04 September . 2025
10 times the charm: Why Hillsboro keeps ranking among the best places to live
If you’ve been daydreaming about a fresh start in a place full of charm and community, you might want to circle Hillsboro, Oregon on your map. Actually, circle it again. Because for the tenth time, Hillsboro has been named a “Best Place to Live.” So let’s just say… the secret’s getting out.
But don’t worry, you can still join the party.
Located just west of Portland in the scenic Tualatin Valley, Hillsboro has grown into one of Oregon’s most dynamic cities, offering a rare blend of small-town livability and big-city opportunity. While it’s long been associated with tech giants like Intel and athletic powerhouse Nike, the city’s economic base continues to diversify. Today, the Silicon Forest is also home to major players in bioscience, clean energy, healthcare, and education.
Hillsboro’s mix of natural beauty and urban convenience makes it appealing for young professionals and families alike. This year, the city ranked #3 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live for 2025-2026, which called specific attention to its average commute time of just 18 minutes as well as home values that offer more breathing room than Portland’s competitive market.
With easy access to nature and unique activities to enjoy year-round, Hillsboro makes it easy to put down roots without sacrificing convenience or quality of life. But what makes the city so livable?
Earlier this year, Travel + Leisure magazine’s “10 Best Places to Live in Oregon” highlighted planned communities like Reed’s Crossing for their walkability, local shopping, cozy restaurants, and access to public transit. It’s the kind of place where you can live a car-light lifestyle, catch up with your favorite barista on a Saturday morning, and generally find something happening close to home.
And it’s not just a couple of articles singing Hillsboro’s praises. In the past decade-plus, the city has racked up some serious accolades, appearing on myriad “best places to live” lists including:
- Livability Best in the West (2024)
- Livability 100 Best Places to Live (2023)
- Money Magazine Best Places to Live (2023)
- Livability 100 Best Places to Live (2022)
- That Oregon Life Best Places to Live (2022)
- Livability 100 Best Places to Live (2021)
- Money Magazine Best Places to Live (2020)
- CNN Best Small Cities in (2010)
If you're looking for something designed from the ground up for connection, sustainability, and real-life flexibility, Reed’s Crossing takes it even further. With a wide variety of home styles from five different builders, offering everything from modern small footprint homes to townhomes, duplexes, apartments, and more, this is Hillsboro at its finest.
Our community is built around the idea that the place you call home should support every aspect of your well-being. That means plenty of walking and biking paths, multi-generational parks, and abundant green space where you can stretch out, slow down, and stay connected to nature. It also means having restaurants, shops, and services within walking distance, making errands feel less like chores as you take a casual stroll to the shopping center.
Just picture this: Morning yoga at Tamarack Park, being able to walk the kids to school, and evenings around the fire pit with neighbors you actually know by name. Whether you're out enjoying the sunshine, sipping coffee on your porch, or joining a community club, life at Reed’s Crossing is about more than just the home. It’s a place designed to help you thrive at every stage of life.
Thinking about buying a new home in Hillsboro? Take a virtual tour, come by for a visit, or sneak a peek at what’s in store for the future.