Hillsboro, Oregon

As the government seat of Washington county, and a prosperous center of technological and agricultural industry, Hillsboro is a community with much to offer. Because of such growth, Hillsboro has many employment and education opportunities for its thriving population.

In spite of its growth, the people of Hillsboro pride themselves on maintaining a small-town feel. As well as its own charm, Hillsboro is strategically located in the Willamette Valley. It is less than 30 minutes from Portland, "America's Most Liveable City," 60 minutes from the famed Oregon coast, and a short drive from countless golf courses, wineries and vinyards, and any number of venues for outdoor activities.

Population Facts:
Hillsboro was incorporated in 1876, and has grown from a small farming community into a modern city of 70,000 residents. Today, Hillsboro is the largest city in Washington County. Click here to see population numbers from the latest census for Hillsboro and other Oregon cities.

Climate:
Hillsboro averages 37.57 inches of precipitation a year. The average growing season between frosts is six months. Over 30 years, the maximum temperature on the average has been 62.4 degrees and the minimum, 41.3 degrees. Such temperature climatic conditions enable the Tualatin Valley to be one of the most productive and diverse agricultural areas in the nation.

History:
When early pioneers first reached the Tualatin Valley in the 1840s, they had only an inkling of the agricultural richness of the country. The valley was sparsely settled at the time by retiring mountain trappers and Atfalati Indians. The trackers soon began carving out a community and government center. Most residents lived on farms or were engaged in milling and timber work. Soon they founded building, trade and retail businesses. With the arrival of the railroad in 1870s the Tualatin Valley became the breadbasket for the river port city of Portland, supplying dairy products, fruits and vegetables as well as timber products.

During World War II, Hillsboro was the residence of many new Oregonians who had come north to work in the shipyards of Portland. Hillsboro became a bedroom community. After the war, city fathers began luring businesses to Hillsboro to create a new economic base. Business leaders formed an industrial development corporation, and the city annexed land to the north and east and laid out industrial areas. By the 1970s, the Hillsboro area had won Intel's first plant site outside California and spinoff companies from Tektronix.

In the 1980s came Japanese-owned manufacturing companies. They were followed by suppliers and customers of Intel and other manufacturers, software companies, communication device manufacturers, Internet providers and branch sales and corporate offices. Originally called East Tualatin Plains, Hillsboro was named for David Hill, one of the adventurers who traveled the Oregon Trail by wagon train to find a new life in the Oregon Territory.