NW Skyline Boulevard and NW St. Helens Road (Hwy. 30).

Forest Park is home to over 100 species of mammals: more than 100 kinds of birds have been seen in the Park. In the spring, hillsides sparkle with trilliums amidst the sword ferns; hundreds of other kinds of flowers and shrubs bloom during the year.

The Park offers enjoyment to hikers, bicyclists, runners, and others who just enjoy being outdoors in a forest atmosphere. The 30+ mile long Wildwood Trail (a National Recreational Trail) traverses the Park from the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Hoyt Arboretum to Newberry Road. A total of more than 70 miles of interconnecting trails and lanes provide opportunities for circle hikes of varying length.

Forest Park has 4,794 acres of park land and open spaces according to Metro and the Portland Department of Parks and Recreation. Much of the wooded city park (Forest Park) is part of the neighborhood.

A Father and His Son Hike Forest Park

This video is a father and son hiking Forest Park. Miles of trails serve bikers, hikers, and casual strollers. One of the most popular hikes is the portion of the Leif Erikson trail that begins at the end of NW Thurman Street. A wide, leafy fire trail with a gradual uphill grade, you can bike or walk the trail. It's also a popular place for runners.

See the Friends of Forest Park Web site for more information. Forest Park is on Facebook.

Walk Score helps you find a walkable place to live. Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any address. Portland is the 12th most walkable city in the U.S. with a Walk Score of 66 and 57% of the residents have a Walk Score of 70 or above. Below is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the neighborhood.

More About Forest Park

• Neighborhood Association Web Site  The neighborhood does not have a Web site.
• Location of Neighborhood  West Burnside (turns into Barnes Road after leaving the downtown area) to NW Skyline Road.
• ²Drive Time to Downtown  18-19 minutes.
• Topography  Moderate to very hilly. It is a heavily wooded area and many homes have views of the Coastal Mountain Range.
• Streets and Sidewalks  Void of sidewalks except along Miller Road in Forest Heights. The streets leading to the developments can be winding and narrow.
• Livability Study  96% of Forest Park Heights residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good." See Livability Study.
• Public Transportation  Forest Park has four bus lines - visit the TriMet Web site. No MAX light rail or streetcar lines in Forest Park. Transit Score provides a 0-100 rating indicating how well an address is served by public transportation. Ratings range from "Rider's Paradises" to areas with limited or no nearby public transportation.
• ³Census 2010 Demographics  Population: 4,129 people. Area (acres): 11,961. Average population density: 0.35 per acre. Number of households: 1,711. Average household size: 2.41. Median income of household: $91,345. Home owners: 79%.  Renters: 19%. Diversity: 14.3% non-Caucasian. More census data about Forest Park at Portland Online.
• ⁴Crime Stats  Four violent crimes in 2011 and total crimes per 1,000 people was 20. Three violent crimes in 2010 and total crimes per 1,000 people was 32. For the latest crime statistics for the Forest Park neighborhood, click here.
• Sex Offenders  Click here for the State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System. After agreeing to the "Conditions of Use Statement" you will be redirected to a "Enter Search Criteria" page. Insert a zip code in the "Zip" field and click on the "Query" button. Forest Park zip code(s): 97210, 97229, 97231.
• ⁵Shopping and Services  These neighborhood is void of any retail establishments but it is a short drive to a small mall (corner of SW Barnes Road and NW Miller Road) with a QFC supermarket, Starbucks, cleaners, pizza, vet, etc. Residents are about 10-15 minutes from the Northwest District as well as a larger mall just off NW Cornell Road. In Forest Heights (southwest of the neighborhood), the area's first commercial site is been developed at NW Miller Road and NW Mill Ridge. It has a grocer and Starbucks.
• Eating Out  The Skyline Restaurant is located at 1313 NW Skyline Boulevard and it attracts locals and outsiders. The Skyline is reasonably price but don't expect gourmet food. For an evening meal, the closest food source is the Outback Steakhouse at 11146 SW Barnes Road.
• Public Library  You have to go downtown to the Multnomah County Central Library or to the Northwest District branch located at 2300 NW Thurman Street.
• Who Lives in Forest Park  Young professionals who usually are married. Only 14.4 percent of the households have one person living in them. The median age is 43.
• Cars in the Neighborhood  Safe family cars. The second car is usually a SUV or a sporty car for Dad to drive to work.
• ⁶Biking  Quality is low. Forest Park has 34 miles of bike lanes.
• Schools  Elementary school: Forest Park. Middle school: East-West Sylvan. High school: Lincoln High School.
• ⁷School Report Card Grades  Elementary schools: O. Middle schools: O/S. High schools: O/S. Click here for report card details.

Map of Forest Park Neighborhood

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Fly to the Forest Park Neighborhood via Google Earth

Coordinates
45° 35′ 15.80″ N
122° 50′ 24.75″ W

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¹Real Estate Values  Data on real estate values provided by RMLS^tm. Distressed properties refer to the percentage of total homes sold that were short sales and bank-owned properties.

²Drive Time to Downtown  Estimated commuting time obtained from Yahoo Maps and Google Maps. Drive time was calculated from a central intersection in each neighborhood to Pioneer Courthouse Square during the morning peak commute time.

³Demographics Data   Numbers were obtained from Census 2010 and www.portlandmaps.com.

⁴Crime Statistics  Numbers on crime were obtained from Portland Police Bureau. Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Crimes per 1,000 are based on reported incidents of violent crime, as well as burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.

⁵Shopping and Services  Numbers were determined from local directory listings and county/municipal library systems.

⁶Biking  Quality rating based on the 2007 Cycle Zone Analysis conducted by the City of Portland Office of Transportation. The six-tier ratings have been reduced to three levels: High, Fair, and Low.

⁷School Report Card Grades  Schools ratings from the Oregon Department of Education 2009-2010 performance assessment. "O" = Outstanding; "S" = Satisfactory; "I" = In Need of Improvement; NR = Not Rated.