Portland's “5 Quadrants”

Having 5 quadrants of anything seems like a bit of a misnomer, but the ever-quirky Portland has managed to embed that phrase into the local lexicon. Portland is divided into 5 main sections: North, Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest. Below is  a brief discussion of the boundaries and qualities of the respective sections.

North Portland: North Portland is a roughly triangular region that extends westward from Williams Ave to the Willamette River, northward to the Columbia River, and south to roughly where Williams Ave reaches the Willamette. This region is generally a more affordable section of Portland, with lower housing prices and rents, but still features a good selection of restaurants, shopping, and public transportation. North Portland is especially notable for its wetlands, its extensive selection of parks, and for containing the University of Portland within its boundaries.

Northeast Portland: Northeast Portland extends eastward from the aforementioned Williams Ave all the way to Gresham (a suburb roughly 200 city blocks east), north to the Columbia River, and South to Burnside St. NE Portland features an eclectic mix of neighborhoods and housing stock: Irvington and Alameda are two neighborhoods with some of the oldest, grandest, and most expensive houses in Portland, while going further north to Alberta will lead to a vibrant, bustling commercial district, and moving further east will reveal more affordable neighborhoods.

Southeast Portland: Southeast Portland extends from the Willamette River eastward to Gresham, and southward from Burnside St to SE Sherrett and Clatsop Street. Southeast Portland contains much of what has come to typify “Portland” to the outside eye as of late, with colorful and eclectic housing stock, locally-sourced restaurants and cafes, food carts, and farmers' markets. Beyond this, though, SE Portland contains its fair share of shopping options and a host of walkable neighborhoods and solid schools. Important Note: some residents of SE and NE Portland argue that, once you travel east of 82^nd Ave, the division between NE and SE should cease and it should simply be labeled “East Portland.” It's hard to argue the point, as the city sharply changes once one passes 82^nd Ave and especially Interstate 205. However, that's yet to become a formal designation.

Northwest Portland: Northwest Portland extends from Burnside St northward to roughly Newberry Rd, and westward from the Willamette River to roughly Skyline Blvd (the border is a fairly jagged line). NW Portland contains Chinatown, the Pearl District, and the Alphabet district, all of which can be considered part of Portland's Downtown; however, the region itself is bisected by Forest Park, Portland's enormous city park filled with hiking and cycling trails. The west side of Forest Park features rolling hills, newer subdivisions, and some older midcentury homes on larger lots.

Southwest Portland: Southwest Portland extends from the Willamette River to Beaverton, a suburb west of Portland that begins, roughly, at 65^th Ave, and from Burnside St southward to Lake Oswego, another suburb that begins south of Stephenson Rd and lacks a tangible boundary. SW Portland features much of Portland's downtown and has a more textured topography with many quiet, higher-end residential neighborhoods. This section of Portland is much less walkable than the flatter East Side but contains a quality housing stock and strong schools.