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Hillsboro Ranked among 'Best Places to Live’ in America (Again!)

Post Date:07/11/2024

This article has been updated for July 2024.

National praise for Hillsboro, Oregon is continuing with the latest recognition from Livability.com as one of the Best Places to Live in the West in 2024.

Hillsboro ranks #4 on the list of cities in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Montana.

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In 2023, Hillsboro ranked #29 on Livability's list of the Best Places to Live in the United States in 2023. This marked the third consecutive year that Hillsboro was ranked by Livability 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 2022-23 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.

Kids observe wildlife with binoculars at Jackson Bottom Nature Preserve

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.

Biking in Hillsboro

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.

Downtown walking

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.

— Mallika Mitra

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.