Hillsboro’s population grew by roughly 1,300 people between April 2020 and July 2023, likely fueled by the suburb’s cutting-edge technology industry. Anchored by computer technology giant Intel—the state’s largest employer—the city of about 107,000 continues to evolve, investing in arts, culture and outdoor recreation. “My clientele is mostly just renters,” says Erick Flores, a realtor with All Professionals Real Estate Group. “People are being brought over by the big tech companies, and then they just grow their roots here by buying houses.” As home values steadily increase, so do the numbers of restaurants, businesses and public art installations downtown. Hillsboro offers a quieter, suburban slice of life, still well connected with the metropolis of Portland, roughly 20 miles away.
New restaurants and shops are opening in the historic Downtown Hillsboro.
The new Hillsboro Downtown Station offers a cozy indoor tap house and trendy food trucks.
Sip local vintages and be serenaded by local musicians at Resolu Cellars in the Arts District.
The Bridge of Land & Sky art installation adorns the Brookwood Parkway bridge across Hwy 26.
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Home values increase as Hillsboro population grows
Home values in Hillsboro have appreciated, reflecting the city’s growing population. The median home price in Hillsboro, as of October 2024, hovers around $539,000. With the city's median listing price at $555,000, sales garner close to 97% of the asking price. Homes in Hillsboro spend about 44 days on the market—on par with the national average—though they sell for about $123,000 more than the median home sales price across the country. The gap widens as Hillsboro home sales prices increase by around 3% yearly. Buyers can expect to find vinyl, ranch-style homes built from the 1950s through the 1980s, as well as multi-level, new traditional Craftsman constructed in the 1990s and the 2000s.
You'll fins new Craftsman style homes in the Witch Hazel, Hillsboro neighborhood.
A beautiful Mid-century rancher home with lush landscaping in Brookwood, Hillsboro.
You'll find Mid-century bungalows in Southeast Hillsboro.
You'll find larger rural estates in the West Union neighborhood.
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Bigtime beer scene, Main Street eats
Downtown Hillsboro achieved a speedy recovery after a fire damaged sections of Main Street in January 2022—a testament to the city’s resilience and growth. The fire started at the former Weil Arcade, which has since been transformed into the Weil Arcade Food Park. As of April 2024, it offers bites from six food carts, enjoyed with live music. The Hillsboro Downtown Station is a larger food cart plaza with 28 vendors. Besides a vibrant food cart culture, Hillsboro is also home to an emerging craft beer scene, which is celebrated by its local Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team—the Hillsboro Hops.
Though the city has several chain grocers, the Hillsboro Farmers Market sells fresh produce and other local products on Saturdays, Sundays and every second Wednesday evening of each month. The Streets of Tanasbourne and the Tanasbourne Town Center, both on the east side of town, are also filled with shopping options, including Macy’s, REI, Target and Nordstrom Rack.
Since 2019, Hillsboro has been home to Washington County’s very first Cultural Arts District, complete with the first dedicated staff position for collaborating with local artists and bearers of culture in the state. The Hillsboro Art Walk buzzes through the district every first Tuesday of the month, introducing local artists and musicians, as well as downtown shops and restaurants. In September 2024, the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council approved a new public art installation—a 24-foot dome with multi-colored hexagonal panels to be constructed in Shute Park.
Noble Hop in Downtown Hillsboro features a rotating list of local craft beer, cider, and wine.
Arcade 2084 is an 80's replica arcade the features a speak easy and serves artisanal pizza.
Dee's Divine Finds.
Bennett Urban Farm Store roasts coffee locally and slings up the local favorite "Moose Mocha."
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Intel's heart of research and development
Hillsboro is most commonly known as the home base for Intel’s Oregon operation. Over 22,000 employees work at four campuses across the city, making it one of the largest and most multifaceted Intel sites in the country. The company—which is also the state’s largest employer—calls its Hillsboro location the “nucleus of research and development.”
Though Intel’s presence has solidified Hillsboro as a center for the tech industry, it’s not the only significant player in the city—Tokyo Electron America, ASML and Thermo Fisher Scientific are a few other companies that contribute to the local economy. In fact, more than 15% of Oregon’s total manufacturing jobs are located in the city.
In September 2024, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek proposed adding 373 acres of farmland to Hillsboro's urban growth boundary. The potential addition is meant to boost Oregon’s chances of becoming the next location of the National Semiconductor Technology Center, a research hub that would further establish the metro area’s identity as the Pacific Northwest's “Silicon Forest.”
Intel is a major employer in the Amberglen neighborhood.
Tokyo Electron America is a leading global company in semiconductor production in Hillsboro.
The Thermo Scientific electron microscopy Hillsboro facility is a major employer in the area.
Tina Kotek proposed adding 373 acres of farmland to Hillsboro's urban growth boundary.
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Parks, trails and access to nature
Hillsboro’s parks department maintains more than 30 parks, comprising 1,600 acres of land across the city. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, which spans 635 acres, is just a few blocks south of downtown, but its four miles of trails feel a world away. There are endless opportunities for cyclists, with multiple trails that run through or along Hillsboro. The Rock Creek Regional Trail is a winding 3.1-mile scenic greenway traversing the eastern portion of the city, including a variety of landscapes to take in. The lush and scenic Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway stretches 51 miles and is accessible from Rood Bridge Park. The bikeway boasts views of the Coastal Range, dairy farms, vineyards and natural areas.
Tanabourne residents can walk for miles on the Rock Creek Trail.
Beautiful scenery awaits at Jackson Bottom Wetland Preserve in South Hillsboro.
Oro the friendly Giant is a creative jungle gym loved by all in Brookwood, Hillsboro.
The Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway stretches 51 miles, starting at Rood Bridge Park.
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Sustained spike in property crime
According to FBI statistics, crime in Hillsboro spiked between 2021 and 2022, with an 8% increase in violent crime and an 18% jump in property crime. It was the only one of Oregon’s six largest cities of 100,000 or more to experience an increase in both during that span. Police in the city are working on improvements, including strengthening its bilingual capacity to help remove barriers to crime reporting and establishing a security camera partnership with local businesses.
Hillsboro enjoys a moderate climate, with balmy summers and winter temperatures that rarely dip below freezing. However, like much of the Pacific Northwest, its rainy season lasts most of the year, from October through May.
Ten dual language programs produce bilingual students
The Hillsboro School District receives an overall grade of B from Niche, with the highest marks for diversity and college prep. Hillsboro public schools are clustered in different neighborhoods south of U.S. 26. About 3,300 bilingual students are enrolled in dual language programs across 10 schools. The possibility of steep budget cuts has been among the chief concerns in recent school board elections.
Students in Tanasbourne attend McKinley Elementary School.
Students in Tanasbourne attend Westview High School.
Tanasbourne student can apply to the Beaverton Academy of Science & Engineering.
Students in Tanasbourne attend Five Oaks Middle School.
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Robust transportation options
Interstate 5, which runs from Los Angeles to Canada, and I-84, which links Portland to Salt Lake City, are the two main thoroughfares in and out of the region. Hillsboro is just under 20 miles west of these arteries via U.S. Highway 26, and about 30 miles from the Portland International Airport. TriMet provides bus and MAX light rail services throughout the metro area, with stops through Hillsboro, extending all the way downtown. North Hillsboro Link also serves the area, offering a shuttle service for employees commuting to the growing technology base. Cycling is a popular mode of transportation in the region, with the city remaining committed to expanding the use of bike lanes and off-road trails.
On average, homes in Hillsboro, OR sell after 53 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Hillsboro, OR over the last 12 months is $530,000, down 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Born and raised on a multi-generational family farm in the North Willamette Valley, Jennifer knows her way around small-town neighborhoods all the way to big city streets. After graduating from Portland State University Jennifer jumped into a career in sales and marketing, including working more than a decade at a major national broadcast media and entertainment company where she developed media marketing campaigns and brokered talent endorsement deals (both local and national) for a diverse array of businesses. With over fifteen years of sales experience, Jennifer is an expert marketer with the know-how, ideas, and creativity to help her clients through the entire Real Estate process. Whether you're new to the area or a fellow native Oregonian, Jennifer would love to be your go-to resource for all things Real Estate in the greater Portland Metro area.
Outside of the Real Estate world Jennifer loves Texas country and live music, cooking and experimenting with new recipes, entertaining friends and family, charcuterie boards, red wine, monster cookies and iced coffee, and most of all, spending time with her kids, Jackson and Hazel, and husband, Jason.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
