According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and Portland State University, Portland’s population experienced a slight increase last year, following a significant decline of over 10,000 residents in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From July 2023 to July 2024, Portland welcomed an additional 1,435 residents, bringing its estimated population to approximately 635,750, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite this growth, the city remains about 17,000 residents shy of its population level from July 2020.
The Census Bureau’s data plays a crucial role in guiding federal funding for various programs and determining the number of congressional seats for a state. Oregon lawmakers often rely on figures from the Population Research Center at Portland State University for legislative purposes and other official state functions.
During the same period, researchers at PSU estimated Portland’s population to be 639,448, reflecting an increase of just over 800 residents since 2023. The census data also highlights a competitive situation between Salem and Eugene for the title of Oregon’s second-most populous city. Eugene previously had a lead of around 2,000 residents, but recent estimates show Salem now has a population of 180,406, compared to Eugene’s 178,786. PSU’s findings indicate Salem at 177,567 and Eugene at 177,155.
Overall, Oregon’s population saw a slight uptick last year, with separate estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and Portland State University indicating modest growth. The Census Bureau reported an increase of 18,718 residents, bringing the state’s total to 4.27 million from July 2023 to July 2024. PSU researchers noted a smaller growth of 13,358, with both figures representing an increase of less than 0.5%.
Recent data released by the U.S. Census shows that metropolitan areas in the country are growing at a faster pace than in previous years, revealing both positive and negative trends for Oregon cities. Notably, the latest data indicates that Portland’s population had actually declined by just over 4,000 in the year leading up to last July.
