The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

s of Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

 and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

. The U.S. Census Bureau's definition for the MSA is currently all of the following counties: Clackamas County, Oregon

Clackamas County, Oregon

Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...

; Columbia County, Oregon

Columbia County, Oregon

Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for the Columbia River, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat is St. Helens.-Economy:...

; Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...

; Washington County, Oregon

Washington County, Oregon

- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...

; Yamhill County, Oregon

Yamhill County, Oregon

-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...

; Clark County, Washington

Clark County, Washington

Clark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...

; and Skamania County, Washington. The Washington counties are separated from Oregon by the Columbia River

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

.

The Oregon portion of the metropolitan area is the state's largest urban center. Portions of this are under the jurisdiction of Metro

Metro (Oregon regional government)

Metro, formerly known as Metropolitan Service District, is the regional governmental agency for the Oregon portion of the Portland metropolitan area...

, a directly elected regional government which, among other things, is responsible for land use planning in the region.

Metropolitan statistical area

The Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro Metropolitan Statistical Area

United States metropolitan area

In the United States a metropolitan statistical area is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are not legally incorporated as a city or town would be, nor are they legal administrative divisions like...

 (MSA), the 23rd largest in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, has a population of 2,226,009 (2010 Census). Of them, 1,789,580 live in Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

 (46.7% of the state's population) while the rest 436,429 live in Washington (6.7% of state's population). It consists of Multnomah

Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...

, Washington

Washington County, Oregon

- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...

, Clackamas

Clackamas County, Oregon

Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...

, Columbia

Columbia County, Oregon

Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for the Columbia River, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat is St. Helens.-Economy:...

 and Yamhill

Yamhill County, Oregon

-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...

 counties in Oregon, as well as Clark

Clark County, Washington

Clark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...

 and Skamania counties in Washington. The area includes Portland and the neighboring cities of Beaverton

Beaverton, Oregon

Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...

, Gresham

Gresham, Oregon

- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 90,205 people, 33,327 households, and 22,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,071.6 people per square mile . There were 35,309 housing units at an average density of 1,593.8 per square mile...

, Hillsboro

Hillsboro, Oregon

Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...

, Milwaukie

Milwaukie, Oregon

Milwaukie is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1848 on the banks of the Willamette River, the city, known as the Dogwood City of the West, was incorporated in...

, Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego, Oregon

Lake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located south of Portland surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...

, Oregon City

Oregon City, Oregon

Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...

, Fairview

Fairview, Oregon

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,561 people, 2,831 households, and 1,936 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,360.8 people per square mile . There were 3,116 housing units at an average density of 972.9 per square mile...

, Wood Village

Wood Village, Oregon

Wood Village is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. The population was 3,878 at the 2010 census. Despite the name, Wood Village is classified as a city.-Geography:...

, Troutdale

Troutdale, Oregon

Troutdale is a city in Multnomah County, Oregon, north of Gresham and east of Wood Village. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,962....

, Tualatin

Tualatin, Oregon

Tualatin is a city located primarily in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oregon. A small portion of the city is also located in neighboring Clackamas County. It is a southwestern suburb in the Portland Metropolitan Area that is located south of Tigard...

, Tigard

Tigard, Oregon

Tigard is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 48,035 at the 2010 census. As of 2007, Tigard was the state's 12th largest city. Incorporated in 1961, the city is located south of Beaverton and north of Tualatin, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area...

, West Linn

West Linn, Oregon

West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Now a prosperous southern suburb of Portland, West Linn has a history of early development, prompted by the opportunity to harvest energy from nearby Willamette Falls. It was named after Senator Dr. Lewis Fields Linn of Ste...

, Vancouver

Vancouver, Washington

Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...

, Camas

Camas, Washington

Camas is a city in Clark County, Washington, with a population of 19,355 at the 2010 census. Officially incorporated on June 18, 1906, the city is named after the camas lily, a plant with an onion-like bulb prized by Native Americans. At the west end of downtown Camas is a large Georgia-Pacific...

 and Washougal

Washougal, Washington

Washougal is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. On April 1, 2010, the United States Census Bureau stated the city's population was 14,095.-History:Washougal was officially incorporated on December 4, 1908...

.

Before the recent (2003–2004) redefinition of metropolitan boundaries, the Portland Consolidated Metropolitan Area included the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area

Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area

The Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area , as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in western Oregon, Marion and Polk. The principal city is Salem, the state capital, which has a population of 154,637. As of the 2010 census, there were 390,738 people...

. If still considered a part of the metropolitan area the population would be 2,637,944 (2009 estimate). Combined population close connected Portland, Salem and Longview metropolitan areas is 2,739,910 (2009 estimate).

Transportation

Portland is where Interstate 84 ends at Interstate 5, both major highways in the Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...

. Other primary roads include Interstate 205

Interstate 205 (Oregon-Washington)

Interstate 205 is a loop route that serves the Portland—Vancouver metropolitan area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. I-205 is officially named the War Veterans Memorial Freeway, and is also known as the East Portland Freeway...

, an eastern bypass of the urban core, U.S. Route 26, which heads west and southeast, U.S. Route 30, which goes to the northwest, and Oregon Route 217, which connects US 26 with I-5 in the south, travelling through Beaverton. Both US 26 and US 30 go to the Oregon Coast

Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It runs generally north-south along the Pacific Ocean, forming the western border of the state; the region is bounded to the east by the Oregon Coast Range. The Oregon Coast stretches approximately from the Columbia River in the north to...

. Also, Washington State Route 14 travels along the northern banks of the Columbia River

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

 from downtown Vancouver east to Camas

Camas, Washington

Camas is a city in Clark County, Washington, with a population of 19,355 at the 2010 census. Officially incorporated on June 18, 1906, the city is named after the camas lily, a plant with an onion-like bulb prized by Native Americans. At the west end of downtown Camas is a large Georgia-Pacific...

 and Washougal

Washougal, Washington

Washougal is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. On April 1, 2010, the United States Census Bureau stated the city's population was 14,095.-History:Washougal was officially incorporated on December 4, 1908...

.

Transit service on the Oregon side is generally provided by TriMet

TriMet

TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...

. In addition, Sandy Area Metro

Sandy Area Metro

Sandy Area Metro is a small public transit system operated by the city government of Sandy, Oregon.One SAM route provides service between Sandy and the Portland suburb of Gresham, where riders can use TriMet to travel to most of the Portland metropolitan area...

 serves Sandy, South Clackamas Transportation District

South Clackamas Transportation District

The South Clackamas Transportation District is a bus service that provides public transportation in Molalla, Oregon, connecting that city to Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, and Canby...

 serves nearby Molalla

Molalla, Oregon

Molalla is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,647 at the 2000 census.-History:Molalla was named after the Molalla River, which in turn was named for the Molala, a Native American tribe that inhabited the area. William H. Vaughan took up a donation land claim in...

, Canby Area Transit

Canby Area Transit

Canby Area Transit or simply CAT is a bus service that provides public transit in the US city of Canby, Oregon, and north to Oregon City. It is operated by the City of Canby, with a hub at the downtown Canby Transit Center....

 serves Canby

Canby, Oregon

Canby is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 15,829 at the 2010 census. It is located on Oregon Route 99E, two miles northeast of Barlow.-History:...

 and South Metro Area Regional Transit serves Wilsonville. Service in Clark County is provided by C-TRAN. In Columbia County

Columbia County, Oregon

Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for the Columbia River, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat is St. Helens.-Economy:...

, the Columbia County Rider provides transit service on weekdays connecting St. Helens

St. Helens, Oregon

St. Helens is the county seat of Columbia County, Oregon. It was founded by Captain H. M. Knighton, a native of New England, in 1845 as "Plymouth". The name was changed to St. Helens in the latter part of 1850 for its view of Mount St. Helens some away in Washington. The population was 10,019 at...

 with downtown Portland and connecting Scappoose

Scappoose, Oregon

Scappoose is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for a nearby stream, which drains the southern part of the county...

 and St. Helens with certain points in urban Washington County, including the PCC Rock Creek

Portland Community College

Portland Community College is Oregon's largest community college, located in Portland, United States. It serves over one million residents in the five county area of Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia...

 campus, Tanasbourne and the Willow Creek MAX light rail station.

External links

• Metro government website
• Portland MSA 2010 Census numbers from the Population Resource Center
• pdx.edu/media/p/r/PRC_2007_Population_Report2_rev.pdf of key urban planning documents on the Portland Metropolitan area, at Portland State University
  Portland State University
  Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...