Spread out across its 145.4 square miles, Portland has a little something for everyone. Environmental activists, punk rockers, and families all coexist within the city, often combining into smaller communities. Overall, there are 95 official neighborhoods in the city, which are organized by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement. Depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll find your match within one of these communities.The neighborhoods are divided up into larger groups, which differ depending on whether you go by the ONI’s official divisions or a more casual system. For simplicity’s sake, you can look at Portland as divided into five sections: Southwest, Northwest, North, Northeast, and Southeast.The Southwest section contains downtown Portland, and thus is the cultural center of the city. You’ll find Portland City Hall, Portland State University, and the Wells Fargo Center (the tallest building in Oregon) here. Neighborhoods include Arnold Creek, Hillsdale, and Marshall Park.In the Northwest section, you’ll find the Pearl District (the old industrial neighborhoods of Portland) along with Old Town Chinatown. Buildings are packed very close together here, and you’ll find a variety of pubs and restaurants to whet your appetite here. Residential areas in this section include Forest Park, Hillside, and Willamette Heights.For variety, you can’t beat North Portland. Here, you’ll find pleasant housing, interesting shopping and businesses, and industrial organizations. The St. Johns Bridge connects North Poland with Northwest Poland. Arbor Lodge, Cathedral Park, and University Park (located nearby the University of Portland) are all found in this section.The Northeast corner of Portland has been historically divided between working-class and upper-class neighborhoods, but gentrification has complicated the traditional statistics. The Rose Quarter of the Northeast section is a big sports area, with both the Rose Garden (home of the Trail Blazers) and the Memorial Coliseum (home of the Winter Hawks) in its confines. You’ll find the Alameda, Grant Park, King, and Sullivan’s Gulch neighborhoods in the Northeast, among others.Finally, the Southeast is home to historical sites, subcultural communities, and even a volcano. Mt. Tabor is an extinct cinder cone that’s become a popular city park. The neighborhood also features Reed College, a liberal arts school that’s the only private undergraduate college with a nuclear reactor. Mill Park, Pleasant Valley, and Powellhurst-Gilbert are all in Southeast Portland. For a complete list of Portland neighborhoods, click here: http://www.portlandneighborhood.com/portland-neighborhoods.html.

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