Ethnic groups in Portland, Oregon

According to the City of Portland, "In all categories, the Eastside is more racially diverse than the Westside. Hispanics are most concentrated in North Portland at nearly 15% of the population. NE Portland has the highest concentration of African Americans at 30%. The concentration of Asians in Portland are mostly within NE, SE, and outer East Portland, with a percent population of 11%, 10%, and 9% respectively. Whites are the most common race group citywide."

In 2016, Alana Semuels of The Atlantic wrote, "As black people moved into Albina, whites moved out; by the end of the 1950s, there were 23,000 fewer white residents and 7,000 more black residents than there had been at the beginning of the decade." She also said "by 1999, blacks owned 36 percent fewer homes than they had a decade earlier, while whites owned 43 percent more." In 2021, the Southeast Examiner Don MacGillivray said "Portland is known for its lack of racial diversity and its lack of African Americans", with a Black population at six percent and Latinos at 10 percent of the city's population. + Racial composition as of the 2020 censusRaceNumberPercentWhite449,02568.8%Black or African American38,2175.9%American Indian and Alaska Native7,3351.1%Asian52,8548.1%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander3,9190.6%Some other race31,2554.8%Two or more races69,89810.7%Hispanic or Latino (of any race)72,33611.1%

African Americans

African Americans are concentrated in north and northeast Portland. The Albina neighborhood in northeast Portland was historically African American, and was home to over 80% of the Black population of the city in the 1960s. In the following decades, many of these residents were forced to move out of Albina and many Black-owned businesses were destroyed by urban renewal projects and eminent domain.

The Skanner was an African American community newspaper in Portland. Notable Black-owned restaurants and cafés in the city include Akadi, Beastro, Assembly Brewing, Amalfi’s Italian Restaurant, Atlas Pizza, Baes Fried Chicken, Deadstock Coffee, Dirty Lettuce, Everybody Eats PDX, Erica's Soul Food, Grits n' Gravy, Kee's Loaded Kitchen, Meals 4 Heels, and Viking Soul Food.

Asians

Burmese As of 2010, approximately 1,400 Burmese people lived in the Portland metropolitan area.

Notable Burmese restaurants have included Rangoon Bistro and Top Burmese.

Chinese According to The Oregonian, "One in 10 residents in Portland were Chinese by 1890, making Portland’s Chinese community the second largest in the United States at that time." Ladd's Addition was among the city's first neighborhoods in which Chinese people were allowed to own homes.

Filipino The Filipino Bayanihan Center opened in Southeast Portland in 2021.

Sobrang Sarap is a food tour of Filipino cuisine.Sobrang Sarap:

Notable Filipino restaurants have included Baon Kainan, Botanical Bakeshop, Magna Kusina, and Sun Rice.

Indian From 1994 to 2003, the India Cultural Association held its annual Celebration of India Festival (or simply India Festival) in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square. The event was held in Beaverton in 2024. The Bengali Association of Greater Portland (also known as Prabashi Portland) hosts the annual Durga Puja.

Notable Indian restaurants have included:

Bhuna Bollywood Theater Bombay Cricket Club Desi PDX East India Co. Grill and Bar Kulfi Maruti Indian Restaurant Masala Lab PDX The Sudra

Japanese

Ethnic Japanese in the present-day Portland area are known to date back as far as 1834, though permanent Japanese residents did not appear until the 1880s. The Japanese community grew over the next several decades, and eventually, two Japantowns had been established in the city of Portland. Both of these ethnic enclaves disappeared during World War II's Internment of Japanese Americans. Following World War II, a number of the interned Japanese Americans returned to the Portland area. As of 2010, approximately 30,000 Japanese-Americans resided in Portland, Oregon with a total of 38,000 residing in the greater Multnomah County area.

Koreans

Palestinian According to 2019 census data, approximately 400 Portland residents listed Palestinian as their ancestry.

Thai The Portland Thai Festival is held annually. Notable Thai restaurants have included:

E-san Thai Cuisine Eem Hat Yai Khao Moo Dang Langbaan Nong's Khao Man Gai Nudi Noodle Place OK Chicken and Khao Soi PaaDee Phuket Cafe Pok Pok Rukdiew Cafe Thai Peacock Whiskey Soda Lounge Yaowarat

Vietnamese Portland had the fifteenth largest Vietnamese population in the United States, as of 2022. Vietnamese coffee gained popularity in Portland in the 2020s. Notable Vietnamese restaurants have included:

An Xuyên Bakery Annam VL Berlu Double Dragon Fish Sauce Ha VL Hanoi Kitchen Lúc Lắc Vietnamese Kitchen Mama Đút Matta Phở Gabo Phở Kim Pho Oregon Pho Van Portland Cà Phê Rose VL Deli Tapalaya Thơm Portland

Hispanic/Latino

Jews Approximately 75,500 Jews live in the Portland metropolitan area.

Native Americans Portland has the ninth largest urban Native American population in the United States. In 2025, The Oregonian said that "less than 2% of the population identifies as Native American" in Portland. Javelina serves Indigenous cuisine.

Romani Portland has a substantial Romani population. Approximately 3,000 Romani people live in the metropolitan area.

Ethnic groups in Portland, Oregon

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