Washington County, Oregon

County seat: Hillsboro · Portland Metro region · 16 incorporated cities

Quick Facts

County seatHillsboro
RegionPortland Metro
Population (2020 Census)611,708
Land & water area724 sq mi
Population density844.9 people per sq mi
Established1843
Formed fromOne of the original four districts of the Oregon Country (as Twality District)
Name originNamed for President George Washington.
Incorporated cities16
Main electric utilityPortland General Electric
FIPS code41067
Official county websitewashingtoncountyor.gov

About Washington County

Washington County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon and part of the Portland metropolitan area. The 2020 census recorded the population as 600,372, making it the second most populous county in the state and the most populous "Washington County" in the United States. Hillsboro is the county seat and largest city, while other major cities include Beaverton, Tigard, Cornelius, Banks, Gaston, Sherwood, North Plains, and Forest Grove, the county's oldest city. Originally named Twality when created in 1843, the Oregon Territorial Legislature renamed it for the nation's first president in 1849 and included the entire northwest corner of Oregon before new counties were created in 1854. The Tualatin River and its drainage basin lie almost entirely within the county, which shares its boundaries with the Tualatin Valley. It is bordered on the west and north by the Northern Oregon Coast Range, on the south by the Chehalem Mountains, and on the north and east by the Tualatin Mountains, or West Hills.

Major roads include sections of Interstate 5 and 205, the Sunset Highway, Oregon Route 217, 47, 10, 6 and 8. Public transportation is primarily operated by TriMet and includes buses, the Westside Express Service commuter rail, and MAX Light Rail. Other transportation includes air travel at Hillsboro Airport, private airfields and heliports, and heavy rail cargo on rail lines.

Source: adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Washington County, Oregon
Image: Wikimedia Commons (see file page for author and license)

Cities in Washington County

CityPopulation (2020)Incorporated
Portland652,5031851
Hillsboro ★106,4471876
Beaverton97,4941893
Tigard54,5391961
Lake Oswego40,7321910
Tualatin27,9421913
Wilsonville26,6641969
Forest Grove26,2251872
Sherwood20,4501893
Cornelius12,6941893
King City5,1841966
North Plains3,4411963
Durham1,9441966
Banks1,8371921
Gaston6761911
Rivergrove5451971

★ county seat. Cities that span more than one county are listed in each.

Official & Helpful Links

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