Hillsboro, OR aerial shot

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
747
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 47
Demographics 47
Economy 83
Education 34
Health 63
Housing 60
Infrastructure 55

#7. Hillsboro, OR

Though Hillsboro, OR is technically a suburb of Portland, this mid-sized city has a personality and flair all its own. Home to roughly 107,000 residents, Hillsboro is part of the “Silicon Forest” and hosts the high-tech headquarters of companies like Intel and Genentech. The region also boasts top-notch health care, picturesque wineries and family farms, and many arts and culture organizations, including the Hillsboro Symphony Orchestra and the Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theatre.

Top Colleges/Universities: Pacific University

Top Industries & Employers: Technology, manufacturing, health care, finance and insurance

Weekend Plans: Catch a Hillsboro Hops game (a Minor League Baseball affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks) or play disc golf at Orchard Park.

Favorite Place to Feast: Copper River Restaurant & Bar for stuffed salmon or Syun Izakaya for sushi.

Beloved Beverage: Any of the wines from local wineries, including Blizzard Wines, Oak Knoll Winery and Ruby Vineyard and Winery.

Outdoorsy Activity: Hiking around in Orenco Woods Nature Park or Noble Woods Park.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: Hondo Dog Park, the city’s first dog park, opened in 2007, complete with shady trees, drinking stations, grass areas and two repurposed fire hydrants for leaving doggy messages. It’s named for Hillsboro Police Department K9 Officer Hondo, who died while on duty in 1997.  

Remote Work Perk: Hillsboro has its own municipal, high-speed fiber broadband internet service called HiLight, which is every remote worker’s dream situation. 

One More Thing … Two of Oregon’s governors have called Hillsboro home: James Withycombe and Paul L. Patterson.

– Sarah Kuta

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