Kerns

Northeast Portland, about 1.89 miles from downtown, in Multnomah County.

Researched and written by Ryan Rose · Updated October 29, 2026

Kerns has 309 intersections per square mile and an average block length of 251 ft, both more than or shorter than 95% of Portland neighborhoods, and I found 154 transit stops within a quarter mile. Sidewalk coverage is an estimated 75.9%. Median build year is 1911, with homes averaging 1,338 sq ft on 4,278 sq ft lots, and tree canopy covers 18.8%. In my notes, Oregon Park and Buckman Field stand out among its parks.

Illustration of a mix of detached houses, duplexes and small apartment buildings in the American Basic, California Mission Style and Garden Apartments styles. — Illustration

I marked Kerns on a map of Portland drawn from the neighborhood boundaries the city publishes. Downtown is marked for reference.

At a glance

Area: 504 acres
Homes: 1,244
Median year built: 1911 Older than 90% of Portland neighborhoods
Average home size: 1,338 sq ft Smaller than 85% of Portland neighborhoods
Average lot size: 4,278 sq ft Smaller than 90% of Portland neighborhoods
Tree canopy: 18.8% Less canopy than 80% of Portland neighborhoods

69.1% single-family, 30.9% 2–4 unit

I compared each figure with the 86 other Portland neighborhoods I have researched that have at least 100 residential parcels.

Architecture

American Basic: 20% of surveyed homes
California Mission Style: 20% of surveyed homes
Garden Apartments: 13% of surveyed homes

I took these styles from the 30 homes recorded in the City of Portland Historic Resource Inventory (1984). It surveyed significant buildings, not every home.

Getting around on foot

Intersections per sq mile: 309 More than 95% of Portland neighborhoods
Average block length: 251 ft Shorter than 95% of Portland neighborhoods
Sidewalk coverage: 75.9% (my estimate) Higher than 65% of Portland neighborhoods
Transit stops within ¼ mile: 154 More than 85% of Portland neighborhoods
Everyday categories within ½ mile: 8

I compared each figure with the 86 other Portland neighborhoods I have researched that have at least 100 residential parcels.

Parks and recreation

Buckman Field, Everett Community Garden, Maint Facility - 21st and Pacific, Oregon Park

Schools in and near this neighborhood

Alliance High School 9–12 Portland SD 1J
Benson Polytechnic High School 9–12 Portland SD 1J
VILLAGE FREE SCHOOL
da Vinci Middle School 6–8 Portland SD 1J
Le Monde French Immersion Public Charter School K–8 Portland SD 1J
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Beverly Cleary School K–8 Portland SD 1J
Buckman Elementary School K–5 Portland SD 1J
Grant High School 9–12 Portland SD 1J
Sunnyside Environmental School K–8 Portland SD 1J
CHESTERTON ACADEMY BLESSED PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI
SUNNYSIDE MENNONITE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Food, drink and daily errands

Restaurants: 46
Cafes: 16
Bars and pubs: 18
Grocery: 2
Pharmacies: 0

Restaurants and coffee I found nearby

Pho Gia Vietnamese · Inside the neighborhood
Nova Coffee Coffee · Inside the neighborhood
Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels Cafe · Inside the neighborhood
Rollin Fresh Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Han Oak Korean · Inside the neighborhood Patio
Tropicale Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood Patio
24th & Meatball Italian · Inside the neighborhood
Friendship Kitchen Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Nomad.pdx Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Olé Olé Mexican · Inside the neighborhood

I pulled these from OpenStreetMap: the nearest named restaurants and cafes, starting inside the neighborhood and measured from its edge. Places marked Patio have outdoor seating, from my research for Outdoor Seating Near Me, my other site; the photos come from that research too.

Housing context

Median home value: $705,000
Median gross rent: $1,467
Owner-occupied: 17.7%
Renter-occupied: 82.3%

I pulled these from the census tract that covers this neighborhood, so they describe the tract, not the neighborhood itself. I report housing and housing cost only.