Area Guide No. 2
Washington County · About 17 miles west of downtown Portland
Hillsboro is Oregon's fifth-largest city, the seat of Washington County, and the heart of the Silicon Forest, where Intel's research and manufacturing campuses anchor one of the state's strongest job markets. Buyers choose it for prices that still sit below Beaverton and the close-in west side, a genuinely walkable transit community at Orenco Station, and a MAX Blue Line ride that reaches downtown Portland and PDX without a car.
Hillsboro · Washington County · Oregon
Hillsboro, Oregon · Washington County
The latest verified news about the major employers and companies that anchor this area, with sources cited. Each item links to the reporting outlet that published it.
01
Intel is partnering with Nvidia on AI data-center chips, one of several moves reshaping its Hillsboro-anchored strategy.
OPB reported in late October 2026 that Intel is working with Nvidia on AI data-center processors as its foundry business faces mounting pressure. Intel is Oregon's largest industrial employer, anchored in Hillsboro.
Source: OPB, October 31, 2026
02
A Good Jobs First report says Intel received more than $1.2 billion in local property tax breaks across its Hillsboro and Rio Rancho campuses between 2017 and 2025.
In Oregon, Strategic Investment Program abatements exempted Intel from at least $1.14 billion in property taxes while Hillsboro schools lost $891 million in revenue over the same period, per The Register's October 28, 2026 coverage.
Source: The Register, October 28, 2026
03
Intel will redirect part of its Hillsboro production capacity toward server chips in a shift that reflects mounting market pressure.
On October 29, 2026, CFO David Zinsner said Intel will convert some Hillsboro capacity from the 18A node, intended for Panther Lake PC chips, to the older Intel 3 node to boost Xeon data-center processor output, contributing from the second half of 2027, per CNBC.
Source: CNBC, November 2, 2026
Monthly Market Snapshot
Hillsboro's September figures show the median holding above last year's level on the strength of the Silicon Forest job base. Figures are the latest published by the public sources cited below and were retrieved on November 3, 2026.
Median Sale Price
$524,750
Up 1.9% year over year
All home types, Redfin, September 2026. A month-over-month change was not published by the cited sources.
Median Days on Market
~22 days
Down from 32 days a year earlier
Redfin, three months ending August 2026.
Homes for Sale
~470
Current listing count
Redfin listing count as shown on November 3, 2026.
New Listings
2,487
Up 1.9% from August 2026
Portland Metro, RMLS Market Action, September 2026. City-level new-listing counts are not published by the cited independent public sources.
Total Market Time
68 days
Up from 57 days in August 2026
Average days from listing to accepted offer, Portland Metro, RMLS Market Action, September 2026.
Pending Sales
1,760
Down 12.6% from August 2026
Portland Metro, RMLS Market Action, September 2026.
Prices are up modestly year over year and homes still sell relatively quickly, so the strongest opportunities go to buyers who are pre-approved and ready to act. New construction on the west side of the city often carries lender incentives that directly offset higher mortgage rates.
Homes are selling faster than a year ago, which rewards sellers who price against recent comparables and get the listing in front of buyers early. A sharp first-week pricing strategy keeps a home ahead of the market as inventory grows.
Sources & data date
Fair Housing note: These figures describe the area as a whole and vary by neighborhood, home type, and price range. Penner Group Properties is committed to the Fair Housing Act and to equal opportunity in housing, and we do not steer buyers toward or away from any community.
A quiet street in Hillsboro, minutes from the MAX
01 · Area Highlights
Hillsboro grew from a farming and nursery town into Oregon's fifth-largest city, and it wears that history lightly: old farmhouses and nursery-era homes share streets with new subdivisions and transit-oriented town centers, and downtown still feels like a county seat rather than a tech park. The city sits about 17 miles west of downtown Portland, which makes it a practical base for commuters and a relaxed one for families.
The big draw is the balance. Intel's campuses anchor one of the strongest job markets in the state, so many residents work minutes from home. Orenco Station offers the most genuinely walkable, transit-oriented living in the region. The MAX Blue Line runs straight into Portland and to PDX. And home prices still sit below Beaverton and the close-in west side, which is why so many of the buyers we work with across Greater Portland end up here.
01b · Navigable Map
Pan, zoom, and drag around this live map to get your bearings before you even call us: pin the MAX Blue Line, Orenco Station, downtown Hillsboro, the parks and wetlands, and the neighborhoods this guide covers.
Hillsboro, Oregon · Washington County
02 · Community Detail
Hillsboro's population was about 106,000 at the 2020 census and has grown past 110,000 since, making it Oregon's fifth-largest city behind Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Gresham. It is a young, diverse city shaped by the tech economy, with a mix of longtime residents and newcomers who moved for jobs at Intel and its suppliers.
The neighborhoods run the gamut. Orenco Station is the region's model transit community, built around the MAX Blue Line with a walkable town center of restaurants, brewpubs, and coffee shops. Downtown Hillsboro and Main Street are the historic county-seat core. AmberGlen, on the east side next to Intel's Ronler Acres campus, is transforming from an office park into a walkable urban district. Southeast Hillsboro is the city's most active new-construction territory, and Reed's Crossing is a large new master-planned community with a planned town center. Farther west toward the Coast Range, the subdivisions give way to larger lots and acreage.
The Hillsboro School District serves the city through four traditional public high schools, Century, Glencoe, Hillsboro, and Liberty, along with neighborhood elementary and middle schools. Boundaries vary by exact address, so we always verify the school assignment for a specific property before you commit.
Wetlands like this thread through the southwest edge of the city
Silicon Forest office campuses anchor the local economy
03 · Major Employers
Hillsboro is the heart of Oregon's Silicon Forest, and its largest employers reflect that. Here are the ones anchoring the local economy, drawn from the city's official key-industries list:
Oregon's largest private employer and the anchor of Hillsboro's economy, with roughly 22,000 employees concentrated on its Ronler Acres, Jones Farm, and Hawthorn Farm campuses in the city. Much of Intel's research and development happens here, which is why Hillsboro is often described as the company's de facto headquarters. Intel has trimmed its Oregon workforce through layoffs in 2025 and 2026, but it remains by far the region's biggest tech employer.
ASML and Tokyo Electron America each employ about 1,200 people in Hillsboro, part of the deep equipment-and-materials cluster that surrounds Intel. Qorvo, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and First Tech Credit Union round out the city’s largest private employers, and the broader Silicon Forest corridor stretches across Washington County.
Hillsboro Medical Center, part of the OHSU Health system, employs about 1,100 people, and Kaiser Permanente’s Westside hospital about 1,060. Healthcare is one of the city’s biggest and steadiest employment sectors, with both hospitals sitting right in town.
The former SolarWorld solar-panel factory, once one of Hillsboro’s signature employers, closed for good in 2021 after SunPower shut the plant. Its story is a reminder that the city’s economy has evolved toward semiconductors, healthcare, and services, and that the local job market keeps reinventing itself.
04 · Restaurant Guide
Hillsboro's dining scene runs from a genuine small-town main street to the walkable town center of Orenco Station, with a strong streak of craft breweries and family-run Mexican kitchens. Some of our favorites, by area:
Backwoods Brewing Company
VisitA brewhouse in the historic core at 206 E Main St, with a relaxed taproom and a Pacific Northwest lineup of beers.
206 E Main St
East Coast Eddie’s Authentic Philly Cheese Steaks
VisitA downtown favorite for proper Philly cheese steaks, hoagies, and wings on Main Street.
233 E Main St
Pizzario
VisitA bright, casual wood-fired pizzeria on Main Street known for Neapolitan-style pies and a solid draft list.
337 E Main St
Insomnia Coffee Co
VisitA longtime local coffee shop at 317 E Main St and a favorite neighborhood spot for meeting buyers between showings.
317 E Main St
Syun Izakaya
VisitOne of the Pacific Northwest’s most respected Japanese pubs, with more than 60 small plates and one of the area’s largest sake selections.
209 NE Lincoln St
Mazama Brewing Orenco Station
VisitA taproom right in the Orenco Station town center at 955 NE Orenco Station Loop, pouring House of the Rising Sun ale and seasonal brews within walking distance of the MAX station.
955 NE Orenco Station Loop
Copper River Restaurant & Bar
VisitA polished Pacific Northwest seafood and steakhouse on the east side, a popular pick for special dinners.
7370 NE Cornell Rd
Steeplejack Brewing
VisitA Hillsboro outpost of the popular Portland brewery, known for approachable craft beer and a family-friendly taproom.
5834 NE Pinefarm Ct
Amelia’s Exquisite Mexican Dining
VisitA long-running, family-owned Mexican restaurant on NE 4th Ave known for generous plates and warm service.
105 NE 4th Ave
Ochoa’s Mexican Grill
VisitA popular taqueria on SE Oak St with a broad menu of tacos, burritos, and Mexican classics.
943 SE Oak St
Vertigo Brewing & Taproom
VisitA neighborhood brewery on the north side pouring a rotating lineup of craft beers with a friendly taproom.
8130 NE Nicholas Ct
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse
VisitA historic farmstead turned pub and brewery at 4045 NE Cornelius Pass Rd, with grounds, gardens, and one of the classic McMenamins atmospheres in Oregon.
4045 NE Cornelius Pass Rd
Worth the short drive: the Beaverton guide covers the rest of Washington County's dining scene, from chef-driven spots downtown to the celebrated Asian and international kitchens in the neighborhoods.
Craft beer and family kitchens, from Main Street to Orenco
The downtown Hillsboro Farmers Market, a Saturday ritual since 1982
05 · Activities
Hillsboro's wetlands and parks are the quiet stars of the city, and the cultural and sports calendars keep growing. Here is how locals spend their weekends:
A 635-acre preserve along the Tualatin River on Hillsboro’s southwest edge, an Audubon-designated Important Bird Area with more than four miles of gravel and bark trails. The nature center adds exhibits and a discovery area for kids. Pets and bikes are not permitted, and a small donation is suggested.
A roughly 58-acre community park in southeast Hillsboro where Rock Creek meets the Tualatin River. It features the Lloyd Baron Rhododendron Garden, ponds, a playground, tennis courts, a wading stream, and miles of trails.
The downtown Saturday market has run at Civic Center Plaza since 1982, joined by a Sunday market at Orenco Station and a newer market at Tanasbourne. Peak season runs spring through fall, with produce, flowers, and artisan food from local farms.
The High-A minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks plays at Hops Ballpark in the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, a family-friendly summer staple with affordable tickets and a lively concourse.
A Smithsonian Affiliate set on 23 acres of old-growth evergreens, housing one of the finest mineral, rock, fossil, and meteorite collections in the Pacific Northwest.
The city’s visual and performing arts hub at the corner of Main Street and SE 5th Avenue, with a 200-seat theatre, galleries, and classroom studios hosting concerts, exhibitions, and community arts classes year-round.
The walkable town center of Orenco Station is a destination in its own right, with restaurants, brewpubs, and coffee shops around a central plaza. The MAX Blue Line runs from downtown Hillsboro through Orenco Station into Beaverton, downtown Portland, and all the way to PDX, so you can reach the airport without a car.
We know this town block by block, from the school boundary to the Saturday market. Tell us what you are looking for and we will show you the Hillsboro that fits, whether that is a walkable Orenco Station condo or a new home in Southeast Hillsboro.
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