Like the rest of the Country, Portland is changing.  The proportion of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents in the city continues to increase, demonstrating an increase in racial and ethnic diversity. Rising diversity is a tremendous asset, creating thriving, resilient, and prosperous communities.

The proportion of BIPOC Portlanders is a benchmark indicator for citywide performance metrics and compliance obligations. By analyzing race and ethnicity data alongside other datasets we can better understand outcomes and disparities, and guide equitable decision-making, planning, and service delivery.

The people who make up Portland are changing, and our economic and social future depends on how we prepare. Portland is stronger when everyone can access the resources and opportunities to thrive. Dismantling structural racism, reducing barriers, and achieving equity – just and fair inclusion – is an urgent imperative that will grow in importance as our population grows more diverse.

National trends show an increase in BIPOC-identified Americans. Portland mirrors this pattern, though our starting point is lower than the national average.

History is still with us:

Portland’s demographics are shaped by past policy. Portland is the 27th largest city in the US, but ranks 50th out of the 50 largest US cities – last – in population diversity, a rank held for 25+ years. Early provisions and the Oregon Donation Land Law dispossessed Native people and granted white people large parcels of land, including tribal and ancestral land. The state constitution prohibited slavery. It also prohibited Black, Indigenous and non-white people from living here, doing business, or owning property. The “Black Exclusion Laws” were repealed in 1926, but local discrimination persisted.

Black communities grew in the 1940s, more than tripling in under three years, welcomed by shipyards and lumber industry. However, segregation, Japanese incarceration, the Vanport Flood (1948), racial covenants, redlining, taking of property, the Emmanual Hospital expansion project (1978), and more, impacted Portland’s development. In more recent years, the City of Portland has worked to address some of these past events.
 
Serving the present, preparing for the future:

In 2023, about 65% of total residents identified as white alone. The next largest population identifies as Latine and Hispanic, any race, at 12%, followed by Asian* (7%), and Black or African American* (6%). Portlanders who identify as multi-racial represent over 8% of our population. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders* are approximately 0.56%, while Native American people* represent roughly 0.26% of Portland.  *single ID

The number of Portlanders who identify as BIPOC is growing steadily. In 2023, more than 35% of Portland identified as non-white, roughly a 30% jump over the past decade. The 2020 Decennial Census shows urban growth in large cities is driven by growth in Asian and Latine populations, and people with multi-racial identities.  Portland mirrors the national trend. Looking at Portlanders under 18 shows this trend will deepen.

The data is from the American Community Survey, Decennial Census, and the National Equity Atlas.

The Census collects Race and Ethnicity data separately, allowing respondents to select one or multiple races, and also indicate if they identify as Latine or Hispanic. Latine or Hispanic individuals of all racial identities were included in our count of BIPOC Portlanders.

The disaggregated portrait of BIPOC Portland displays the proportion of race/ethnic groups selected by multi-racial Portlanders. Because respondents may select many races, the total count of race/ethnicities will be larger than the total distinct count of respondents.

When working with Census numbers, there is a choice between using sample estimates or Dicennial counts. We selected recent sample estimates. The Census recommends viewing this data as percentages of a whole, rather than an estimated count. Also note, samples may be skewed based on a population’s willingness to engage with government agencies. Whenever possible, it is important to verify and augment Census samples with community-centered data collection efforts.

For more information on the number of residents in Portland, please visit PORTLAND’S POPULATION: Number of residents in the city of Portland

For more information on local and national demographics, history and related trends, please visit:

• Portland Housing Bureau’s State of Housing report
• Portland Civic Life’s Neighborhood Profiles
• National Equity Atlas
• US Census Bureau data
• History of Racist Planning in Portland
• "Black in Oregon: a National and Oregon Chronology of Events," Oregon Secretary of State
• "A Hidden History: The Stories and Struggles of Oregon's African Americans" by Walidah Imarisha