Fair Housing notice: Under federal Fair Housing law and NAR guidelines, real estate agents cannot recommend or steer buyers toward or away from any neighborhood based on its character or composition. This article provides factual, publicly available information about three NE Portland neighborhoods to support independent buyer research. Where you choose to live is entirely your decision. Always verify school boundaries, safety data, and market figures directly with official sources before drawing conclusions.

If you’re researching NE Portland, three neighborhoods come up more than any others: Alameda, Irvington, and Beaumont-Wilshire. They sit within a few miles of each other, share a lot of the same tree-lined, historic Portland character, and all feed into Portland Public Schools. But they are genuinely different — in price, architecture, walkability, and what day-to-day life looks like.

This guide lays out what the data shows and what makes each neighborhood distinct, so you can identify which one aligns with what you’re looking for.

At a Glance

School assignments are address-specific. The school names listed below reflect commonly reported patterns, not settled neighborhood-wide rules. Use the official PPS School Finder to verify the assignment for any specific address before drawing conclusions about schools.

	Alameda	Irvington	Beaumont-Wilshire
Median price (est.)*	~$942K	~$915K–$950K	~$575K–$625K
Home styles	Craftsman, Colonial, custom estates	Craftsman, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Tudor, Queen Anne	Craftsman, Bungalow, Tudor, Cape Cod, Ranch
Elementary (verify by address)	Alameda Elem	Irvington Elem	Alameda or Vernon (address-dependent)
Middle school (verify by address)	Beaumont Middle	Beverly Cleary or Harriet Tubman	Beaumont Middle or Vernon K–8
High school (verify by address)	Grant HS	Grant HS (some addresses: Jefferson)	Grant or Jefferson/McDaniel (address-dep.)
Walkability character	Moderate — quiet residential	High — Broadway/Fremont access	High — Beaumont Village corridor
Park	Alameda Ridge walk, Wilshire Park	Irving Park (16.08 acres)	Wilshire Park
Historic district	No	Yes — added 2010	No
Distance to downtown	~4 miles NE	~3.5 miles NE	~4 miles NE

*Third-party price estimates from Homes.com, Redfin, and Movoto. Fluctuate with market conditions. Verify current figures through an active MLS search or RMLS data pull. School data: PPS School Finder (boundaries); Niche and Oregon Department of Education (school data). Niche grades are third-party scoring models, not official state assessments.

Alameda

Alameda sits atop the Alameda Ridge, a glacially-formed landform that rises 100–150 feet above the surrounding east side — the result of the same Missoula Floods that shaped much of the Pacific Northwest about 13,000 to 15,000 years ago. The ridge gives many homes sweeping views of downtown Portland, Mount Hood, and the surrounding green canopy, which is why some of the earliest residents built large custom homes there almost immediately after the neighborhood was platted around 1910.

Character and feel

Alameda was intentionally developed as a quiet residential enclave, and that character has held. Wide streets, mature tree canopy, custom-built homes, and a low-turnover community where long-term residents are common. The Alameda Ridge itself functions as a linear walking route along the top of the hill with city views in both directions.

On Wednesday mornings, the Alameda Bike Bus — a parent-organized group ride to Alameda Elementary — brings together children, parents, and adult volunteers cycling to school with music. It’s been running long enough to become a neighborhood institution, and it gives a practical illustration of the level of parent engagement in the area.

Homes and architecture

Styles include Craftsman bungalows, colonial revivals, early Portland foursquares, and large custom estates — many built for wealthy families in the 1910s–1930s, some originally with quarters for live-in staff. The lots tend toward the smaller side for this price range, but the homes themselves are frequently substantial. Homes.com reports a recent median sale price of around $942,000, up approximately 7% year-over-year, with homes selling in roughly 30 days on average. These are third-party estimates — verify current figures through an active MLS search.

Schools

Alameda Elementary School earns a 10/10 from GreatSchools. According to the Oregon Department of Education’s 2024–25 report card, the school has approximately 500 students enrolled, with an ELA proficiency rate of 84.0% and a mathematics proficiency rate of 81.1% — both well above PPS and state averages. Niche assigns the school an A− grade.

Addresses in Alameda commonly feed to Beaumont Middle School (Niche B+) and then Grant High School (Niche A−). As with all PPS addresses, verify the current assignment for any specific home using the PPS School Finder.

School boundary reminder: PPS boundaries are subject to change in response to enrollment shifts. Verify the current assignment for any address you’re seriously considering by using the PPS School Finder and calling PPS enrollment at 503-916-5770 to confirm.

Parks and outdoors

The Alameda Ridge walking route runs along the top of the hill with views in both directions. Wilshire Park sits at the western edge of the neighborhood with an off-leash dog area, playground, and native plant garden. Grant Park is a short bike ride south.

Commute and access

Alameda is about four miles northeast of downtown Portland. Bus service runs along Fremont Street and 24th Avenue, connecting to MAX, though transit frequency in the residential grid is moderate and most residents commute by car. The Alberta Arts District is easily accessible for dining and shopping. I-84 and I-205 provide freeway access for commuters heading east or south.

What buyers commonly compare

Buyers researching Alameda frequently cite the elementary school’s proficiency scores, the ridge views, and the quiet residential character as primary factors. The price point is among the highest in NE Portland, with most homes in the $800K–$1.2M range. Low turnover means limited inventory and competitive conditions when homes do come to market.

Irvington

Irvington is one of Portland’s most historically significant residential neighborhoods. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Irvington Historic District in 2010, and its architecture reflects more than a century of careful stewardship. Homes here are large by Portland standards, sitting on generous lots behind mature canopy trees, with original detailing that ranges from Craftsman woodwork and built-ins to stained glass, sweeping staircases, and formal dining rooms.

Character and feel

Front porch culture is real in Irvington. The sidewalks are wide and well-used, and the neighborhood association — the Irvington Community Association — is among Portland’s more active. Halloween draws thousands of trick-or-treaters into the neighborhood each year, a measure of how families in surrounding areas view it. Block parties and community events at Irving Park are regular features of neighborhood life.

Homes and architecture

Irvington’s housing stock spans more architectural styles than almost any other Portland neighborhood: Craftsman, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Tudor, Prairie, Arts & Crafts, American Foursquare, Queen Anne. Most homes were built between 1900 and 1935. Many retain original features; others have been carefully renovated. Because Irvington is a designated historic district, exterior modifications are subject to historic preservation guidelines — buyers planning significant changes should research those requirements before purchasing.

According to Homes.com, most homes are priced between $750,000 and over $1 million, with a recent median around $915K–$950K. Redfin data from early 2026 shows a highly competitive market, with homes selling in roughly 11–15 days. These are third-party estimates — verify current figures through an active MLS search.

Schools

School assignment within Irvington is address-specific and spans multiple zones. Addresses in the neighborhood commonly — but not always — feed to Irvington Elementary School (Niche B+, student-teacher ratio 15:1), then Beverly Cleary or Harriet Tubman Middle School, and then Grant High School (Niche A−). Some Irvington addresses feed to Jefferson High School rather than Grant. The only reliable way to know which schools apply to a specific home is to look it up directly.

Verify the specific address: Irvington spans several school boundary zones. Use the PPS School Finder for any address you’re seriously evaluating, then call PPS enrollment at 503-916-5770 to confirm the current assignment.

Parks and outdoors

Irving Park anchors the eastern edge of the neighborhood at 16.08 acres, per the official Portland Parks page. Confirmed amenities include ball diamonds, tennis courts, a splash pad, an off-leash dog area, a playground, and sports fields. It’s well-used year-round and serves as a community gathering point. The neighborhood’s tree-canopied streets add to the sense of green space throughout.

Commute and access

Irvington is roughly 3.5 miles from downtown Portland, making it the closest of the three neighborhoods to the city center. NE Broadway on the southern boundary is a major commercial corridor with transit connections, and the Lloyd Center MAX station is under a mile south. I-84 access is quick. Most residents commute by car, though the neighborhood’s walkability and bike infrastructure support car-free errands for those close to the commercial edges.

The southern border along Broadway and NE 15th Avenue puts a wide range of dining, coffee, and boutique shopping within walking distance. Grocery options are available in adjacent commercial areas, including along NE Sandy Boulevard to the east.

What buyers commonly compare

Buyers researching Irvington frequently cite the neighborhood’s architectural character and the quality of the street environment as primary draws. The historic district designation appeals to buyers who value preservation; it requires additional due diligence for those planning exterior changes. Price-per-square-foot can be competitive given the larger home sizes, though total purchase prices typically land in the same range as Alameda.

Beaumont-Wilshire

Beaumont-Wilshire is an older, well-established neighborhood in NE Portland, with NE Fremont Street as its main road and commercial spine. The neighborhood’s commercial corridor — known as Beaumont Village, running roughly between NE 33rd and NE 50th along Fremont — puts locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, and neighborhood retail within walking distance for most residents. It’s one of NE Portland’s more walkable day-to-day environments.

Character and feel

The neighborhood has a dense, residential, small-town-within-a-city quality that residents frequently cite as its defining characteristic. Niche rates it A+ overall as a place to live. It sits between Alameda to the north and Grant Park to the south, with Rose City Park and Cully to the east. The terrain is flat, making it more bikeable for daily errands than Alameda’s ridge.

The Barnes Mansion, built in 1913, is a local landmark near the neighborhood’s center. The commercial strip along Fremont creates a repeat-encounter community feel — the kind of place where neighbors run into each other regularly at the same local spots.

Homes and architecture

Beaumont-Wilshire’s housing stock is more varied than Alameda or Irvington, reflecting development across several decades. Styles include Craftsman bungalows, Cape Cods, Tudor Revivals, Dutch Colonials, mid-century ranch homes, and smaller cottages. Most homes date from the 1910s through the 1940s and have been well-maintained.

Median prices run roughly $575K–$625K according to recent Redfin and Movoto data, making it more accessible than Alameda or Irvington. The southern portion of the neighborhood — along the Alameda Ridge edge — includes some homes with city views that can push prices into the $800K–$900K range. NeighborhoodScout reports a median for that southern zone around $806K. All figures are third-party estimates — verify through a current MLS search.

Schools

School assignment in Beaumont-Wilshire is particularly address-dependent. The neighborhood spans multiple PPS attendance zones, and the pathway can vary significantly from one block to the next.

Addresses in the southern portion of the neighborhood commonly — but not always — fall within the Alameda Elementary zone, feeding to Beaumont Middle School and then Grant High School. Addresses in the northern portion commonly fall within the Vernon School zone (a K–8 program), which then feeds to a different high school. These are general patterns, not settled rules — the only way to know which applies to a specific address is to look it up.

This is the most important due diligence step in Beaumont-Wilshire. A few blocks’ difference can result in a completely different K–12 school pathway. Before placing an offer on any home where school assignment is a factor, use the PPS School Finder for that exact address, then call PPS enrollment at 503-916-5770 to confirm the current assignment.

Parks and outdoors

Wilshire Park anchors the neighborhood’s western edge, with an off-leash dog area, playground, and native plant garden, per the official Portland Parks page. Grant Park is a short bike ride south. The flat terrain makes Beaumont-Wilshire one of the more bikeable of the three neighborhoods for daily movement.

Commute and access

Beaumont-Wilshire is about four miles from downtown Portland. NE Fremont Street provides east-west transit access, and the neighborhood connects easily to Sandy Boulevard and I-84. The walkable Fremont corridor means many daily errands — coffee, dining, neighborhood retail — are accessible on foot or by bike.

What buyers commonly compare

Buyers researching Beaumont-Wilshire frequently cite the walkable commercial corridor and the more accessible price point relative to Alameda and Irvington as primary factors. The school boundary complexity is widely noted — buyers who prioritize a specific school pathway typically invest significant time verifying which zone a particular address falls in before moving forward.

 

Side-by-Side Summary

Factor	Alameda	Irvington	Beaumont-Wilshire
Price range (est.)*	$800K–$1.2M+	$750K–$1M+	$500K–$900K (varies by zone)
Market speed (est.)*	~30 days on market	~11–15 days on market	~16–36 days on market
Architecture	Custom estates, Craftsman, Colonial	Widest variety — Victorian through Prairie	Bungalow, Craftsman, Tudor, Ranch
Historic district	No	Yes — listed 2010; exterior changes regulated	No
Walkability character	Moderate (quiet residential)	High (Broadway/Fremont access)	High (Beaumont Village walkable)
Primary park	Alameda Ridge walk, Wilshire Park	Irving Park (16.08 acres, official)	Wilshire Park
Elementary (verify by address)	Alameda Elem (ODE: 84.0% ELA, 81.1% math)	Irvington Elem (Niche B+)	Alameda or Vernon — must verify
High school (verify by address)	Grant HS (Niche A−)	Grant HS (some addresses: Jefferson)	Grant or Jefferson — must verify
Commonly compared features	Schools, views, quiet; higher budget	Architecture, historic character, Irving Park	Village walkability, price accessibility

*All price and days-on-market figures are third-party estimates from Homes.com, Redfin, and Movoto. Verify current market conditions through an active MLS search. School assignments must be verified through the PPS School Finder for each specific address. Niche grades are third-party scoring models; ODE figures are from the official 2024–25 Oregon Report Card.

Verify School Assignment Before You Make an Offer

All three neighborhoods are served by Portland Public Schools, and PPS boundaries are drawn at the address level — not the neighborhood level. Within Beaumont-Wilshire especially, a difference of a few blocks can mean a completely different K–12 pathway. And because PPS has been adjusting attendance zones in response to declining enrollment and budget pressures, asking about planned changes is as important as confirming the current assignment.

Before making any offer on a home where school assignment is a factor in your decision:

• Use the official PPS School Finder to look up the current boundary assignment for that exact address.
• Call PPS enrollment at 503-916-5770 to confirm the current assignment and ask whether any boundary changes are under consideration for that zone.
• Review the specific school’s data on the Oregon Department of Education Report Card and GreatSchools for that assigned school — not just the district average.

Researching NE Portland?

Alameda, Irvington, and Beaumont-Wilshire are genuinely different places to live, even though they sit within a few miles of each other. The right fit depends on what your household actually prioritizes — and some of the most important differences only become clear when you look up a specific address.

Reach out at kerrie@kdrealestatepdx.com and I'll send you my free Portland Relocation Guide which covers the broader picture — costs, commutes, suburbs, safety data, and more. And if you have questions about a specific street, address, or how PPS boundary data applies to a home you’re evaluating, reach out directly at 971-443-1770.