Portland, Texas
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Portland is a city of over 10 square miles located in San Patricio County with some water bodies extending into Nueces County in the U.S. state of Texas. Positioned just north of Corpus Christi, Portland had a population of approximately 22,807 in 2024. Portland’s location along Corpus Christi Bay and Nueces Bay provides opportunities for fishing, boating, sailing, swimming, and kite surfing. Known for its safe neighborhoods, award‑winning schools, and strong city services, Portland has developed a reputation as a family‑oriented community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
The community of Portland began forming in the early 1890s when developer John G. Willacy purchased land from the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company and worked with several investment groups from Maine and Kansas to promote settlement on the Nueces Bay bluff.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> To attract residents and investors, a large hotel was constructed, and transportation was arranged by steamboat and railroad to bring visitors for a major land sale in July 1891. The early response was strong. Hundreds of lots were sold, and the small town soon had a few hundred residents and new businesses.<ref name=":0" />
This initial prosperity was short-lived. The nationwide economic downturn of 1893 slowed land sales and stopped development. A local entrepreneur later converted the vacant hotel into Bay View College, which operated until it was destroyed by a hurricane.<ref name=":0" />
Portland’s next period of growth came in the 1910s, when the Portland Development Company worked to expand rail access, improve water supply, and support the area’s cotton shipping trade. These efforts boosted the economy temporarily, but hurricanes in 1916 and 1919 again damaged the town and reduced its population for several decades.<ref name=":0" />
The city formally incorporated in 1949, marking the beginning of a more stable civic structure. In the 1950s, industrial investment, especially the construction of a Reynolds Metals Company plant, helped turn Portland into a growing residential and commercial community connected to the Corpus Christi area.<ref name=":0" />
By the end of the twentieth century, Portland had expanded into Nueces County and transitioned from a small agricultural settlement into a suburban city with a steadily increasing population.<ref name=":0" />
Geography
Portland is situated on the second-highest bluff on the Gulf Coast and overlooks both Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays. Portland is located at Template:Coord (27.883117, –97.320466).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.14 sq mi (65.11 kmTemplate:Sup), of which 21.84 sq mi (56.57 kmTemplate:Sup) are land and 3.3 sq mi (8.54 kmTemplate:Sup) (13.2%) is covered by water. The city is roughly equidistant from Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon.<ref name="BradfieldBradfield1998">Template:Cite book</ref>
Demographics
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 10,095 | 49.53% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 353 | 1.73% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 88 | 0.43% |
| Asian (NH) | 571 | 2.8% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 39 | 0.19% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 80 | 0.39% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 674 | 3.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8,483 | 41.62% |
| Total | 20,383 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,383 people, 6,136 households, and 4,639 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 14,827 people, 5,021 households, and 4,051 families were residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. The 5,351 housing units averaged 767.1sq mi (296.0/kmTemplate:Sup).
In 2017, the Texas Demographic Center estimated the population at 21,619.<ref name="TexasDemographics2016">Template:Cite web</ref>
Of the 5,021 households, 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were not families. About 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94, and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city, the age distribution was 32.6% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $48,574, and for a family was $52,220. Males had a median income of $37,316 versus $25,722 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,871. About 5.8% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In 2023, 9.61k people were employed by Portland, Texas.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Industry | People in Workforce |
|---|---|
| Construction | 1,372 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | 1,277 |
| Manufacturing | 978 |
Culture and Community
Portland hosts the annual Windfest festival, organized by the Portland Chamber of Commerce, which features live entertainment, food vendors, and family activities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city also maintains several parks and recreational areas, including Sunset Lake Park and Indian Point Wetlands, which are popular for birdwatching, fishing, and community events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
Portland's public education is provided by Gregory-Portland Independent School District,<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> made up of W. C. Andrews Elementary (grades K–5), T. M. Clark Elementary, East Cliff Elementary, Stephen F. Austin Elementary (in Gregory), Gregory-Portland Middle School (grade 6–8), and Gregory-Portland High (grades 9–12) Schools.
Del Mar College is the designated community college for all of San Patricio County and Nueces County.<ref>Texas Education Code Sec. 130.177. DEL MAR COLLEGE-CORPUS CHRISTI JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.</ref>
Crime
In 2022, Portland had a crime index lower than the U.S. average and half that of Texas.<ref name="Portland, TX Crime and Crime Rate">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Portland, Tx">Template:Cite web</ref> Of fifteen cities in the region, only two cities have lower crime rates than Portland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
- Matt Merrell, racing driver
- Mitch Morris,<ref name="Mitch Morris">Internet Movie Database: John Mitchell "Mitch" Morris Bio</ref> an American actor and attorney, was a regular in Queer as Folk (U.S. TV series) and star in the sex comedy, Another Gay Movie
- Vince Vieluf,<ref name="Vince Vieluf">Internet Movie Database: Vince Vieluf Bio</ref> an American actor; starred in An American Werewolf in Paris, Rat Race, Love, Inc., National Lampoon's Barely Legal, and cult favorite Grind.
- Don Williams (1939–2017), was a country singer and songwriter. Williams moved to Portland as a child from the Texas Panhandle/South Plains town of Floydada and was a 1958 graduate of Gregory-Portland High School. Williams had 17 songs to reach number one on the country charts.
- Steve Treviño, Comedian
- Walker Janek, American Baseball Player
References
Template:Reflist Template:Notelist
Further reading
External links
Template:Nueces County, Texas Template:San Patricio County, Texas