Welcome to West Linn
Ranked by Niche as the best place to live in Clackamas County, Oregon, West Linn is a picturesque city within the Portland metropolitan area. An affluent southern suburb, West Linn is known for the Music in the Park concert series, the historic Willamette area, the farmer's market, and the Street Dance.
What is the Community of West Linn Like?
Situated between the Willamette and Tualatin rivers on the southern outskirts of Portland, West Linn is one of the oldest settlements in Oregon - thanks to a history of early development, prompted by the opportunity to harvest energy from nearby Willamette Falls.
Home to around 26,000 residents and spanning over five constituent neighborhoods, West Linn is the 20th largest community in Oregon. In 2011, the City of West Linn was the Top-Ranked Oregon City on the CNN/Money Magazine 'Best Places to Live 2011' List.
West Lin offers unique outdoor recreational opportunities to residents and visitors alike and is known for offering breathtaking views of the Cascades – an unparalleled attraction that has attracted millions of visitors over the decades.
If jet-skiing is your thing, take on the Willamette Jetboat Excursions and zoom upriver to see one of the largest waterfalls in the U.S. Jetboat guides ferry guests swiftly from Portland to majestic Willamette Falls, the second largest in the nation by volume and one of the widest in the world. Kids, on the other hand, love the West Linn Skate Park, which is known for its large, fast bowls and its huge over-vert. There is also a nice shallow area with a pyramid and many street objects including four stairs, ledges, and a rail.
West Linn also offers exciting fishing opportunities at the West Linn fishing dock. Standing by the mighty Willamette River, cast for spring chinook, white sturgeon, winter and summer steelhead, coho salmon, and warm-water fish species from this lengthy dock. The best part is that even if you catch no fish (a rare occurrence), there are always fantastic views of the Willamette River to cherish and imbibe.
What is Real Estate Like in West Linn?
Real estate in West Linn has shown an average growth of 3.88% per year since the year 2000 and the prices of homes in West Linn have overall appreciated by a strong 122.30%. West Linn’s housing market is considered somewhat competitive and the sale prices of homes in West Linn have experienced strong growth of more than 8% since May last year.
The median home price in West Linn is $650,000. Currently, there are 184 active homes for sale in West Linn, and normally it takes just 35 days for a listed home to sell.
How is the Economic Landscape of West Linn?
Over the last year, West Linn’s job market has grown by 0.9%, while its unemployment rate stands at a decent 4.8%. The US average is 6%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by a strong 42.5% over the next ten years.
On average, a West Linn resident earns around $41,600 per annum, substantially higher than the US average of $28,500. The city’s median household income of almost $84,000 per resident is also much greater than the US average of approximately $53,000. Most of the residents of West Linn work in construction, manufacturing, retail, educational services, accommodation, finance, professional and technical services, and healthcare.
How Are the Schools in West Linn?
West Linn is covered by 2 school districts, with West Linn School District 3J being the city’s major school district encompassing 16 schools and 9,070 enrolled students. West Linn also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, Clackamas Community College, Lewis & Clark College, and Portland Community College.
When it comes to higher education, West Linn lies in the vicinity of several universities including Reed College, Marylhurst University, and Multnomah University. Founded in 1908, Reed College is known for its mandatory first-year humanities program, senior thesis, progressive politics, de-emphasis on grades, and an unusually high proportion of graduates who go on to earn doctorates and other postgraduate degrees.
The college has many prominent alumni, including over a hundred Fulbright Scholars, 67 Watson Fellows, and three Churchill Scholars.
West Linn in a Nutshell
In a nutshell, West Linn is a picturesque city that offers breathtaking views of the Cascades just a skip away from the largest and most populous city of Oregon, Portland. The city has consistently ranked among the best cities in the United States and offers some of the most unique outdoor recreational opportunities. If you are mulling over moving to Oregon, West Linn would make an ideal place to call home.