PORTLAND, Ore. — Want strong schools? Try West Linn. Looking for a neighborhood that supports families? Come to Camas. Seeking diversity? Find it in Beaverton.
City life is not for everyone, and Portland's and Vancouver's surrounding suburbs offer the qualities families look for when looking outside the city center: good schools, plentiful housing and space for families.
The website Niche.com, which collects data and ranks areas for education, work and other of life's needs, has compiled a list of the best suburbs in areas across the U.S. It used data on 15 measures, including cost of living, walkability, safety and nightlife to score and rank places. Cost of living and higher education rates weighed the heaviest, with each accounting for 12.5 percent of the score. Commute times were the smallest factor, making up 2.5 percent of the score.
The Portland area's top 15 suburbs were on the west side and southeast and both sides of the Columbia River. All ranked highly for education but were also graded low for affordability.
Click through the photo gallery below to see which 15 places Niche ranked highest.
Slideshow: Portland's best 'burbs
Portland Business Journal is a KGW News partner
