Mayor Steve Callaway | Mayor Steve Callaway Official photo
Mayor Steve Callaway | Mayor Steve Callaway Official photo
National praise for Hillsboro, Oregon is continuing with the latest recognition from Livability.com as one of the Best Places to Live in the United States in 2023.
2023 marks the third consecutive year that Hillsboro has been ranked in Livability's list. This year, Hillsboro is ranked #29 for reasons that include:
- a high priority on sustainability
- a resilient economy with large employers
- transportation options such as the MAX Blue Line
- a diverse and welcoming community feel
- Hillsboro Hops baseball
- the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals
- an emphasis on public arts
- the beauty and wildlife at Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve
- bike riding on the Rock Creek Trail
- Next Level Pinball Museum
"There are plenty of cute shops, delicious dining options, and beautiful natural areas to keep residents entertained year-round," wrote Livability staff in their review of Hillsboro.
Read Livability's complete review of Hillsboro
Other Recent Recognition
The ranking from Livability follows Hillsboro’s inclusion on several other lists:
- Money.com ranked Hillsboro #23 on its 2022 list of the 50 Best Place to Live.
- Hillsboro previously appeared on Money.com’s ‘50 Best Places to Live’ list in 2020 at #29.
- In September 2022, Hillsboro ranked #21 on the list of 25 safest U.S. cities for trick-or-treating by ChamberOfCommerce.org.
- Also in September 2022, Hillsboro was named the Best Place to Live in Oregon by the online publication, That Oregon Life.
- In July 2022, Hillsboro ranked #40 on Livability.com's Best Places to Live List.
- Hillsboro also was ranked #7 on Livability.com’s Best Places to Live List in 2021.
Money.com's Description of Hillsboro
Here’s how Money.com described Hillsboro in 2022:
Hillsboro rocks. It also has some pretty important rocks, like the world’s largest opal-filled thunderegg — a stone with a rough outside but striking patterns and colors inside — thanks to the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. But if rocks aren’t your thing, this Oregon town with a population of nearly 108,000 is still… a gem.
Just about 20 miles west of Portland, residents of Hillsboro can easily pop over to the city’s center via the light rail. Not that there isn’t plenty to do at home: The 635-acre Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, for one, is a go-to spot for hikers, bird watchers and nature lovers. If you'd rather hop on a bike, good news: Oregon was the first state to develop a statewide Scenic Bikeway Program, according to its parks and recreation department. Hillsboro is home to the start of the 50-mile Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway, which runs through forests, farms, wetlands and more.
Hillsboro also boasts ample economic opportunities. The budding presence of technology companies like Intel has helped the area snag the moniker “Silicon Forest.” Between 2010 and 2021, Hillsboro experienced an 18% rise in job growth. That’s not slowing down: Moody’s Analytics projects nearly 12% job growth in Hillsboro by 2026. The recently completed Wingspan Event and Conference Center is Tualatin Valley’s first conference center — so expect more professional out-of-towners to visit.
The family-friendly and community-oriented town also has beautiful venues for unwinding after a long workday with a drink in hand. Its proximity to rural wine country means you can grab a glass at Oak Knoll Winery or Ruby Vineyard & Winery, among others. Hillsboro itself is gaining notoriety in Oregon’s craft beer industry with popular spots like Three Mugs Brewing and Vertigo Brewing, just to name a few.
Hillsboro, Oregon (2022 statistics)
Population: 107,593
Median household income: $87,180
Median home price: 521,151
Unemployment rate: 3.2%
Sources: Population and median household income provided by Synergos Technologies Inc.; unemployment rate (by county) provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and median home price provided by ATTOM Data Solutions.
How Hillsboro Earned a Spot in the Top 50 Places
Money.com’s methodology includes big and little cities, with Hillsboro ranked higher than San Jose, Denver, Salt Lake City, and many more.
- Atlanta
- Tempe, AZ
- Kirkland, WA
- Raleigh, NC
- Rogers Park (Chicago), IL
- Columbia, MD
- Somerville, MA
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Tampa, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Boise, ID
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Irvine, CA
- Fort Lee, NJ
- Arlington, VA
- Naperville, IL
- Milton, MA
- Fremont, CA
- Carmel, IN
- Rockville, MD
- Franklin, TN
- San Diego, CA
- Hillsboro, OR
- Abington, PA
- San Jose, CA
- Alexandria, VA
- Chanhassen, MN
- Denver, CO
- Overland Park, KS
- Morristown, NJ
- Lafayette, CO
- Camas, WA
- Altamonte Springs, FL
- South Burlington, VT
- Marietta, GA
- Kirkwood, MS
- Glen Cove, NY
- Kaneohe, HI
- Hutto, TX
- Madison, WI
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Bentonville, AR
- Sarasota, FL
- Nashua, NH
- Norman, OK
- Greenville, SC
- Juneau, AK
- Coralville, IA
- Jeffersonville, IN
- Sparks, NV