Travel down I-5 south for 3.5 miles from downtown and the area off to the west is Hillsdale. Driving through the neighborhood, you will note many shops, pubs, restaurants and coffee houses. With the close proximity of schools, parks, a library, and a shopping center, many families find this neighborhood a mix of suburbia yet very close to downtown.

A typical Hillsdale resident is white, college educated and fairly well-off. He or she is either an empty-nester or a parent with young children − with not much in between. About one out of four residents are what marketers call Metropolitans − they listen to jazz, classical, public and alternative radio and attend rock concerts, watch foreign films, read magazines and play a musical instrument. That’s among the findings of a trade-area analysis completed for the Hillsdale Main Street program by Josh Lehner, a neighborhood resident and a state economist that was released in early June of 2011.

Located at the 6000's block of SW Capitol Highway are numerous small shops and eating places.  You will find just about kind of store that you need in the shopping area.  This include a bakery, bank, cleaners, clothing, ice cream, laundromat, liquor store, pharmacy, pet wash, post office, veterinary, and video store. Restaurants include a a number of ethic food establishment to include Chinese, Mexican, and Thai.  The area also has a pizza and sandwich shop. 

Food Front has been open in Hillsdale since Sept 2008 and provides fresh, local natural and organic food. Although anyone can shop at this co-op, ownership by community members is encouraged and owner/members receive benefits not available to non-member shoppers.  The photo above shows a customer checking out at the store.

The Hillsdale Farmers' Market is the only year round farmers market in the Portland metro area. Attendance at the market is often over 3,000 people each Sunday. The winter schedule is every other week from December to April. The market is held in the parking lot between Rieke Elementary and Wilson High School where there is parking for several hundred cars.

Here are some Web sites to visit to learn more about Hillsdale:

• Hillsdale News  Get the local news.

• Hillsdale Business & Professional Association  More than 60 local businesses and professionals are members of the group.

• Hillsdale Main Street   The Main Street® approach is a community-driven, comprehensive method used to revitalize older, traditional business districts.

History

In the 1880's, Hillsdale was settled by German, Swiss and Italian immigrants. These new settlers cleared the forests and operated dairies and vegetable farms to supply food for the growing city of Portland.

In the 1890's, Southern Pacific Railroad built a line from Portland to Forest Grove, running along present day Barbur Boulevard, to what is now known as Bertha Boulevard. The Hillsdale stop was named the Bertha Station after the wife of one of the Southern Pacific officials.

In 1912, Terwilliger Boulevard opened. In 1950, Fred Meyer built a large supermarket on Barbur Boulevard at Bertha Boulevard. In 1954, a 54 acre parcel was developed called the Wilson Park housing development.  In 1956, Wilson High School and Wilson Park Elementary School were built on the former Fulton Park Dairy site.

In 1993, the Hillsdale Vision Group was formed to discuss ways to improve Hillsdale. Hillsdale was nominated to become a Town Center under Metro's Region 2040 plan. In 1997, the Portland City Council approved the Hillsdale Town Center Plan. The project made Hillsdale consumer and pedestrian friendly.

In 2010, the Hillsdale Town Center was designated a Main Street District by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Main Street program aims to preserve and revitalize historic commercial districts.

Origin of the Name of Hillsdale

The name has been in used since early pioneer days.  Hill is from the old Anglo-Saxon hyl and Norse holl.  Dale means a small valley.

Hillsdale Home Styles

Although the area started developing in the 20s, most of the homes in Hillsdale were built after WWII so you will see an abundance of ranch style homes.  You will find homes built in just about every year from 1950 to the present day.  A couple of condo buildings are located in the 6000 block of SW Capitol Highway.

Finding a home that need updating with good "bones" and pleasant surroundings (woods) is possible in Hillsdale.  You're close in, easy access to shopping, and the price of a home is within reach for most families.

¹Hillsdale Home Prices  

• Number of homes sold in Hillsdale in 2010: 86.  Distressed properties sales were 7%.

• Median price for homes sold in Hillsdale:  $331,250 in 2010; $350,000 in 2009; $404,500 in 2008; $388,000 in 2007.

• 1-year median sales price change in 2009 from 2008 in Hillsdale:  -5%.

• 5-year median sales price change in Hillsdale:  -4%.

• Metro area median home prices:  $239,900 in 2010; $247,000 in 2009; $278,000 in 2008; $290,000 in 2007.

• Metro area average home prices:  $282,100 in 2010; $289,900 in 2009; $330,300 in 2008; $342,000 in 2007.

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

Parks and Community Centers in the Hillsdale Neighborhood

The neighborhood has a number of parks, something for everyone:

• George Himes is a 35 acre park located in the southeast corner of the neighborhood that is for hikers and runners.

• Long and narrow, the 103-acre Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard Park follows the meandering SW Terwilliger Boulevard and it is a favorite for bikers, hikers, and runners.

• Hillsdale Park is located at SW 27th Avenue and Hillsdale Highway.  The 5.17 acre park offers a dog off-leash area and picnic tables. 

• The 1.13 acre DeWitt Park is for parents with small ones as it has a playground and picnic tables.

• Stephens Creek (3.38 acres) is part of the Willamette watershed, one of three major watersheds in southwest Portland.

• Just a quarter mile southwest of Hillsdale lies the 90 acre Gabriel Park in the Multnomah neighborhood.

Hillsdale has one private community center and health club:  The Mittleman Jewish Community Center is located at 6652 SW Capitol Highway.  Next door in the Multnomah neighborhood you will find  the Southwest Community Center (swimming, exercise classes, etc.) located in the 90 acre Gabriel Park.  The Fulton Community Center is located just across the Hillsdale west boundary and includes a basketball court, kitchen, meeting room, party room, and a stage.

The Sprout Academy is an educational preschool with a 'green' focus offered by Portland Parks & Recreation's Southwest Community Center, located in the Southwest Community Center. "Sprout" students acquire the foundations of learning, including math, science, language development, art, music, and social skills.  All the while, children experience nature and learn about ecosystems, sustainable living, and caring for the environment through developmentally appropriate activities in and out of the classroom. 

Hillsdale has 65 acres of park land  and open spaces according to Metro and the Portland Department of Parks and Recreation.

Walking in Hillsdale

The 4-mile Hillsdale to River walk combines several city staircases, forest paths, and a river walk.  It offers great views and significant elevation gain.  You'll find plenty of places to eat along SW MacAdam Avenue, which intersects the walk at about the halfway mark. Click here to download the guide.

"Roaming Hillsdale," a beautifully designed and illustrated booklet takes readers on a five-mile walk around the neighborhood. The walk begins and ends in the town center takes walkers near or over Fanno, Stephens and Trillium creeks. Some sections of the walk are steep and sidewalks are not always present so you will discover why Hillsdale is called Hillsdale.  The book is available for $5 at a number of businesses in Hillsdale and the Hillsdale library has copies.

The SW Trails Group is a committee of Southwest neighborhoods that uses volunteer efforts to make trail improvements, lead walks, work with Safe Routes to School, plan and advocate for pedestrian and bicycle safety and other improvements in Southwest Portland. Their walks are the second Saturday of each month. After a decade of lobbying, Hillsdale residents are getting their Red Electric Pedestrian and Bike Trail. In March, 2009, Metro approved $1.93 million to pay for the first segment of 15-mile link between the Willamette River and Fanno Creek. Part of the money will go to filling in one of the creek's ravines along Southwest Bertha Boulevard that's impossible to navigate by foot or bike. The head of SW Trails and the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association, Don Baack, along with the help of Bicycle Transportation Alliance and Hillsdale residents and businesses, has fought to make the greenway trail a reality.

Walk Score ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. Hillsdale is the #37 most walkable neighborhood in Portland. This neighborhood is 'Somewhat Walkable' with an average Walk Score of 62. Below is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the neighborhood. Residents closer to the Hillsdale Village Center have scores in the high 60s and low 70s.

Biking to Work in Portland

To bike from Hillsdale to downtown, here is a route:  Take the painted lanes on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway to the painted lanes on Capitol Highway, then either the painted lanes on SW Terwilliger or SW Barbur. Download the SW Bikes Routes map for details. You can also use byCycle bicycle trip planner, a free online tool to help both new and seasoned cyclists plan safe trips through the city. This private Web site was created by cycling enthusiasts volunteering their time, with support from Metro.

Here's a New York Times video about biking in Portland.  

 

More About Hillsdale

• Neighborhood Association Web Site  Hillsdale. The SW Capitol Road neighborhood is on Facebook.

• Neighborhood News  The Hillsdale News is a non-profit organization.

• Location  About 3.5 miles south on I-5 and then west.

• ²Drive Time to Downtown  About ten minutes.   

• Topography  Moderate rolling hills and wooded.

• Streets and Sidewalks  Up and down and then around!  Find a street running true north/south or east/west and your compass will probably get so excited it will jump out of your hands.  Sidewalks are limited.

• Livability Study  96.8% of the Hillsdale residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good."  See Livability Study.

• Public Transportation  TriMet has at least a dozen bus routes in the neighborhood most of which are Express Routes on I-5 (east boundary of neighborhood).  Hillsdale does not have a MAX light rail line or streetcar line. 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.

• ³Demographics  Population: 7,436.  Area size: 1,285 acres.  Average population density: 5 persons per acre. Number of households: 3,397.  Median household income: $69,708. Percent of home owners: 65.  Percent of renters: 35. Diversity: 18% non-Caucasian.

• ⁴Crime Stats 2010:  13 violent crime.  Total crimes per 1,000 people was 24. For the latest crime statistics for the Hillsdale 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. Hillsdale zip code(s):  97218, 97239.

• ⁵Shopping and Services  Number of supermarkets: 2.  Number of health clubs: 1. Number of coffee shops: 2. Is it a mall or village center?  Located at 6000's SW Capitol Highway you'll find a good variety of shops to include restaurants, food store (co-op, coffee shops, and service industries. 

• Farmers Market  Wilson High School parking lot, Southwest Capitol Highway at Sunset Boulevard. 10 am-2 pm Sundays, May 3-October 25, twice monthly November-April.  See hillsdalefarmersmarket.com.

• Eating Out  Located at 6000's SW Capitol Highway are numerous small shops and eating places.  You will find every kind of store that you need in the shopping area to include a bakery, bagel shop,  and a Starbuck's. The Capitol Coffee House and Bistro at 6446 SW Capitol Highway offers not only an interesting decor (once a train depot and then coffee shop with a cigar store) with old-fashioned fixtures and outdoor seating but interesting food (Franco-Cuban-Cascadian).

• Public Library  The Hillsdale Library was awarded Leed™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification as a "green building" in 2004, the year the southwest Portland library reopened in its new location.  The library boasts a large collection of books as well as audio and visual materials.

• Who Lives in Hillsdale  People who want to live on the edge - a bit of suburbia yet close to downtown. The median age is 41.

• Autos in the Neighborhood  Small cars and big cars, just about everything they make can be seen in Hillsdale.

• ⁶Biking  Quality is low. Hillsdale has 12 miles of bike lanes.

• Schools  Elementary:  Rieke Elementary and Capitol Hill Elementary.  Middle school: Gray Middle.  High school: Lincoln High School and Wilson High School.

• ⁷School Report Card Grades  Elementary schools: O. Middle schools: O.  High schools: O. Click here for report card details.

Map of Hillsdale Neighborhood

 

View Larger Map
 

___________________________________  

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 2000 and www.portlandmaps.com.

⁴Crime Statistics  Numbers on crime represent total crimes for 2010 and 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.