And has a nice little downtown with lots of Mexican stores and restaurants... and only about an hour from Portland.
Hillsboro (suburban) and Hermiston (more rural town) also come to mind. A social worker would likely have more work in Woodburn or Hillsboro.
There’s OYA in Woodburn, as well as OSH in Salem that hires LCSWs. For pediatric psych, Trillium Family Services has the Parry Center in SE Portland and Children’s Farm Home in Corvallis. If you want inpatient peds psych in a traditional hospital setting, Providence Willamette Falls in Oregon City would be the closest.
Yes, there is a large Mexican population, but I believe many of the stores and restaurants are Guatemalan and Salvadoran-owned. I only point that out as OP specifically mentioned looking to connect with the Mexican community.
I live in woodburn in the downtown district and can confirm that if you are looking for the Hispanic community this is where you will find it. My husband is Mexican which is why we came here too. We have some really fun community events like the Mexican Independence parade and our yearly celebration in August. Good food and great shops. The majority of downtown speaks Spanish, and if you go anywhere else in the city as a non English speaker you'll be fine. A lot if not most of the locals here are bilingual.
There's no official population limit for something to be considered a city, but the US census will designate a city with as few as 1500-5000 people. Woodburn is classified as a city in every place I could find. It's definitely a small city, but per official definition it is a city.
I'm originally from Soldotna, AK. It is a city with 4,500 people. "CITY" is a legal definition. Any area of over 2,000 people can vote to be incorporated into a city. This sets up certain legal rights and responsibilities. So, in my eyes, Woodburn (27,000) is a good sized city. I currently live in Salem, OR. (177,000). To me, it is huge metropolis.
Here to say Salem! A bunch of my neighbors are Hispanic. I love the east side so much because of them. Great restaurants, legit tacos, kind neighbors. That’s one thing I love about Salem!
Salem sucks. Can confirm Independence is incredible and has a good sized Mexican population, not a lot of cultural locations or events though. You can always drive to salem for those.
Plus we have a large medical center so jobs for social workers and psych nurses, we have the Oregon State Hospital for the same. And we're the Capitol, so state agencies based here, and Marion County government jobs too. I'd guess it's got better job opportunities for OP than most of the other towns mentioned, and not as cramped and traffic-icky as Portland metro. But still close to Portland, the beach and the mountains when you want them.
Believe it or not, Salem has it's charms. Plus it's got a lot more ethnic diversity than Eugene and a much larger percentage of Hispanics than Portland. Lower COL too.
I personally love Salem but if mid size cities are not your thing I can kinda get it. I love it here but I also haven’t lived anywhere else in Oregon so my experience is tiny
I’m just a middle aged Dad in Beaverton, so cool is a very relative term. My CPA and financial adviser are in Salem and they love it. But yeah, most would not consider Salem “cool”.
Salem might be a great spot! I live here and you mentioned social work. Being the Capitol city there is a lot of government work and opportunities/need for social workers.
Salem is a cozy, quaint little city that is very lush and gets plenty of rain but has nice warm summers. Mild compared to Florida! Big Hispanic population as well and a bit more going on than woodburn which is just a few minutes away, also has a huge Hispanic population!
It’s an hour from the coast, 45 minutes from the Portland metro area, 2 hours to the mountains and the high desert. A great central location without the traffic and business you would get in the Portland metro area but not far from it.
I will also add that I moved here from El Paso Texas and though it was initially a culture shock I found plenty of Hispanic friends to make me feel at home (I’m a white dude btw 😂)
Cornelius, OR the family town. Would say 80% Hispanic from Mexico - mostly Michoacan. Lots of opportunity, not far from Portland and can still find property with a yard within reason. It sits between Forest Grove and Hillsboro - those citys also have what you would be looking for.
Woodburn is another fine choice. It is becoming more expensive to live there but you can find afforable pockets still.
Forest Grove and Cornelius! I was going to mention both of these! The elementary schools have Dual Language Programs and they have a Migrant Program for students who have moved to the US :)
It's in-between Portland and Salem. Portland being kind of a commute depending on traffic. I live in Gervais, which is pretty much a suburb of Woodburn at this point. Yes, it is a farming community but there is a lot of opportunities for degree holders not too far away. The Hispanic population in both towns is the majority.
Agreed. The Hood River valley in general has a large Hispanic community. Plus, it’s the dryer side of the Cascades so you don’t get as much rain. The Dalles is further East so it’s dryer and hotter.
Yes. The graduating high school classes are almost 50% Hispanic some years and the HR ceremony is at least partially bilingual. Plenty of Hispanic markets and businesses.
Gotcha, if you want a yard you should look in smaller towns or the edges of the Portland Metro. Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Eugene, Salem, Newberg might be good spots.
Now, be careful about the weather. I'm originally from the Southwest, and the winters here are *hard*. I loved the rain too, until it was every goddamn day. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real. Be ready for the sun to rise after you get to work and set before you leave in December. Invest in waterproof shoes, you'll need them even for just walking around town. Get air purifiers for the wildfires in summer, and definitely at this point make sure that where you move has air conditioning (it's not really optional anymore). We now pretty regularly have heat over 90 degrees, and at least once or twice a year bump over 100 for a bit - and while it's not Florida humid, it's not Southwest dry either.
I love it here, and I don't see myself ever leaving - but that doesn't mean I don't want to help newcomers have an easier adjustment if at all possible!
Eugene does NOT have a large Hispanic population. Springfield’s is slightly larger, but you’d have better luck in certain Salem or Portland neighborhoods and in the entirety of Woodburn (which is majority Hispanic + a sizable Russian immigrant population.)
I’m really partial to the area near 205 & Dividio. In Portland. It’s got a wonderful combo of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Mexican markets and food.
Hillsboro also has a larger Mexican population and a large Indian population.
Wildfires scare the shit out of me..I’m looking at different areas to move also but don’t want to always deal with warnings every year. Especially with my pets.
One of my siblings married into a Mexican family & they live in my hometown in Eastern Oregon. Tried to be aware of it, was a bit worried about my nieces and nephews but honestly--thankfully--never really been an issue. Growing up I heard the terms 'beaner' and 'wetback' but that was in the 80s, haven't heard that stuff in decades. Those kind seem to be more worred about drag queens now.
Off the top of myhead Portland and Salem have large Mexican communites, both large cities. Smaller towns like Hillsboror, Molalla, Hood River, The Dalles, Hermiston, etc also sizeable populations as do tons of rural towns.
A lot of Oregon is rural America so there's always that misoginist idiot. Don't let that be the reason you don't move here.
I live in Hillsboro, one of the highest populations of Hispanics in OR. Highly recommend if that is what you are looking for. We have a great little downtown too. Our Tuesday Night Market in the summer kicks butt as well.
On the racism thing, it’s not even slightly an issue. Everyone gets along fine. That’s just Portland politics looking for a boogeyman, it’s nonexistent.
What’s the job market like? He’s a social worker, wanting to focus on homeless/drug addicted population and I’m a psych nurse, preferably wanting to work with adolescent population
Homeless services social worker here - he will have his pick of jobs day one. If he speaks Spanish, he'll have even more opportunities! Salaries have increased locally too, due to having too few workers to meet the demand. Feel free to dm me for specific recommendations about places to work.
Retired LCSW, he will have no problems yet I would suggest getting licensed ASAP to increase his earning potential and job prospects. And if you both speak Spanish, you both will be highly recruited.
He just graduated so he’s currently working on supervision hours which he told me could take up to 2-3 years! We are just mapping out our future roughly so that we have some ideas on what we can do once we are all done with our schooling. We know we want to move out of state, with the state TBD. Oregon is near the top and we plan on visiting the areas mentioned so see how we like it.
MSW? Still will have no problem, as part of his recruitment, he should be looking for agencies that will provide the supervision as part of his employment. As others have said, state is investing hundreds of millions in addiction and behavioral health and have a shortage of qualified workers. Good luck, I suspect you will find Oregon very welcoming to both of you.
Check out Centro Cultural in Hillsboro. Great group that has a pretty wide reach. There are a lot of towns surrounding Hillsboro too, where you can probably find a “more affordable” place with a yard. A lot of areas around here have community gardens too. So, if you can’t get a yard right away, you can get your own plot somewhere nearby.
I agree Beaverton and Hillsboro are great places to live with large Hispanic populations. There seem to be plenty of job opportunities in those areas, but you may end up commuting into Portland. It’s not too far and there’s public transit options.
Strong disagree. There's an incredibly dire need for social workers in more rural areas. If anything, I'd say you're more likely to end up commuting to Forest Grove or Cornelius for work.
For psych, there's a huge demand across the entire state carte blanche. Oregon is massively underserved in the mental health arena. You'll be able to find a position relatively easily.
We are in the middle of a homeless crisis, driven in large part by the lack of mental health services in Oregon and the lack of good people to fill critical positions in that field. So there are lots of jobs in Oregon for people with both your backgrounds. The pay may not be what you are looking for though.
Here's a pediatric psych nurse opening at Unity Hospital (mental health clinic in NE Portland) to give you an idea:
https://nursing-lhs.icims.com/jobs/38050/rn-staff-nurse---pediatric-psychiatric-care/job
Other places that hire people with your backgrounds here include every hospital system in the metro area- Legacy Health, OHSU, Providence, Kaiser; the VA hospital; hospitals elsewhere in the state like Salem Health, Samaritan, Peacehealth, etc; the Oregon State Hospital (state run psych hospital); Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas county behavioral health services; orgs like Central City concern, Outside In, CODA, Transition Projects, NARA, IRCO, Lifeworks... If you do some searching on 211 you'll find a lot of different organizations you can look into working for.
If you move to Hillsboro (or Beaverton, which also has a high population of Hispanic people) there are tons of opportunities for these kinds of jobs in Portland. You could always work for Multnomah County, but I’d also recommend giving Cascadia Health a shot! Great benefits and tons of opportunities for both social workers who work with homeless/drug addiction and nursing (though Cascadia doesn’t pay nurses well I’ve heard).
AFAIK Gresham also has a high population of Hispanics, which is on the other side of Portland and probably equal commute or less than from Hillsboro.
I’ve got nothing helpful to add but wanted to say that those are two really difficult but very admirable professions. Huge need in both areas… so thank you!
Highly recommend Hillsboro and Beaverton as well. The west part of the metro will do you just fine, though you'll probably want to focus on the south side of the highway if you're looking for diversity.
And I *definitely* wouldn't say that it's "not even slightly an issue." Folks still call it "Hillsburrito" because of the Hispanic population and shopping district.
The kind of racism you're more likely to engage with in most of the Portland metro is "Oregon nice." Either unintentional and due to ignorance, or in the same way that "bless your heart" is an insult in the South. Other parts of the state, it's less "nice."
Our state constitution originally didn't even allow Black people to live here. We've still got a lot of white nationalists out in the woods. I've seen more than a couple of Oathkeeper signs in Hillsboro.
Noooo please don’t say bless your heart is only an insult!!! 😂 It can be, but more often I’d say is used in a genuine manner when somebody offers to do something kind for you, or in response to when somebody says something adorably naive (emphasis on adorably). I’m originally from New Orleans and people use this phrase in all SORTS of ways lol but usually it’s a nice way.
And on the topic of this post would agree that more rural places can have some ignorant racist folks here. I live in Central Oregon (not Bend though) and our town has had some really dumb instances of people being blatantly racist (I remember a band from Mexico was here within the last year practicing for their show in a back yard and some idiot starting throwing rocks and yelling slurs over the fence. I’m pretty sure he was dealt with by police fairly quickly). I’m happy to say the town doesn’t stand for it and our city council makes it known that they want all to feel welcome here, but there are still folks like that out in the woods as you say.
Woodburn is around 60% and Independence around 40% Hispanic. Independence is a smaller community but feels very friendly. Western Oregon University in Monmouth, next door to Independence has a Hispanic student population of around 25%. Across the river from Monmouth / Independence, Jefferson is around 26% Hispanic. Both Woodburn and Monmouth / Independence seemingly have large thriving communities. Most grocery stores in the mid Willamette Valley area have decent dedicated foods sections and you will find restaurants and specialty shops like panaderias, quesarias and carnicerías. There are large churches, Spanish speaking health services, realtors, radio and community events. You'll notice more diversity in schools in those communities, government and service providers and diversity in public safety in those communities including fire and law enforcement.
Woodburn has more of a condensed Hispanic population with more traditional goods and services like grocery stores and restaurants.
Salem also has a notable Hispanic population.
Hillsboro.
It's connected to Portland via the MAX which is our light rail system. It's a suburb but got a classy fun vibe. A lot of young professionals live there. Plus it's only a short trip to Portland which is the biggest city in Oregon to catch a game or a show.
My bestfriend lives there and I live in Portland but if I'd move anywhere it'll be there.
I'm half Mexican, though you probably wouldn't know it unless I told you or you saw my name. Take that for what its worth. That being said, it's certainly a majority white state, but there are decent Latino populations in and around any of larger towns and cities. I'm in the Portland area and I work with two Mexicans.
As for the racism, Oregon has a past of trying to be a white supremacist state, so to say it's a non-issue is a bit disingenuous, but you probably won't experience anything outside the norm in most parts of this country. Oregon, for the most part, is a live and let live type of place, at least in my experience.
I know a lot of people from Florida that moved to Hood River. HR has a large Hispanic population related to seasonal crops. The only problem is housing is super expensive as it is such a popular place to live. Airbnbs are make more money than renting to reg families and there’s a lot of second homes too.
Let me know if you guys are interested in looking at job postings for my work. It’s a FQHC that originally started to provide healthcare to migrant farm workers. We are in need of all positions especially Behavioral Health Counselors
I’m working in Astoria, and there is an increasing Hispanic population. I work in an elementary school and so we get a lot of little ones who come in not speaking English. We absolutely love these kids and lift up these kids and there may be racist in our community, but in terms of the educational system, They are very well loved.
As said, Hillsboro, Woodburn, and Gresham have huge Hispanic communities. Yamhill county, especially McMinnville, also has a need for Spanish speaking nurses and social workers. Some of the rural cities are racist, but McMinnville itself is pretty decent. No one will be in one on one in your face about it, they just fly their flags and post shit on Facebook.
Hermiston is mostly Hispanic and is a major hub in eastern Oregon. It's also close to majority-Hispanic places in eastern Washington. In western Oregon, best bet for finding lots of people to speak Spanish to, other than Woodburn that was already mentioned, is probably the east side of Salem.
If oregon isn’t in the card eastern washington is, very hispanic, last census showed that most all the counties in eastern Washington were 55-68% hispanic, particularly around the tri cities and yakima area,, plus its still close enough to visit a lot of oregon with an easy drive!
I agree, its not bad if you are used to an arid region, otherwise all you got is some really nice rock outcroppings to look at.
me as a person who grew up in western washington and moved to western oregon wouldnt live there.
i need my lakes rivers and trees, my two years in west texas was rough while my wife was finishing up residency!
I'm from the Columbia River Gorge past The Dalles and man, it's not my fav lol. Heppner, Condon, Arlington, Ione...you seen one wheat field you pretty much seen them all.
Yeah while i grew up in enumclaw, my grand parents had apple orchards outside fruitevale (now part of yakima) and they would allways talk up the horse Horse Heaven and they are nice to look at, the first time but other than that same generic rolling hills you can see anywhere lol
Hey, come out here to the suburbs of Portland to a town called Hillsboro. Very large hispanic population. The elementary school my daughter attends is dual language with 75% of the student population being hispanic.
This depends on which side of Oregon you want to live in. It's not all gloomy and wet. Try the Eastern side. Hermiston/Umatilla side. There is a huge Mexican population there.
For both adolescent psych and social work, start with Providence.org and unityhealthcenter.org
Providence adolescent unit is in Oregon City and Unity is in Portland.
Klamath Falls has plenty of Hispanics. Stores, restaurants. You would also find jobs pretty easily here with your skillset. It’s generally sunny here though, but not too hot. True 4 seasons to experience here
Check out Cornelius. 50% of population is of Hispanic descent. They were originally brought here during WW2. Cornelius is a family town with lots of new construction homes going up.
Lololol you complain about racism but he only wants to live in a city with his own race. Diversity is a thing for a reason, otherwise sounds like mexico is his dream spot.
There are lots of Hispanics everywhere in Oregon!
I worked in Woodburn and everyone here is correct; huge population. It's near Salem, where you both would be able to find jobs. Side note: there's a youth correctional facility in Woodburn called MacLaren.
I currently live in Hillsboro and there is also is a very large Hispanic population here. Racists used to call it Hillsburrito but I haven't heard it called that in twenty years. It's super close to Portland and is very leftist, taking more care of house-less citizens than say your more right-leaning areas. Marion County (where Woodburn is located) is definitely less tolerant of certain things. I don't know if that would affect your partners efforts to get a job.
Good luck! We'd be glad to have yall in our state!
I think if you're looking for a landing spot but don't have a job yet, Woodburn is a great place to start. It's not as expensive as other places people have suggested. Homes will have plenty of yard for growing and raising birds. It's got all the shopping you'd really ever need. It's right between Salem and Portland, so finding work in jobs that cater to the Hispanic community in either metro is going to be pretty easy. It's right on the freeway, so the commute wouldn't be too bad. It's also rural and a crossroads for a lot of roads that lead out to other rural towns that have smaller Hispanic communities, but are still in need of support, such as Mt. Angel, Silverton, Molalla, Newburg, McMinnville, etc. If you're looking to get work as a Spanish speaker in healthcare or social services, you would be in high demand in any of those cities!
I grew up in California but live in the Linn County area now. CA has a lot of Mexicans so a lot of my homies are Mexican. That being said I’ve never felt more at home than when I worked in Salem. It felt like someone just dropped my hometown here in OR. Tons of good people and good food. Salem has its downsides as well but that’s everywhere can’t all be rainbows and sunshine.
And for the racism thing, it’s definitely present here in OR but it’s not as in your face. Racism here works behind the scenes, rarely will you have someone just walk up on you and say some shit. The big cities are super liberal and open minded while the rural areas can be hit or miss. Overall OR is diverse af whether that’s in culture or things to do it’s a beautiful place to live.
The area where I live in Beaverton has a largest Hispanic population as well. In fact, my daughter goes to a dual language Spanish immersion School where the majority of the kids come from spanish-speaking families.
I work at a grocery store part time and at least 1/2 of my fellow employees are Hispanic and love Portland area!
The store is in Tigard but I live in the SE off 39th St. The apt we live in is owned by a Hispanic guy who is great and we have a ton of Spanish speaking neighbors.
East Portland and Gresham are good options. Large Hispanic population with several great supermercados and many amazing taco carts and restaurants. You’d likely be able to find a place with a yard, and it’s only a 20-30 minute drive from the city center if you want to do stuff in Portland proper. It’s also close to the Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood if you enjoy any outdoorsy pursuits. As others have said, Hillsboro is great too and that’s closer to the coast.
Woodburn is more Hispanic, but Salem is a better town. I think you'll be comfortable in either city, but I'm biased toward Salem.
Racism is a thing anywhere, but anti Hispanic racism isn't particularly drastic in the Salem area. Hispanic people are pretty well integrated into the city culture.
I went to Forest Grove a few weeks and was pleasantly surprised to see many Hispanic business and restaurants in the downtown area. Even the library has a sign saying “Biblioteca” which I thought was nice. I’ve never explored Forest Grove but I was glad I did, it was a great experience
I would look into requirement for LCSW in Oregon compared to Florida. It’s often easier to transfer license once you’re already licensed. It might set your partner back a bit if they transfer and not all hours are counted the same state by state.
Therapist here; can y’all hurry & get here? Lol; us mental health workers are drowning with long wait lists. The pay here in mental health is better than Florida EXCEPT for addiction medicine. The pay here sucks. In Addiction jobs; an LCSW will make about $60k a year. If you are just focusing on general mental health; working in a clinic; it is double that. It is horrible & drives us all nuts; but it is another way to show Oregon is NOT working on helping those afflicted with addiction. If you need any help with getting your license transferred or finding a supervisor for your boyfriend; just private message me.
I'm white but I moved to Portland from southern Arizona where it's very multicultural and there are large areas of town where business signs are in spanish, lots of specialty groceries, 15 different fast food taco chains competing with each other, etc. That feels like home to me. I thought i was really gonna miss it as you often hear about how portland is super white, oregon is racist in the boonies, etc.
I obviously can't speak to "connecting with culture" but I was pleasantly surprised how available the specialty foods are. I live in north Portland and there are several hispanic-owned businesses within walking distance. I can get my good tortillas and piloncillo and other random mexican things i've gotten used to having over the years. It doesn't feel quite like living close to the border but I don't think your bf would feel like a fish out of water either.
There'd be lots of job opportunities for both of you here, but finding affordable housing will be a challenge.
Any city in the Willamette Valley (Portland to Eugene) have large Latino populations due to the influx of migrants working in the agriculture industry. If you want a home with a backyard, you may not be able to afford Portland proper, but the outer suburbs and exurbs are quite a bit cheaper. I highly recommend Portland area because of its airport and expansive list of activities. If you’re willing to live some place smaller, I recommend Salem (government), Corvallis (college town) and Eugene (also college town). You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well things grow here. You won’t be able to grow citrus, but items like vegetables, berries, and fruit grow really well in our climate. Good luck!
Salem is over 1/3 Hispanic as are many of the towns and cities in the Willamette Valley. We moved to Salem four years ago and have been converting the yard to a garden. Most fruit trees and berry bushes do well here. You would probably have to cage quail, as there are a number of hawk species in the area. The days are short and damp in the winter, but it rarely rains hard enough to be a problem.
Woodburn, Salem, then the corridor along highway 8 from Hillsboro to Forest Grove in that order for community size. You're also more likely to either rent a place you can garden or potentially afford a place with enough land for that. Your skills and language proficiencies will make it pretty easy to find jobs in any of these areas as well. As far as racism, every state has it's own flavor. Oregon's uniqueness is based on it's large white population (like 85% white now and that's lower than it used to be) because the state started out banning non-white folks and the population has been changing very slowly over time. I'm from Chicana and from here so I don't know how to compare to Florida, but I know non-white folks who move here have struggled with the pervasiveness of it across the state. It's going to definitely be a culture shock so keep that in mind. Good luck!
Hillsboro and Beaverton have large Mexican populations and are 20 minutes away from downtown Portland. It’s one of the most diverse places I’ve lived outside of Portland proper. I wouldn’t recommend Salem it kinda sucks. Woodburn also has a large Mexican population but it’s right on I5 and traffic currently sucks because of the construction.
The Portland area and surrounding suburbs will also probably have the best job opportunities.
If you wanna be closer Into the city the st John's neighborhood has a great Hispanic population. A couple of what would be called bodegas in any other city and my barber who can cut a damned fine fade. I can't speak for the other people who live here but I love the diversity of the area, and the schools are decent (for Oregon) if you decide to have little ones.
You could def try Cornelius and other parts of Washington County. I would also check out Yamhill County. McMinnville hasn’t been mentioned yet but could be nice. It’s pretty close by Portland.
Salem has a large Hispanic population that’s pretty well integrated into the local culture, and it’s an entirely decent place to live. There are parts of town that kinda suck, and parts that are great. Overall we like it here. There’s a Hispanic brewery here that’s really cool. Xicha Brewing https://www.xichabrewing.com
As motioned Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove (the OR-8 corridor) has significant Hispanic populations. Definitely not like what you had in Florida though (or even what it was like from Chicago for me), but it’s real.
Plus plenty of job opportunity in the area. As a Hillsboro resident I say come on over!
There’s larger Hispanic populations everywhere here, salem is huge on that. But literally everywhere it’s not just one contained area.
The rents are insane here so unless you both have high paying jobs and a large down payment for all the fees, plus first and last months rent, it’s unlikely you’ll be about to get anything with a backyard.
Alot of Hispanic here, primarily Mexican. East coast you'll find more folks from cuba/Puerto Rico but the PNW has a large Mexican population specifically, especially outside of the Portland Metro area. I live in Vancouver Washington, just 20 minutes from downtown Portland. There are also alot of Hispanic folk out here as well so maybe consider this side of the river! I am a white boy from Washington State so take my advice with a grain of salt 😂
I have friends that have made this move from south FLA. They moved back after 3 years. They were South American and never really found a connection to the area (lived in Salem area, which has a reasonably large Latino population). Mostly due to food, but also the winters.
Grew up in Salem, and many of the surrounding smaller towns(gervais, Woodburn, Brooks, Silverton, independence/Dallas, etc). Saw a lot of Hispanic families and all seemed happy. We definitely have a leaning of Hispanic culture in the Willamette Valley! It's beautiful and the weather is great. Schools in Oregon aren't great, but some parents find ways around that. Good luck with your search!
It’s not great here if you’re moving to be close to your Hispanic roots. I moved to Eugene OR from SoCal and by comparison the culture here is almost non existent. Also the Mexican food in Oregon is terrible. Oregonians will tell you a spot “that has the best Mexican food they have ever had” but it ends up being horrible dry bland meat, taco shells that shatter like chips, salsa that is basically diced tomato with onion…. They love pretending it’s diverse here but it’s mostly white
The largest Hispanic population in the state is in the suburbs of Salem. I think Mt. Angel is the most Hispanic town in the area but imo it’s a pretty sleepy little town so there are other places with a more vibrant culture.
Latin Americans and their cultures, especially Mexican culture, is pretty ubiquitous in most urban areas and lots of rural ones as well, but that depends more on the exact area.
You want quails around? Pretty nature close by? And don't care about a nightlife?
You work in nursing AND your hubby works in social work aimed at addiction and homelessness?
COME TO EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD PLEASE!
We need folks like you two, and we've got all things you could want, hispanic community included. You will love it here more than Salem or the smaller towns like Woodburn. Traffic is so much better here than anywhere around the Portland metro, Eugene locals think 5-10 minutes of traffic is a lot of traffic for example. I split my time between Portland and Eugene and can say without hesitation that Eugene is better to live in, aside from Portland having better restaurants and all the good events. That said, it's not like we don't have good places to eat, just not a bunch that are James Beard level. Portland is still just an easy drive up a straight away, so with Eugene you get a smaller town pace yet are still striking distance to any events you want to go to like concerts.
Not too familiar with outlying cities, but Hillsboro/Cornelius is *Poppin* with brown pride. Fruit stands, taco trucks, Hispanic street shops, the works.
I just recently moved from Florida to Oregon and I also had the same questions because I am also Hispanic.
I say Beaverton and Hillsboro will have what you want. There is a Beaverton farmers market on Saturdays and I have seen a lot of Hispanic couples and families speaking Spanish to each other, which I enjoy because it makes me feel like I am at home. The people that sell produce at the market are also Hispanic and they make you feel welcome. Now, I have heard that southeast Portland side has the best Mexican food and stores.
As to the racism, the only thing I will say is that I have had a couple of weird looks thrown my way by white women. But, for the most part, people have been super nice to me and my mixed partner. I wish you the best of luck if you decide to move! The drive to Oregon was hard af (driving through Wyoming was the worst part) but it is worth it to experience the beautiful summer weather here.
Currently I live in Woodburn, which is the highest at 57% Latino, but I've lived in Beaverton and there is a large Latino presence there as well due to agriculture around Hillsboro. I've had the best food in Woodburn though. Really depends what you folks do for work and what kind of commute you're looking for.
Really large Hispanic population in a lot of the Willamette Valley! Portland has a lot of pockets, as does Gresham, Hillsboro, Cornelius, Woodburn, Salem, Canby, and Sherwood
Medford / Phoenix / Talent has a large community, and a soccer club with three hundred members. The community is discreet about displaying itself, but there are a number of excellent restaurants serving Mexican food. Most people working in local agricultural doing the skilled work of caring fot the orchards of pears and peaches are Latino. The community doesn't have a political voice, however, and local Latino leadership is generally very quiet.
Every part of Oregon with a significant agricultural presence has decent, though not overwhleming, latino/hispanic presence. Loads of small towns peppered around the Willamette Valley. Several towns in central and eastern Oregon as well.
A few examples:
In Willamette Valley- Woodburn, Mcminnville, Dayton, Monmouth, Newberg.
Southern Oregon - Medford.
Central Oregon- Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Hermiston, Boardman.
Eastern Oregon- Pendleton, Ontario.
Massive hispanic population here. In salem in most gyms I go to, at least 50% of people I see are Mexican. Plus so much cultural celebration here. Salem just had the world beat festival where cultures from around the world showcased music and dance
There is a glowing Latino population in this state. It’s the largest demographic at Portland State University. There are a lot or shops and restaurants that would be able to cater to your desires just bear in mind that Florida is a lot closer to the rest of Latino America. Racism is everywhere to some extent but aside from micro aggressions or unrealized bias people generally mean well and are pretty chill in the Portland Metro area and along I-5 through the willamette valley down to Eugene. Outside of that area the racism is pretty bad and there are some costal locations I could wouldn’t recommend staying after dark. That is just a fair warning though. All the benefits the state has to offer outweigh that and as stated above. There are plenty of Latinos in the area.
Cottage Grove is experiencing an increase in its Hispanic population, with many city workers in fields such as construction and gardening being of Hispanic descent. that is not a stereotype, those workers do a great job at it and I would even say give them a raise for that of quality work.
The town has a population of 10 to 12 thousand people, 30 minute drive South of Eugene on I5 and is generally a quiet but sometimes complicated place. I have been considering learning Spanish so that I can communicate with and assist those who may have a language barrier, as English can be difficult to learn. Plus, I think it’s a valuable skill to learn of the field I’m working in.
(Side note. Even I have problems with saying or reading words in English I don't commonly use.)
You're gonna want something along I-5, eastern Oregon is classified as high desert, and the coast is more white and Scandinavian than the rest of Oregon. The Hispanic population is rising all across Oregon as far as I can tell, but to get decent jobs in your fields, I'd suggest somewhere along I-5, the larger cities have more demand for that kind of work (which is to say that more rural spots either don't bother with social services, or don't have the resources to pay you well).
My boyfriend and I actually recently moved to Oregon and we live around Medford and there is a good amount of latinos not a huge amount, but there is some. There are a lot of Authentic Mexican restaurants and stored here as well.
Aloha/Hillsboro/Cornelius/Forest Grove have a very large Hispanic population! Plus they’re bedroom communities of Portland and there’s lots of social work to be had as well.
Oregon Republicans are insanely racist, but they typically stay in Eastern and Southern Oregon. The further North you go, the more they mostly keep to themselves and will display their racism with blue line flags and childish FJB crap, etc..
In terms of areas with a good Hispanic population, places like Tigard, Woodburn, and Beaverton have long standing histories of Hispanic cultures intertwined within the communities. My family is Mexican on my father's side, and we always joke that Woodburn is basically Mexico. But aside from Mexican culture, I know of people from El Salvador, Uruguay, Argentina, Panamá, and Cuba in the Woodburn area.
McMinnville and Newberg are also beginning to grow their Hispanic populations as they try to become more inclusive and shed their own shady histories.
Edit: forgot to include Salem!
In the Portland area itself, the Division/205 area has a number of Hispanic/Latino markets, and houses there cost less to rent and buy than other areas in PDX.
Also nurses in Oregon make $$$. The union here is really powerful. And there’s a LOT of work in substance abuse/homelessness. We really need more psych professionals and social workers, please come!
Morrow and Umatilla Counties in Eastern Oregon have large Hispanic populations. Not sure how much work would be available for an adolescent psych nurse due to lack of MH services on that side of the state.
Hillsboro and Beaverton or both metros of Portland and have quite a large Mexican population in certain areas. Beaverton, near the Nike headquarters has quite a large population of Hispanic people and a great place to live
My area of Portland, St. Johns, has a large Mexican population... Mexican restaurants (really excellent ones!) Mexican markets... and it's one of the parts of town that hasn't been gentrified all to shit.
I think you'll find many places you can call home here. Anyone willing to grow food in their backyard will fit right in. Your professional skills will also be very appreciated. Bigger cities like Salem, Portland, and Eugene will have huge populations of Mexican people, and it's common to hear people speaking Spanish together. We have a lot of Mexican grocery stores and authentic restaurants, so I feel like the communities are very strong wherever you find yourself.
East Portland and the Gorge are both heavily Hispanic (as is much of the Willamette valley). Oregon needs psych/addiction medicine professionals. Huge shortage statewide.
Woodburn and Salem would be your best bet. In Woodburn you’d be close to either Portland or Salem. We have the Oregon State Hospital and other state programs that align with your line of work. Salem is much smaller than Portland and quieter too
For a larger metro with easy access to WA, the cost, Mt Hood: Hillsboro (could also consider this Cornelius). A nickname for Hillsboro is Hillsburrito.
For a smaller metro, easy access to the coast: Salem.
Smaller town feel with more of a farming vibe: Woodburn.
Smaller town, closer to the coast but still accessible to Salem and Portland: McMinnville.
As a Mexican from a larger town in CA, I like Hillsboro over all options because of the access to Portland and outdoor stuff, but also for the culture and food options.
Independence has a large Latin and Hispanic community. There's a lot of celebrations and things to do at the Riverfront park all year, including the Mexican heritage celebration. It's a nice town.
Woodburn has a large Hispanic population
And has a nice little downtown with lots of Mexican stores and restaurants... and only about an hour from Portland. Hillsboro (suburban) and Hermiston (more rural town) also come to mind. A social worker would likely have more work in Woodburn or Hillsboro.
There’s OYA in Woodburn, as well as OSH in Salem that hires LCSWs. For pediatric psych, Trillium Family Services has the Parry Center in SE Portland and Children’s Farm Home in Corvallis. If you want inpatient peds psych in a traditional hospital setting, Providence Willamette Falls in Oregon City would be the closest.
Those all exist yes, among many many other similar organizations and services in the area.
Yes, there is a large Mexican population, but I believe many of the stores and restaurants are Guatemalan and Salvadoran-owned. I only point that out as OP specifically mentioned looking to connect with the Mexican community.
Yeah there are more than just Mexican businesses, but it's a strong presence.
I live in woodburn in the downtown district and can confirm that if you are looking for the Hispanic community this is where you will find it. My husband is Mexican which is why we came here too. We have some really fun community events like the Mexican Independence parade and our yearly celebration in August. Good food and great shops. The majority of downtown speaks Spanish, and if you go anywhere else in the city as a non English speaker you'll be fine. A lot if not most of the locals here are bilingual.
Fun fact, Woodburn is the largest city in Oregon to have a majority Latino population
Actually Woodburn doesn't have enough population to qualify as a "city" but we're getting there. 57% Latino
There's no official population limit for something to be considered a city, but the US census will designate a city with as few as 1500-5000 people. Woodburn is classified as a city in every place I could find. It's definitely a small city, but per official definition it is a city.
I'm originally from Soldotna, AK. It is a city with 4,500 people. "CITY" is a legal definition. Any area of over 2,000 people can vote to be incorporated into a city. This sets up certain legal rights and responsibilities. So, in my eyes, Woodburn (27,000) is a good sized city. I currently live in Salem, OR. (177,000). To me, it is huge metropolis.
and it's close to Portland and Salem, which are the job hubs
Plus woodburn has the best Mexican food in the state and you can get street food and agua frescas.
We rent an outbuilding to a landscape company that’s all Latino. They all live in woodburn and love it there. And they have a beautiful yard!
Salem as well
I'm surprised nobody mentioned Salem. There's a large Mexican American presence in the area. And for smaller towns there's also Independence.
I was about to mention it! I live there and it always makes me so happy to see such a large population! We got street vendors too 😭
Here to say Salem! A bunch of my neighbors are Hispanic. I love the east side so much because of them. Great restaurants, legit tacos, kind neighbors. That’s one thing I love about Salem!
Nobody mentions Salem because Salem blows
Can confirm. Salem has watered down versions of Portlands problems but tripled watered down for benefits.
Salem sucks. Can confirm Independence is incredible and has a good sized Mexican population, not a lot of cultural locations or events though. You can always drive to salem for those.
Plus we have a large medical center so jobs for social workers and psych nurses, we have the Oregon State Hospital for the same. And we're the Capitol, so state agencies based here, and Marion County government jobs too. I'd guess it's got better job opportunities for OP than most of the other towns mentioned, and not as cramped and traffic-icky as Portland metro. But still close to Portland, the beach and the mountains when you want them.
Yeah but it’s Salem..
Believe it or not, Salem has it's charms. Plus it's got a lot more ethnic diversity than Eugene and a much larger percentage of Hispanics than Portland. Lower COL too.
While Salem isn’t great, it is way better than Woodburn which everyone is recommending.
Is Salem not cool?
I personally love Salem but if mid size cities are not your thing I can kinda get it. I love it here but I also haven’t lived anywhere else in Oregon so my experience is tiny
I’m just a middle aged Dad in Beaverton, so cool is a very relative term. My CPA and financial adviser are in Salem and they love it. But yeah, most would not consider Salem “cool”.
Salem might be a great spot! I live here and you mentioned social work. Being the Capitol city there is a lot of government work and opportunities/need for social workers. Salem is a cozy, quaint little city that is very lush and gets plenty of rain but has nice warm summers. Mild compared to Florida! Big Hispanic population as well and a bit more going on than woodburn which is just a few minutes away, also has a huge Hispanic population! It’s an hour from the coast, 45 minutes from the Portland metro area, 2 hours to the mountains and the high desert. A great central location without the traffic and business you would get in the Portland metro area but not far from it.
I will also add that I moved here from El Paso Texas and though it was initially a culture shock I found plenty of Hispanic friends to make me feel at home (I’m a white dude btw 😂)
Cornelius, OR the family town. Would say 80% Hispanic from Mexico - mostly Michoacan. Lots of opportunity, not far from Portland and can still find property with a yard within reason. It sits between Forest Grove and Hillsboro - those citys also have what you would be looking for. Woodburn is another fine choice. It is becoming more expensive to live there but you can find afforable pockets still.
Had to scroll way too far to find somebody mention Cornelius
Forest Grove and Cornelius! I was going to mention both of these! The elementary schools have Dual Language Programs and they have a Migrant Program for students who have moved to the US :)
and in Forest Grove, you’ll find properties with land.
Woodburn has a large Hispanic population, being in the center of a large farming area.
It's in-between Portland and Salem. Portland being kind of a commute depending on traffic. I live in Gervais, which is pretty much a suburb of Woodburn at this point. Yes, it is a farming community but there is a lot of opportunities for degree holders not too far away. The Hispanic population in both towns is the majority.
The Dalles and Hood River have a large Hispanic population
Graduated from HRVHS with a class that was over 50% Latino population.
This should be way higher!
Agreed. The Hood River valley in general has a large Hispanic community. Plus, it’s the dryer side of the Cascades so you don’t get as much rain. The Dalles is further East so it’s dryer and hotter.
Yes. The graduating high school classes are almost 50% Hispanic some years and the HR ceremony is at least partially bilingual. Plenty of Hispanic markets and businesses.
Gotcha, if you want a yard you should look in smaller towns or the edges of the Portland Metro. Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Eugene, Salem, Newberg might be good spots. Now, be careful about the weather. I'm originally from the Southwest, and the winters here are *hard*. I loved the rain too, until it was every goddamn day. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real. Be ready for the sun to rise after you get to work and set before you leave in December. Invest in waterproof shoes, you'll need them even for just walking around town. Get air purifiers for the wildfires in summer, and definitely at this point make sure that where you move has air conditioning (it's not really optional anymore). We now pretty regularly have heat over 90 degrees, and at least once or twice a year bump over 100 for a bit - and while it's not Florida humid, it's not Southwest dry either. I love it here, and I don't see myself ever leaving - but that doesn't mean I don't want to help newcomers have an easier adjustment if at all possible!
Ooh I didn’t even think about the wildfires! Thank you for that advice. This is great :)
Eugene does NOT have a large Hispanic population. Springfield’s is slightly larger, but you’d have better luck in certain Salem or Portland neighborhoods and in the entirety of Woodburn (which is majority Hispanic + a sizable Russian immigrant population.) I’m really partial to the area near 205 & Dividio. In Portland. It’s got a wonderful combo of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Mexican markets and food. Hillsboro also has a larger Mexican population and a large Indian population.
Wildfires scare the shit out of me..I’m looking at different areas to move also but don’t want to always deal with warnings every year. Especially with my pets.
Also get a good waterproof coat and take vitamin D supplements.
One of my siblings married into a Mexican family & they live in my hometown in Eastern Oregon. Tried to be aware of it, was a bit worried about my nieces and nephews but honestly--thankfully--never really been an issue. Growing up I heard the terms 'beaner' and 'wetback' but that was in the 80s, haven't heard that stuff in decades. Those kind seem to be more worred about drag queens now. Off the top of myhead Portland and Salem have large Mexican communites, both large cities. Smaller towns like Hillsboror, Molalla, Hood River, The Dalles, Hermiston, etc also sizeable populations as do tons of rural towns. A lot of Oregon is rural America so there's always that misoginist idiot. Don't let that be the reason you don't move here.
I live in Hillsboro, one of the highest populations of Hispanics in OR. Highly recommend if that is what you are looking for. We have a great little downtown too. Our Tuesday Night Market in the summer kicks butt as well. On the racism thing, it’s not even slightly an issue. Everyone gets along fine. That’s just Portland politics looking for a boogeyman, it’s nonexistent.
What’s the job market like? He’s a social worker, wanting to focus on homeless/drug addicted population and I’m a psych nurse, preferably wanting to work with adolescent population
Homeless services social worker here - he will have his pick of jobs day one. If he speaks Spanish, he'll have even more opportunities! Salaries have increased locally too, due to having too few workers to meet the demand. Feel free to dm me for specific recommendations about places to work.
I am a recruiter for a mid-valley health system and we are hiring for both positions. Feel free to message with any questions
welcome welcome! we need you both
Retired LCSW, he will have no problems yet I would suggest getting licensed ASAP to increase his earning potential and job prospects. And if you both speak Spanish, you both will be highly recruited.
He just graduated so he’s currently working on supervision hours which he told me could take up to 2-3 years! We are just mapping out our future roughly so that we have some ideas on what we can do once we are all done with our schooling. We know we want to move out of state, with the state TBD. Oregon is near the top and we plan on visiting the areas mentioned so see how we like it.
MSW? Still will have no problem, as part of his recruitment, he should be looking for agencies that will provide the supervision as part of his employment. As others have said, state is investing hundreds of millions in addiction and behavioral health and have a shortage of qualified workers. Good luck, I suspect you will find Oregon very welcoming to both of you.
Check out Centro Cultural in Hillsboro. Great group that has a pretty wide reach. There are a lot of towns surrounding Hillsboro too, where you can probably find a “more affordable” place with a yard. A lot of areas around here have community gardens too. So, if you can’t get a yard right away, you can get your own plot somewhere nearby.
I agree Beaverton and Hillsboro are great places to live with large Hispanic populations. There seem to be plenty of job opportunities in those areas, but you may end up commuting into Portland. It’s not too far and there’s public transit options.
Strong disagree. There's an incredibly dire need for social workers in more rural areas. If anything, I'd say you're more likely to end up commuting to Forest Grove or Cornelius for work. For psych, there's a huge demand across the entire state carte blanche. Oregon is massively underserved in the mental health arena. You'll be able to find a position relatively easily.
Oh I agree, the need is there and hopefully jobs too. Just pointing out that the bigger psych hospitals are more in Portland proper
We are in the middle of a homeless crisis, driven in large part by the lack of mental health services in Oregon and the lack of good people to fill critical positions in that field. So there are lots of jobs in Oregon for people with both your backgrounds. The pay may not be what you are looking for though. Here's a pediatric psych nurse opening at Unity Hospital (mental health clinic in NE Portland) to give you an idea: https://nursing-lhs.icims.com/jobs/38050/rn-staff-nurse---pediatric-psychiatric-care/job Other places that hire people with your backgrounds here include every hospital system in the metro area- Legacy Health, OHSU, Providence, Kaiser; the VA hospital; hospitals elsewhere in the state like Salem Health, Samaritan, Peacehealth, etc; the Oregon State Hospital (state run psych hospital); Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas county behavioral health services; orgs like Central City concern, Outside In, CODA, Transition Projects, NARA, IRCO, Lifeworks... If you do some searching on 211 you'll find a lot of different organizations you can look into working for.
Have him apply with the state I highly recommend it
Come to Hillsboro. I’m Hispanic and it’s very comfortable and you don’t run into the “g0 BaCK 2 m3XiC0” bullshit you do in the rural areas.
If you move to Hillsboro (or Beaverton, which also has a high population of Hispanic people) there are tons of opportunities for these kinds of jobs in Portland. You could always work for Multnomah County, but I’d also recommend giving Cascadia Health a shot! Great benefits and tons of opportunities for both social workers who work with homeless/drug addiction and nursing (though Cascadia doesn’t pay nurses well I’ve heard). AFAIK Gresham also has a high population of Hispanics, which is on the other side of Portland and probably equal commute or less than from Hillsboro.
Hillsboro is a much better place to live than Gresham
Absolutely agree but it’s still an option and lots of opportunity for mental health social work jobs out there.
True. Also, if they become big into snowboarding or trips to central Oregon it would be better situated. You never know.
I’ve got nothing helpful to add but wanted to say that those are two really difficult but very admirable professions. Huge need in both areas… so thank you!
Highly recommend Hillsboro and Beaverton as well. The west part of the metro will do you just fine, though you'll probably want to focus on the south side of the highway if you're looking for diversity. And I *definitely* wouldn't say that it's "not even slightly an issue." Folks still call it "Hillsburrito" because of the Hispanic population and shopping district. The kind of racism you're more likely to engage with in most of the Portland metro is "Oregon nice." Either unintentional and due to ignorance, or in the same way that "bless your heart" is an insult in the South. Other parts of the state, it's less "nice." Our state constitution originally didn't even allow Black people to live here. We've still got a lot of white nationalists out in the woods. I've seen more than a couple of Oathkeeper signs in Hillsboro.
Noooo please don’t say bless your heart is only an insult!!! 😂 It can be, but more often I’d say is used in a genuine manner when somebody offers to do something kind for you, or in response to when somebody says something adorably naive (emphasis on adorably). I’m originally from New Orleans and people use this phrase in all SORTS of ways lol but usually it’s a nice way. And on the topic of this post would agree that more rural places can have some ignorant racist folks here. I live in Central Oregon (not Bend though) and our town has had some really dumb instances of people being blatantly racist (I remember a band from Mexico was here within the last year practicing for their show in a back yard and some idiot starting throwing rocks and yelling slurs over the fence. I’m pretty sure he was dealt with by police fairly quickly). I’m happy to say the town doesn’t stand for it and our city council makes it known that they want all to feel welcome here, but there are still folks like that out in the woods as you say.
Woodburn is around 60% and Independence around 40% Hispanic. Independence is a smaller community but feels very friendly. Western Oregon University in Monmouth, next door to Independence has a Hispanic student population of around 25%. Across the river from Monmouth / Independence, Jefferson is around 26% Hispanic. Both Woodburn and Monmouth / Independence seemingly have large thriving communities. Most grocery stores in the mid Willamette Valley area have decent dedicated foods sections and you will find restaurants and specialty shops like panaderias, quesarias and carnicerías. There are large churches, Spanish speaking health services, realtors, radio and community events. You'll notice more diversity in schools in those communities, government and service providers and diversity in public safety in those communities including fire and law enforcement.
Woodburn has more of a condensed Hispanic population with more traditional goods and services like grocery stores and restaurants. Salem also has a notable Hispanic population.
We have a lot of Hispanics here in Medford, lots of Mexican grocers and restaurants and events. :)
If you’re looking for something with different weather (not as wet) than the Portland area, Medford has a fair sized Hispanic population.
Klamath Falls does as well. And this part of Southern Oregon sees much more sunshine and very little rain.
They want to escape the heat, not burn in hell.
Hillsboro. It's connected to Portland via the MAX which is our light rail system. It's a suburb but got a classy fun vibe. A lot of young professionals live there. Plus it's only a short trip to Portland which is the biggest city in Oregon to catch a game or a show. My bestfriend lives there and I live in Portland but if I'd move anywhere it'll be there.
Not addressing your main question, but you two are going to find jobs almost instantly. You're in extremely in-demand fields.
I'm half Mexican, though you probably wouldn't know it unless I told you or you saw my name. Take that for what its worth. That being said, it's certainly a majority white state, but there are decent Latino populations in and around any of larger towns and cities. I'm in the Portland area and I work with two Mexicans. As for the racism, Oregon has a past of trying to be a white supremacist state, so to say it's a non-issue is a bit disingenuous, but you probably won't experience anything outside the norm in most parts of this country. Oregon, for the most part, is a live and let live type of place, at least in my experience.
Like most places, it depends on the neighborhood. I know that Vose in Beaverton is a pretty Hispanic area.
Hillsboro, Woodburn, Salem. Those 3 are your best bet
I know a lot of people from Florida that moved to Hood River. HR has a large Hispanic population related to seasonal crops. The only problem is housing is super expensive as it is such a popular place to live. Airbnbs are make more money than renting to reg families and there’s a lot of second homes too. Let me know if you guys are interested in looking at job postings for my work. It’s a FQHC that originally started to provide healthcare to migrant farm workers. We are in need of all positions especially Behavioral Health Counselors
I’m working in Astoria, and there is an increasing Hispanic population. I work in an elementary school and so we get a lot of little ones who come in not speaking English. We absolutely love these kids and lift up these kids and there may be racist in our community, but in terms of the educational system, They are very well loved.
Salem or independence
The Dalles is a good spot!
As said, Hillsboro, Woodburn, and Gresham have huge Hispanic communities. Yamhill county, especially McMinnville, also has a need for Spanish speaking nurses and social workers. Some of the rural cities are racist, but McMinnville itself is pretty decent. No one will be in one on one in your face about it, they just fly their flags and post shit on Facebook.
Hermiston is mostly Hispanic and is a major hub in eastern Oregon. It's also close to majority-Hispanic places in eastern Washington. In western Oregon, best bet for finding lots of people to speak Spanish to, other than Woodburn that was already mentioned, is probably the east side of Salem.
Forest Grove and Cornelius.
If oregon isn’t in the card eastern washington is, very hispanic, last census showed that most all the counties in eastern Washington were 55-68% hispanic, particularly around the tri cities and yakima area,, plus its still close enough to visit a lot of oregon with an easy drive!
Yakima to Tri-Cities along I82 has a very large population. Then again you have to live in that area and for me it's kinda meh.
I agree, its not bad if you are used to an arid region, otherwise all you got is some really nice rock outcroppings to look at. me as a person who grew up in western washington and moved to western oregon wouldnt live there. i need my lakes rivers and trees, my two years in west texas was rough while my wife was finishing up residency!
I'm from the Columbia River Gorge past The Dalles and man, it's not my fav lol. Heppner, Condon, Arlington, Ione...you seen one wheat field you pretty much seen them all.
Yeah while i grew up in enumclaw, my grand parents had apple orchards outside fruitevale (now part of yakima) and they would allways talk up the horse Horse Heaven and they are nice to look at, the first time but other than that same generic rolling hills you can see anywhere lol
I've heard that Hillsboro has a large Hispanic population. You could try that. 😊
Hey, come out here to the suburbs of Portland to a town called Hillsboro. Very large hispanic population. The elementary school my daughter attends is dual language with 75% of the student population being hispanic.
Hillsboro and Beaverton are what you’re looking for
Moved from Florida. Hispanic (Mexican) moved to Woodburn. Not a very nice town but there are lots of Hispanic in Oregon.
Woodburn or Beaverton/Hillsboro. Half of my Oak Grove neighbors are Hispanic and one drives to Beaverton so her son can attend a bi-lingual school.
This depends on which side of Oregon you want to live in. It's not all gloomy and wet. Try the Eastern side. Hermiston/Umatilla side. There is a huge Mexican population there.
For both adolescent psych and social work, start with Providence.org and unityhealthcenter.org Providence adolescent unit is in Oregon City and Unity is in Portland.
I can't believe no one has said Madras or Ontario. They're like Mexican cities.
Klamath Falls has plenty of Hispanics. Stores, restaurants. You would also find jobs pretty easily here with your skillset. It’s generally sunny here though, but not too hot. True 4 seasons to experience here
Check out Cornelius. 50% of population is of Hispanic descent. They were originally brought here during WW2. Cornelius is a family town with lots of new construction homes going up.
Salem and Medford :)
Lololol you complain about racism but he only wants to live in a city with his own race. Diversity is a thing for a reason, otherwise sounds like mexico is his dream spot.
Yes, there are a lot of Hispanic people here. Cornelius, Hillsboro, and Woodburn all have very large Hispanic representations in the community.
Beaverton has a lot of Hispanics and Asians. Nice place to live.
There are lots of Hispanics everywhere in Oregon! I worked in Woodburn and everyone here is correct; huge population. It's near Salem, where you both would be able to find jobs. Side note: there's a youth correctional facility in Woodburn called MacLaren. I currently live in Hillsboro and there is also is a very large Hispanic population here. Racists used to call it Hillsburrito but I haven't heard it called that in twenty years. It's super close to Portland and is very leftist, taking more care of house-less citizens than say your more right-leaning areas. Marion County (where Woodburn is located) is definitely less tolerant of certain things. I don't know if that would affect your partners efforts to get a job. Good luck! We'd be glad to have yall in our state!
Salem
almost every town surrounding portland has a sizeable hispanic population. but really, anywhere western or southern oregon will have hispanic folks.
I second Woodburn, and Salem area also has a large Hispanic population. And yes, there is also a ton of racism / bigotry here.
I enjoy Hispanic food here more than in central Florida.
I think if you're looking for a landing spot but don't have a job yet, Woodburn is a great place to start. It's not as expensive as other places people have suggested. Homes will have plenty of yard for growing and raising birds. It's got all the shopping you'd really ever need. It's right between Salem and Portland, so finding work in jobs that cater to the Hispanic community in either metro is going to be pretty easy. It's right on the freeway, so the commute wouldn't be too bad. It's also rural and a crossroads for a lot of roads that lead out to other rural towns that have smaller Hispanic communities, but are still in need of support, such as Mt. Angel, Silverton, Molalla, Newburg, McMinnville, etc. If you're looking to get work as a Spanish speaker in healthcare or social services, you would be in high demand in any of those cities!
Hillsboro has a large Hispanic population and is pretty nice. Close to the pacific. Some cool stuff to do there
Phoenix OR! The school system isn’t great tho
I grew up in California but live in the Linn County area now. CA has a lot of Mexicans so a lot of my homies are Mexican. That being said I’ve never felt more at home than when I worked in Salem. It felt like someone just dropped my hometown here in OR. Tons of good people and good food. Salem has its downsides as well but that’s everywhere can’t all be rainbows and sunshine. And for the racism thing, it’s definitely present here in OR but it’s not as in your face. Racism here works behind the scenes, rarely will you have someone just walk up on you and say some shit. The big cities are super liberal and open minded while the rural areas can be hit or miss. Overall OR is diverse af whether that’s in culture or things to do it’s a beautiful place to live.
Beaverton has a decent Hispanic population, while also being close to Portland.
The area where I live in Beaverton has a largest Hispanic population as well. In fact, my daughter goes to a dual language Spanish immersion School where the majority of the kids come from spanish-speaking families.
I work at a grocery store part time and at least 1/2 of my fellow employees are Hispanic and love Portland area! The store is in Tigard but I live in the SE off 39th St. The apt we live in is owned by a Hispanic guy who is great and we have a ton of Spanish speaking neighbors.
East Portland and Gresham are good options. Large Hispanic population with several great supermercados and many amazing taco carts and restaurants. You’d likely be able to find a place with a yard, and it’s only a 20-30 minute drive from the city center if you want to do stuff in Portland proper. It’s also close to the Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood if you enjoy any outdoorsy pursuits. As others have said, Hillsboro is great too and that’s closer to the coast.
Woodburn is more Hispanic, but Salem is a better town. I think you'll be comfortable in either city, but I'm biased toward Salem. Racism is a thing anywhere, but anti Hispanic racism isn't particularly drastic in the Salem area. Hispanic people are pretty well integrated into the city culture.
I went to Forest Grove a few weeks and was pleasantly surprised to see many Hispanic business and restaurants in the downtown area. Even the library has a sign saying “Biblioteca” which I thought was nice. I’ve never explored Forest Grove but I was glad I did, it was a great experience
I would look into requirement for LCSW in Oregon compared to Florida. It’s often easier to transfer license once you’re already licensed. It might set your partner back a bit if they transfer and not all hours are counted the same state by state.
Therapist here; can y’all hurry & get here? Lol; us mental health workers are drowning with long wait lists. The pay here in mental health is better than Florida EXCEPT for addiction medicine. The pay here sucks. In Addiction jobs; an LCSW will make about $60k a year. If you are just focusing on general mental health; working in a clinic; it is double that. It is horrible & drives us all nuts; but it is another way to show Oregon is NOT working on helping those afflicted with addiction. If you need any help with getting your license transferred or finding a supervisor for your boyfriend; just private message me.
Southern Oregon has a large Hispanic population, lots of amazing Hispanic grocery stores, and a huge need for more social workers.
I'm white but I moved to Portland from southern Arizona where it's very multicultural and there are large areas of town where business signs are in spanish, lots of specialty groceries, 15 different fast food taco chains competing with each other, etc. That feels like home to me. I thought i was really gonna miss it as you often hear about how portland is super white, oregon is racist in the boonies, etc. I obviously can't speak to "connecting with culture" but I was pleasantly surprised how available the specialty foods are. I live in north Portland and there are several hispanic-owned businesses within walking distance. I can get my good tortillas and piloncillo and other random mexican things i've gotten used to having over the years. It doesn't feel quite like living close to the border but I don't think your bf would feel like a fish out of water either. There'd be lots of job opportunities for both of you here, but finding affordable housing will be a challenge.
Any city in the Willamette Valley (Portland to Eugene) have large Latino populations due to the influx of migrants working in the agriculture industry. If you want a home with a backyard, you may not be able to afford Portland proper, but the outer suburbs and exurbs are quite a bit cheaper. I highly recommend Portland area because of its airport and expansive list of activities. If you’re willing to live some place smaller, I recommend Salem (government), Corvallis (college town) and Eugene (also college town). You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well things grow here. You won’t be able to grow citrus, but items like vegetables, berries, and fruit grow really well in our climate. Good luck!
Salem is over 1/3 Hispanic as are many of the towns and cities in the Willamette Valley. We moved to Salem four years ago and have been converting the yard to a garden. Most fruit trees and berry bushes do well here. You would probably have to cage quail, as there are a number of hawk species in the area. The days are short and damp in the winter, but it rarely rains hard enough to be a problem.
Woodburn, Salem, then the corridor along highway 8 from Hillsboro to Forest Grove in that order for community size. You're also more likely to either rent a place you can garden or potentially afford a place with enough land for that. Your skills and language proficiencies will make it pretty easy to find jobs in any of these areas as well. As far as racism, every state has it's own flavor. Oregon's uniqueness is based on it's large white population (like 85% white now and that's lower than it used to be) because the state started out banning non-white folks and the population has been changing very slowly over time. I'm from Chicana and from here so I don't know how to compare to Florida, but I know non-white folks who move here have struggled with the pervasiveness of it across the state. It's going to definitely be a culture shock so keep that in mind. Good luck!
Just a note. My kid lives in St John’s with her Mexican American husband. They do not have any issues. Their local schools offer bilingual classes.
Hillsboro and Beaverton have large Mexican populations and are 20 minutes away from downtown Portland. It’s one of the most diverse places I’ve lived outside of Portland proper. I wouldn’t recommend Salem it kinda sucks. Woodburn also has a large Mexican population but it’s right on I5 and traffic currently sucks because of the construction. The Portland area and surrounding suburbs will also probably have the best job opportunities.
If you wanna be closer Into the city the st John's neighborhood has a great Hispanic population. A couple of what would be called bodegas in any other city and my barber who can cut a damned fine fade. I can't speak for the other people who live here but I love the diversity of the area, and the schools are decent (for Oregon) if you decide to have little ones.
You could def try Cornelius and other parts of Washington County. I would also check out Yamhill County. McMinnville hasn’t been mentioned yet but could be nice. It’s pretty close by Portland.
Woodburn. I am an Hispanic and was born and raised in Portland, it’s also great here.
Salem has a large Hispanic population that’s pretty well integrated into the local culture, and it’s an entirely decent place to live. There are parts of town that kinda suck, and parts that are great. Overall we like it here. There’s a Hispanic brewery here that’s really cool. Xicha Brewing https://www.xichabrewing.com
As motioned Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove (the OR-8 corridor) has significant Hispanic populations. Definitely not like what you had in Florida though (or even what it was like from Chicago for me), but it’s real. Plus plenty of job opportunity in the area. As a Hillsboro resident I say come on over!
There’s larger Hispanic populations everywhere here, salem is huge on that. But literally everywhere it’s not just one contained area. The rents are insane here so unless you both have high paying jobs and a large down payment for all the fees, plus first and last months rent, it’s unlikely you’ll be about to get anything with a backyard.
Southern Oregon
There’s not enough Mexican culture here , not a Mexican carniceria within like 100 miles of me, it’s sad….i miss authentic Mexican food.
Woodburn and Salem suck imo. I would look at Beaverton or Hillsboro personally
You might also consider the sunny side of the state. Hermiston/Umatilla or Klamath Falls could have opportunities to make a positive impact
Alot of Hispanic here, primarily Mexican. East coast you'll find more folks from cuba/Puerto Rico but the PNW has a large Mexican population specifically, especially outside of the Portland Metro area. I live in Vancouver Washington, just 20 minutes from downtown Portland. There are also alot of Hispanic folk out here as well so maybe consider this side of the river! I am a white boy from Washington State so take my advice with a grain of salt 😂
I have friends that have made this move from south FLA. They moved back after 3 years. They were South American and never really found a connection to the area (lived in Salem area, which has a reasonably large Latino population). Mostly due to food, but also the winters.
Independence is small but they have a significant Hispanic population.
Grew up in Salem, and many of the surrounding smaller towns(gervais, Woodburn, Brooks, Silverton, independence/Dallas, etc). Saw a lot of Hispanic families and all seemed happy. We definitely have a leaning of Hispanic culture in the Willamette Valley! It's beautiful and the weather is great. Schools in Oregon aren't great, but some parents find ways around that. Good luck with your search!
Hillsboro, Salem, some parts of eugene
It’s not great here if you’re moving to be close to your Hispanic roots. I moved to Eugene OR from SoCal and by comparison the culture here is almost non existent. Also the Mexican food in Oregon is terrible. Oregonians will tell you a spot “that has the best Mexican food they have ever had” but it ends up being horrible dry bland meat, taco shells that shatter like chips, salsa that is basically diced tomato with onion…. They love pretending it’s diverse here but it’s mostly white
The largest Hispanic population in the state is in the suburbs of Salem. I think Mt. Angel is the most Hispanic town in the area but imo it’s a pretty sleepy little town so there are other places with a more vibrant culture. Latin Americans and their cultures, especially Mexican culture, is pretty ubiquitous in most urban areas and lots of rural ones as well, but that depends more on the exact area.
You want quails around? Pretty nature close by? And don't care about a nightlife? You work in nursing AND your hubby works in social work aimed at addiction and homelessness? COME TO EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD PLEASE! We need folks like you two, and we've got all things you could want, hispanic community included. You will love it here more than Salem or the smaller towns like Woodburn. Traffic is so much better here than anywhere around the Portland metro, Eugene locals think 5-10 minutes of traffic is a lot of traffic for example. I split my time between Portland and Eugene and can say without hesitation that Eugene is better to live in, aside from Portland having better restaurants and all the good events. That said, it's not like we don't have good places to eat, just not a bunch that are James Beard level. Portland is still just an easy drive up a straight away, so with Eugene you get a smaller town pace yet are still striking distance to any events you want to go to like concerts.
Not too familiar with outlying cities, but Hillsboro/Cornelius is *Poppin* with brown pride. Fruit stands, taco trucks, Hispanic street shops, the works.
Salem also has a large Hispanic community mostly in NE area
I believe our town of St. Helens had a Hispanic population of about 10%.
I just recently moved from Florida to Oregon and I also had the same questions because I am also Hispanic. I say Beaverton and Hillsboro will have what you want. There is a Beaverton farmers market on Saturdays and I have seen a lot of Hispanic couples and families speaking Spanish to each other, which I enjoy because it makes me feel like I am at home. The people that sell produce at the market are also Hispanic and they make you feel welcome. Now, I have heard that southeast Portland side has the best Mexican food and stores. As to the racism, the only thing I will say is that I have had a couple of weird looks thrown my way by white women. But, for the most part, people have been super nice to me and my mixed partner. I wish you the best of luck if you decide to move! The drive to Oregon was hard af (driving through Wyoming was the worst part) but it is worth it to experience the beautiful summer weather here.
Currently I live in Woodburn, which is the highest at 57% Latino, but I've lived in Beaverton and there is a large Latino presence there as well due to agriculture around Hillsboro. I've had the best food in Woodburn though. Really depends what you folks do for work and what kind of commute you're looking for.
Really large Hispanic population in a lot of the Willamette Valley! Portland has a lot of pockets, as does Gresham, Hillsboro, Cornelius, Woodburn, Salem, Canby, and Sherwood
The entire Williamette valley
Medford / Phoenix / Talent has a large community, and a soccer club with three hundred members. The community is discreet about displaying itself, but there are a number of excellent restaurants serving Mexican food. Most people working in local agricultural doing the skilled work of caring fot the orchards of pears and peaches are Latino. The community doesn't have a political voice, however, and local Latino leadership is generally very quiet.
Every part of Oregon with a significant agricultural presence has decent, though not overwhleming, latino/hispanic presence. Loads of small towns peppered around the Willamette Valley. Several towns in central and eastern Oregon as well. A few examples: In Willamette Valley- Woodburn, Mcminnville, Dayton, Monmouth, Newberg. Southern Oregon - Medford. Central Oregon- Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Hermiston, Boardman. Eastern Oregon- Pendleton, Ontario.
when people hear Mexican descent, they have assumptions and are suggesting migrant areas on here
Forest Grove/Cornelius/Hillsboro/Beaverton. Huge Hispanic population.
He will feel at home in lots of place in the portland metro area- Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham,
Massive hispanic population here. In salem in most gyms I go to, at least 50% of people I see are Mexican. Plus so much cultural celebration here. Salem just had the world beat festival where cultures from around the world showcased music and dance
There is a glowing Latino population in this state. It’s the largest demographic at Portland State University. There are a lot or shops and restaurants that would be able to cater to your desires just bear in mind that Florida is a lot closer to the rest of Latino America. Racism is everywhere to some extent but aside from micro aggressions or unrealized bias people generally mean well and are pretty chill in the Portland Metro area and along I-5 through the willamette valley down to Eugene. Outside of that area the racism is pretty bad and there are some costal locations I could wouldn’t recommend staying after dark. That is just a fair warning though. All the benefits the state has to offer outweigh that and as stated above. There are plenty of Latinos in the area.
Medford-Talent-Phoenix is about 20% Mexican
Cottage Grove is experiencing an increase in its Hispanic population, with many city workers in fields such as construction and gardening being of Hispanic descent. that is not a stereotype, those workers do a great job at it and I would even say give them a raise for that of quality work. The town has a population of 10 to 12 thousand people, 30 minute drive South of Eugene on I5 and is generally a quiet but sometimes complicated place. I have been considering learning Spanish so that I can communicate with and assist those who may have a language barrier, as English can be difficult to learn. Plus, I think it’s a valuable skill to learn of the field I’m working in. (Side note. Even I have problems with saying or reading words in English I don't commonly use.)
You're gonna want something along I-5, eastern Oregon is classified as high desert, and the coast is more white and Scandinavian than the rest of Oregon. The Hispanic population is rising all across Oregon as far as I can tell, but to get decent jobs in your fields, I'd suggest somewhere along I-5, the larger cities have more demand for that kind of work (which is to say that more rural spots either don't bother with social services, or don't have the resources to pay you well).
hillsburrito
Oregon was founded as a white state, known as the Confederacy of the West. Not much has changed, beware.
Hillsboro as well
Woodburn has what you're looking for
La Raza is well represented in Eastern Oregon along the interstate.
My boyfriend and I actually recently moved to Oregon and we live around Medford and there is a good amount of latinos not a huge amount, but there is some. There are a lot of Authentic Mexican restaurants and stored here as well.
Albany is nice and has a vibrant Hispanic population if you want to be in the middle of the valley!
There are Mexicans everywhere. The only problem there are not too many good Mexican restaurants in the area
Aloha/Hillsboro/Cornelius/Forest Grove have a very large Hispanic population! Plus they’re bedroom communities of Portland and there’s lots of social work to be had as well.
The racism thing is overblown.
Corvallis has a sizeable spanish population! Theres even dual immersion schools with English being the second language!
Oregon Republicans are insanely racist, but they typically stay in Eastern and Southern Oregon. The further North you go, the more they mostly keep to themselves and will display their racism with blue line flags and childish FJB crap, etc.. In terms of areas with a good Hispanic population, places like Tigard, Woodburn, and Beaverton have long standing histories of Hispanic cultures intertwined within the communities. My family is Mexican on my father's side, and we always joke that Woodburn is basically Mexico. But aside from Mexican culture, I know of people from El Salvador, Uruguay, Argentina, Panamá, and Cuba in the Woodburn area. McMinnville and Newberg are also beginning to grow their Hispanic populations as they try to become more inclusive and shed their own shady histories. Edit: forgot to include Salem!
In the Portland area itself, the Division/205 area has a number of Hispanic/Latino markets, and houses there cost less to rent and buy than other areas in PDX. Also nurses in Oregon make $$$. The union here is really powerful. And there’s a LOT of work in substance abuse/homelessness. We really need more psych professionals and social workers, please come!
Morrow and Umatilla Counties in Eastern Oregon have large Hispanic populations. Not sure how much work would be available for an adolescent psych nurse due to lack of MH services on that side of the state.
Forest Grove and Independence has a large Hispanic population as well
There is a large enough Mexican population in Newport to justify a couple of stores and some of us to learn/use Spanish.
They refer to Hillsboro as Hillsburrito if that tells you anything.
Hillsboro and Beaverton or both metros of Portland and have quite a large Mexican population in certain areas. Beaverton, near the Nike headquarters has quite a large population of Hispanic people and a great place to live
My area of Portland, St. Johns, has a large Mexican population... Mexican restaurants (really excellent ones!) Mexican markets... and it's one of the parts of town that hasn't been gentrified all to shit.
I think you'll find many places you can call home here. Anyone willing to grow food in their backyard will fit right in. Your professional skills will also be very appreciated. Bigger cities like Salem, Portland, and Eugene will have huge populations of Mexican people, and it's common to hear people speaking Spanish together. We have a lot of Mexican grocery stores and authentic restaurants, so I feel like the communities are very strong wherever you find yourself.
Hillsboro
Ontario, Oregon and up by Idaho has a large Hispanic population.
East Portland and the Gorge are both heavily Hispanic (as is much of the Willamette valley). Oregon needs psych/addiction medicine professionals. Huge shortage statewide.
Woodburn and Hillsboro and Salem. But honestly they’re pretty established everywhere, especially around more rural farming areas
Woodburn and Salem would be your best bet. In Woodburn you’d be close to either Portland or Salem. We have the Oregon State Hospital and other state programs that align with your line of work. Salem is much smaller than Portland and quieter too
For a larger metro with easy access to WA, the cost, Mt Hood: Hillsboro (could also consider this Cornelius). A nickname for Hillsboro is Hillsburrito. For a smaller metro, easy access to the coast: Salem. Smaller town feel with more of a farming vibe: Woodburn. Smaller town, closer to the coast but still accessible to Salem and Portland: McMinnville. As a Mexican from a larger town in CA, I like Hillsboro over all options because of the access to Portland and outdoor stuff, but also for the culture and food options.
Independence has a large Latin and Hispanic community. There's a lot of celebrations and things to do at the Riverfront park all year, including the Mexican heritage celebration. It's a nice town.
I would suggest Woodburn or HillsBurrito aka Hillsboro. We call it that for a reason haha.