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 West Linn is home to 23,090 residents and is one of the fastest growing communities in the Portland metro area. The 7.5 square mile area has a good mix of older homes and established neighborhoods along the Willamette River to the soaring views of the area's luxury hilltop homes.
The town is known for a low crime rate and high median household incomes. It's seen as a quiet bedroom community ideal for raising a family. A list of the top 100 small U.S. cities to live in, compiled by CNN Money Magazine, ranked West Linn at No.64. It ranked the highest of the two Oregon cities listed − the other was Lake Oswego, at No.79.
City of Hills, Trees and Rivers
With Portland eight miles to the north, many who live here make their living outside the city limits. Called the City of Hills, Trees and Rivers, among West Linn's special assets are its dedicated parks (17 of them) and open spaces, where residents and visitors can stroll among Douglas firs and take in panoramic views of the Willamette and Tualatin rivers, with Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and the Cascade range as a backdrop.
The one thing that West Linn is lacking is an established older downtown commercial area so West Linners shop in malls and stores along the major roads.
West Linn History
 The area was first settled in the early 1840s when Robert Moore purchased 1,000 acres of land from the "Wallamut" Indians. He built his cabin high on a slope overlooking the Willamette Falls and set about building a town, calling it Robin's Nest.
By 1846, Moore had built four flour and lumber mills, along with dwelling for his mill workers. He also operated a ferry to Oregon City. Moore became the first postmaster in 1850 and purchased an Oregon City newspaper, "the Spectator," in 1852. By then, his Linn City enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill, warehouse, wharves and a breakwater to create a basin for boats to tie up in for loading and unloading cargo. But when he died in 1857, Moore had still not seen his dream of a completed town realized.
Not long after Moore's death, a devastating fire destroyed the sawmill, gristmill, wharves and even a steamer ship docked there. Local businessmen began to rebuild, only to see their hard work washed away in the terrible floods that would come later that same year. Linn City was gone. But in 1868, the Willamette Transportation Locks Co. began operating--providing passage to shipping over the Willamette Falls. The locks have remained in continuous operation to this day.
Willamette Locks
 In the 1860s, Willamette Falls was a lovely sight for those who lived and worked on the Willamette River's shores. The falls -- between Oregon City and what's now known as West Linn -- cascade 40 feet over a horseshoe-shaped basalt ridge. But for river men, the falls were anything but pretty. They were dangerous and a nuisance, interrupting river traffic attempting to travel to or from Portland. That all changed in 1873, when Willamette Falls Locks opened at the edge of what's now the Bolton neighborhood of West Linn, allowing boats and their cargo to safely go around the falls.
The 130-year-old locks are a lasting link to West Linn's past. The locks continue to operate, allowing river traffic to pass -- though these days the locks' four chambers are operated by hydraulics and not by hand (as they were until the 1940s). Operators of government vessels, passenger boats, freight and towboats, log rafts, pleasure craft and jet skis may use the locks for free, both north and south of the falls. The locks are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Even aircraft have passed through the locks. The enormous Spruce Goose, built by Howard Hughes and flown just once, was transported by barge through Willamette Falls Locks in 1993, on its way to its home at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville.
Home and Neighborhoods
Can't decide between a historic neighborhood or an area of new homes? Then West Linn may be the place for you because many of the neighborhoods offer a blend of both. Historic homes are mainly found close to the river. Simple midcentury homes dominate the area. Many West Linn homes built along the river in the 1800s are beyond rejuvenating so people buy the home for the lot, remove the old home, and build a new one. Right next to an historic home − perhaps built by a river captain or timber baron. This is especially true if your historic home is in the Bolton or Robinwood neighborhood along the river. This area has all the physical characteristics that many people desire (meandering streets, mature trees, river views, etc.).
The Willamette neighborhood, the largest of West Linn's 11 neighborhoods with close to 6,000 residents offers 12 city blocks of historic residential and commercial properties, many from the 1885 - 1915 period. An additional 28 homes elsewhere in the City are designated as historic landmark structures.
Newer homes are concentrated in the hills. The top of "the hill" − the part of town that overlooks Interstate 205, which bisects West Linn − nearly defines "bedroom community." There are pockets of retail, but there are also neighborhoods without any retail space. Houses in areas such as Parker Crest and Rosemont Summit dwarf most of the other homes in town. These hill homes have all the amenities desired such as formal dining rooms, entertainment centers, 3-car garages, and large kitchens. Plus many have views.
Along Willamette Falls Drive, off Interstate 205 across from the hill and along the Tualatin River, the neighborhood of Willamette has a downtown atmosphere, with strips of small businesses. Some of the homes here are the oldest in town.
Driving from the valley to the top of the hill is like going through different universes. In the valley, most of the residential areas have older homes built in a simple ranch style. There are older homes on the hill, but most are newer homes dwarfing those in the valley or Willamette.
Portland Monthly Magazine Neighborhood Guide
 The Portland Monthly magazine features neighborhoods in their April issue every year. It has a ton of information about Portland neighborhoods as well as suburban communities.
To help those in the housing market, the magazine combines all the data from about 120 neighborhoods and communities in the Portland metro area. Include in the document are housing prices, school ratings, demographics, crime statistics, parks, commuting information, and services. Click here to view the report.
Online Maps of the City
 For some of the best maps (aerial, parks, contour, parade route, creeks, etc.) of the area, visit the City GIS Web site. The maps are offered by the Geographic Information System (GIS) at the City of West Linn under the Engineering Division of the City of West Linn's Public Works Department.
West Linn Walking Tour
West Linn's Willamette Historic District began as a company town established in 1893 by Willamette Falls Electric. In 1913, a typhoid epidemic led Willamette to annex to West Linn to obtain a better water source. The walk takes you through Willamette's historic streets, with a stop at Willamette Park, located at the confluence of the Tualatin and Willamette Rivers. Here you can picnic along the river while watching herons and sandpipers eat their lunch. Click here to download the guide.
Community Demographics
Web Sites
Search for Homes in West Linn
 To search for homes in West Linn, go to Search for Homes and click on the "City Search" icon and then select "West Linn - 237." You can use over 100 search parameters to define your criteria. Alternatively, you can select a specific area off a community map by drawing a box around that area. If you save your search criteria, you will be given the option to have new listings that match your criteria automatically e-mailed to you.
More About West Linn
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Location A 35-40 drive to downtown Portland once you get on I-205. Driving the freeways to downtown, head west on I-205 and then north on I-5.
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Origin of Name Robert Moore, the founder of the area renamed his tiny town Linn City in honor of his friend, well-known free- state advocate Dr. Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri and sponsor of the Donation Land Claim Bill.
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Neighborhood Associations The City has 11 neighborhood associations.
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Topography Gently rolling hills in the newer developments which are above the river. Flat along the river (older part of town). The older areas have mature trees in yards and parks.
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Parks 370 acres
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Public Transportation Bus 35 (Macadam) travels between the downtown Portland bus mall and West Linn. View a map and schedule for bus 35.
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1Drive Time to Downtown About 35-40 minutes.
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22000 Demographics Population - 23, 080. Area size - 7.5 square miles. Number of households - 8,160. Median household income of $72,010 (metro area median household was $46,789). Diversity - 6.7% non-Caucasian. Median house value - $246,500. Percent of residents over 25 years of age holding a bachelor's degree or higher - 49.2%. See City Data for more information about West Linn.
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Crime Stats The latest crime stats are available at the West Linn Police Department.
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Sex Offenders Click here for the State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System. After agreeing to the "Conditions of Use Statement" you will be redirected to a "Enter Search Criteria" page. Insert a zip code in the "Zip" field and click on the "Query" button.
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3Shopping and Services Number of supermarkets: 4. Number of health cubs: 5. Number of public libraries: 1. This is the land of malls: big ones and little ones.
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Renters vs. Home Owners Owner occupied - 78.6% and renter occupied - 21.4%.
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Parks The City of West Linn has 944 acres of parks located in over 20 different parks. These growing community is continuously building and planning new parks. As a demonstration of West Linn's commitment to parks, they have been named as a Tree City for 11 years.
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Who Lives in West Linn Families drawn to the highly-regarded school system as well as people whose families have always lived in the area. With almost 7,000 kids attending school, the community has a strong interest in the quality of their schools.
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They Probably Drive Hill homes will have at least one SUV along with a foreign made sedan in the garage or driveway. Pickups are rare and you'll see a few vans.
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Schools West Linn and Wilsonville School District Each community has a high school as well as at least one middle school. Both have numerous elementary schools.
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4School Report Card Grades Elementary schools: O/S. Middle schools: O/S. High school: O/S. Click here for report card details.
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Housing Types and Styles West Linn’s original neighborhoods along the river have many historic homes. The newer hill homes are mainly 3,000 plus square foot contemporary homes.
5West Linn Home Price
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Number of homes sold in West Linn 2010: 337. Distressed properties sales were 23%.
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Median price for homes sold in West Linn: $350,000 in 2010; $370,000 in 2009; $410,000 in 2008; $444,900 in 2007.
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1-year median sales price change in 2010 from 2009 in West Linn: -2%.
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5-year median sales price change in West Linn: -12%.
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Metro area median home prices: $239,900 in 2010; $247,000 in 2009; $278,000 in 2008; $290,000 in 2007.
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Metro area average home prices: $282,100 in 2010; $289,900 in 2009; $330,300 in 2008; $342,000 in 2007.
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