Neighborhoods in Hillsboro (Portland, Beaverton, Tigard: car rental, real estate, apartment complex)

[Cindy56]

Hi, we are moving to the Beaverton/Hillsboro area and while have lived in S. OR for many years are new to the Portland area. We are moving this spring from Hawaii and will be renting. Are there any neighborhoods we should avoid? I look at images on the property management sites and Craigslist, as well as Google satellite, but have no clue when it comes to "nice" neighborhoods. I would like a a reasonably quiet, friendly neighborhood that is away from factories and such. For example, I looked at one place in Hillsboro on Google satellite, and the entire block looked like it had more dirt than plants and at the other end of the block was some sort of lumber yard. I've seen lots of pretty yards in Hillsboro too. We like nature so if there's a nice park or trails nearby that is always a plus too. I've heard many great things about Beaverton,but Hillsboro seems to have lower density. PS Had to edit to add this after reading another Hillsboro thread that warned against living near MAX in Hillsboro. I'm not sure why living near public transportation would be an issue but I do need to be in walking distance of a bus or train stop as I likely won't buy a car for a few months. My son is young - just turning 18 and very techie, into computers, reading. I'm a writer. We want a safe and reasonably quiet place to live. Do you think Beaverton is better considering the public transportation issue? Thank you

[philwithbeard]

Cindy56:

I think the poster warning about living near a MAX line was in reference to living in high population density rental units he calls "hives" as in bee-hive close neighbors. His point, if I am not misunderstanding him, was he likes a more rural, spaced out housing area with a minimum of at least loud shouting distance between neighbors. YMMV on how physically close you can tolerate neighbors. And if you have urges to plant, grow or just care for garden / lawns. Again, YMMV

Be aware, for grocery shopping, or shopping in general, you will need access to a car. In the city of Portland, there are options like Zipcar for car rental for only a few hours at a time. It becomes even more difficult with out a car out in Beaverton, or Hillsboro suburbs.

Best of luck to you.

Phil

[figmalt]

If you want to live in a walkable neighborhood near the MAX, Orenco Station is probably your best bet. There is a little park and a farmers market there as well. The housing near Shute Road and Cornell would probably work fairly well too, and the main Hillsboro library is near this area. It has a lot of nice trails around Dawson Creek Park.

If your focus is more trails, then Jackson School Neighborhood is near a wetlands area (between Jackson School Road, Harewood, and Glencoe), and the neighborhood is nice. It's also expensive.

Anything around Turner Creek Park or Noble Woods Park would be good for trails, but there are fewer options for public transportation in these areas.

Areas to avoid: very generally, starting at about 18th and E. Main, anything west and south of these areas to Cornelius and TV Hwy. This is a huge generalization though. The areas to be most concerned about are those around Baseline (west of 10th), and Oak or Walnut.

You only want to avoid the MAX area towards downtown Hillsboro, but there's not much housing there anyway.

There aren't a lot of loud industrial areas in Hillsboro. There's Intel, and while they're big, the plants aren't noisy. In fact, most of the housing around Intel is nice, and Trimet services those areas more too. Trimet's interactive map will show you where their lines are to give you an idea of where you would need to live for walkability.

[Leisesturm]

I wasn't the one who advised avoiding MAX, that was davefr I believe. I actually live very close to the last stop on the MAX line in Hillsboro. That violates all of figmalt's rules and several other lurkers out there as well. I, however, wouldn't have it any other way. You guys are missing out on some undervalued real estate with your pre-conceptions. I'm giving Phil a pass on his dislike of suburbia. I'm proposing a "Beard Summit" somewhere in West Hillsboro. An intelligent mind like his will be converted before the pint is half empty. I was, as he noted, the author of the post about 'hive' living and, east of Orenco that is what you find close in to the MAX stops. I agree that around the MAX stops after Hillsboro Transit (3rd and Washington) i.e. 7th and 12th, the character changes.That still leaves a whole lot of room to play. There are not a lot of rentals but there are some. Google "Jackson and Adams" in Hillsboro to get an idea. 319 NW Adams in Hillsboro was for rent all of the last seven months for $1150. Google it, I used to live there. Tell me it's undesireable. I don't own a car and will not in the next several months, if ever. The nearest shopping is the Hanks at 7th and Baseline. Their prices are extortionate. I now shop at the Winco @ 17th and Baseline, the western city limits. It's not walkable but it is quite bikeable and the 57 Bus stops right across the street. My SO likes to eat (fear not, she is 5'5" and 13~lbs) so shopping for groceries means 100lbs of food per trip. It is much easier to load that in the trailer and pull it with a tandem than to load it in a shopping cart and try to haul it up inot a bus full of hungry commuters. YMMV. We bike everywhere in Hillsboro and even out to Cornelius and Forest Grove. The only time I cave and rent a car is when I have to go up to Seattle or if I have a number of large appliances to pick up in far away towns like Tigard. If I had time I would tell you about the full size portable dishwasher I took onto the MAX and two busses.

H

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

...... I'm giving Phil a pass on his dislike of suburbia. I'm proposing a "Beard Summit" somewhere in West Hillsboro. An intelligent mind like his will be converted before the pint is half empty. .....

Thanks for your kind words....
I just might take you up on the "Beard Summit".

Phil

[figmalt]

I realize my statements were very general, and I wouldn't have a problem living in downtown Hillsboro myself either, especially some of the newer stuff going up on Main. But posters need some general guidelines too, and then they can check things out for themselves. Just like any neighborhood or city you have pockets of good, bad, okay, and "avoid like the plague." These areas might not even be the same for each person. Looking at all of the requirements of the OP, I still don't think West Hillsboro is the best option--not because of danger or transit, but there aren't as many parks and trails around Baseline and Oak. And really, for someone brand new to Hillsboro, would you recommend Shute Park area?

[meadowrue]

I live in the Jackson School neighborhood in Hillsboro. I've substituted in almost all the schools in Hillsboro and believe this neighborhood is one of the best. It's a close community with many Intel employees. We're on the northern edge of the city, and once you leave the residential area, it's all agricultural.

There's one apartment complex in our neighborhood called Jackson School Village--very walkable with excellent schools. There's a wooded area adjacent to the apartments (no wetlands here, despite what a previous poster said. The wetlands are south of downtown.) Glencoe High School is a short walk from the apartments. Here's the website to the apartments. Jackson School Village (http://www.mark-taylor.com/jackson/index.asp - broken link)

I moved here in 2001 from California and landed at the Commons at Creekside on Baseline Rd. and 53rd Ave. Find Hillsboro apartments and homes for rent in the GREATER PORTLAND area at Commons at Creekside. It's a well-maintained complex in a beautiful setting and within walking distance of Noble Woods. You could walk to New Seasons Market from there, which is in the Orenco neighhborhood, but that is a very expensive neighborhood with grocery prices to match.

[figmalt]

It's not a big deal, but I actually went to Glencoe, and the biology department refers to the area behind the school as wetlands. We took several trips into the woods to tramp around in and around the creek. But you're right, it is different from Jackson Bottoms.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I wasn't the one who advised avoiding MAX, that was davefr I believe.

No, I don't recommend avoiding MAX totally. It all depends on the neighborhood.

I agree with the previous poster that suggested the Orenco area. It has just about everything. (parks, shopping, rentals, MAX access, etc)

On the other hand I would avoid the 185th & Baseline rentals close to MAX. Your front door would literally open up on 185th. Grafetti is out of control and crime seems high.

[Bluesmama]

Yes, Shute and Orenco areas would be nice but there is something that wasn't mentioned on this thread yet (unless I missed it, and I AM a bit tired this morning), and that's the AIRPORT! I can tell that "quiet" is very important to you, so PLEASE consider this seriously. There are always people who move near the airport then have the audacity to complain about aerial noise.

I know, I live in that area. And I get a LOT more annoyed with the neigbors who complain than the aircraft. In fact, I rather enjoy it.