City of Hillsboro Information

Nestled in the Tualatin Valley between Portland and the Pacific Ocean, Hillsboro was founded in 1842 and incorporated in 1876. Its settler economy was first based on fruitful agricultural pursuits, supported by riverboat transportation on the Tualatin River, which helped it grow to about 5,000 people by 1950. The farming way of life is still honored in Hillsboro, though our “crops” continue to diversify. High-tech companies arrived in the 1980s, including Intel, and later SolarWorld. In addition, health care, retail sales—and yes, still agriculture, including vineyards and flower farms—are keys to Hillsboro’s economy. Now Oregon’s fifth largest city with more than 95,000 residents, Hillsboro enjoys award-winning urban planning, an affordable cost of living, a strong economic base and one of the state’s most diverse populations. On any given day, you’ll find community events from free concerts and art exhibits to local produce to sports competitions at one of the City’s more than 24 parks, Civic Center Plaza, Hillsboro Stadium, Ron Tonkin Field (home of the area's only professional baseball team - the Hillsboro Hops), the county fairgrounds or another local gathering place. In historic downtown Hillsboro and at the award-winning Orenco Station neighborhood, residents enjoy great gathering spaces and farmers’ markets as well as easy access to public transportation. With a healthy patchwork of history, business opportunities, neighborhoods, education, recreation and culture, great things are growing in Hillsboro.