Friday, July 25, 2008
At a Glance Print E-mail

Located in central Washington County, in beautiful northwest Oregon, Forest Grove is surrounded by rolling hills, evergreen forests, and vineyards providing a scenic backdrop for an abundance of recreational opportunities.

With easy access to Hwy 47 and 26, and Interstate 5, you can be in downtown Portland in less than 45 minutes or to the Oregon Coast in an hour. The Tri-Met regional public bus system serves Forest Grove every 15 minutes and connects directly to a light rail system six miles away.

Location: Bordered by Cornelius on the east, 25 miles west of Portland, 6 miles west of Hillsboro, 7 miles south of US Highway 26, 30 miles north of McMinnville and 55 miles east of the Oregon coast.

Year Incorporated: 1872
Total Area: 5.40 sq. miles
Elevation: 210'
Population (2006): 20,380
Population growth since 2000: 15.1%
Climate: Temperature in January: Minimum: 32.4 F Max: 51.8 F
Temperature in July: Minimum: 51.8 F Max: 82.2 F
Normal Annual Precipitation: 44.58 inches
Form of Government: Mayor-Council
Registered Voters: 8,715
Property Tax Rate (2007): $16.9491 per $1,000 assessed value
Miles of Roads: 71.6
Miles of State Highways: 10
Housing Units: 7,000+
Median Single Family Home Price (2006): $250,000
Urban Growth Boundary: Portland Metropolitan
Regional Planning Agency: Metro
Labor Force (2006): 9,150
Largest Business Sectors: High Tech-Circuit Boards, Food & Beverage Processing, Wood Products, Education, Healthcare/Eldercare, Metalworking.
Forest Grove School District: K-12, Covers Forest Grove, Cornelius, Gales Creek, Dilley
Schools in Forest Grove: 4 elementary, 1 middle school, 1 high school
Student Enrollment (in district): 5,921
Student-Teacher Ratio: 1.25: 1
Higher Education: Home of Pacific University. Enrollment: 2,500. 4-year liberal arts and health care professions graduate programs.
Churches: 22

Culture and Recreation:

  • 9 City parks, skateboard park, indoor city swimming pools, 12 tennis courts.
  • Theatre in the Grove –community theatre
  • Downtown Movie Theatre
  • Fernhill Wetlands birding
  • Hagg Lake Recreation Area
  • 5 area Golf Courses including world famous Pumpkin Ridge
  • 6 local wineries and tasting rooms
  • Tillamook State Forest –fishing, hiking, camping, swimming, horseback riding.
  • Pacific University Symphony & Performing Arts

Fairs and Celebrations:

  • First Wednesday – 1st Wednesday of each month-downtown celebration.
  • Barbershop Ballad Contest- March. Features outstanding west coast barbershop quartets in competition.
  • Farmers Market – Every Wednesday May to October, Downtown
  • Concours d’ Elegance – July. Vintage car show on Pacific Univ. campus
  • Main Course –July. Premier northwest wine and food event outdoors in historical downtown setting.
  • American Music Festival –August. National and regional acts all day at McMenamins Grand Lodge.
  • Founders Day Corn Roast –September. Outdoor dinner, all you can eat roasted corn, music, crafts and more. Celebrates Pacific Univ. founding.
  • Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival – September. Amateurs to professionals create chalk art drawings on downtown sidewalks.
  • Performing Arts Series – November-April. National music acts.
  • Holidays in the Grove-early December. Holiday celebrations in downtown.