Vernon

Northeast Portland, about 3.64 miles from downtown, in Multnomah County.

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

Vernon's sidewalk coverage, which I estimate at 84.4%, is higher than 95% of Portland neighborhoods, and its 271 intersections per square mile top 90% of them. My records also show a median build year of 1923 and an average lot of 4,597 sq ft, smaller than 85% of the city. Alberta Park and Roselawn Park sit inside the boundaries. Transit stops within a quarter mile number 43, fewer than 90% of the city.

Illustration of a residential street of detached single-family houses, built mostly in the 1920s. — Illustration

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

At a glance

Area: 189 acres
Homes: 1,363 Counted in the 2020 Census, apartments and condos included
Median year built: 1923 Older than 80% of Portland neighborhoods
Average home size: 1,405 sq ft Smaller than 75% of Portland neighborhoods Houses and buildings of up to 4 homes
Average lot size: 4,597 sq ft Smaller than 85% of Portland neighborhoods
Tree canopy: 22.1% Less canopy than 65% of Portland neighborhoods
Streets steeper than 8%: None Flatter than 85% of Portland neighborhoods Elevation 157–244 ft
In FEMA's 100-year flood zone: None
Within 500 ft of a freeway: None The nearest is 1.1 miles away
New homes permitted: 32 Since January 2023

Share of homes: 57.5% single-family houses, 25.3% in 2–4 unit buildings, 17.2% in apartment, condo and other multi-home properties

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

Getting around on foot

Intersections per sq mile: 271 More than 90% of Portland neighborhoods
Average block length: 312 ft
Sidewalk coverage: 84.4% (my estimate) Higher than 95% of Portland neighborhoods
Transit stops within ¼ mile: 43 Fewer than 90% 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

Alberta Park, Roselawn Park

Schools in and near this neighborhood

Vernon Elementary School PK–8 Portland SD 1J
WOODLAWN MONTESSORI
ST ANDREW NATIVITY SCHOOL
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School PK–5 Portland SD 1J
Sabin Elementary School PK–5 Portland SD 1J
Rivercrest Academy 9–12 Multnomah ESD

Food, drink and daily errands

Restaurants: 18
Cafes: 6
Bars and pubs: 5
Grocery: 2
Pharmacies: 0

Restaurants and coffee I found nearby

Devil's Dill Sandwiches Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Feral Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Mis Tacones Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood Patio
Lone Star Burger Bar Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Hat Yai Thai · Inside the neighborhood Patio
Podnah's BBQ Pit Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
No Saint Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood Patio
Gumba Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
Yang's Noodle Chinese · Inside the neighborhood
Roseline Coffee Coffee · 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: $798,000
Median gross rent: $2,090
Owner-occupied: 64.2%
Renter-occupied: 35.8%

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.