The Average Latino Family Can't Afford Rent in Most Portland Neighborhoods

The promise of making Portland a "sanctuary city" for immigrants is undermined by the cost of housing.

(WW Staff)
By Rachel Monahan

Mayor Ted Wheeler and other officials have pledged to make Portland a "sanctuary city" to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Yet that promise belies an unpleasant fact: The average Latino household cannot afford the rent in most Portland neighborhoods.

"Being a sanctuary city is really important, and we applaud our elected officials for that," says Lizzie Martinez, development and communications director of Portland nonprofit Latino Network. "But housing makes sure families can live and thrive here."

Related: Refugees who come to Portland can't afford to live here.

While Portland is home to a wide range of immigrant communities, by far the largest group still hails from Spanish-speaking countries. U.S. Census Bureau data shows the median Latino family makes $38,901 a year. In all but three parts of Portland, that income leaves the average family spending more than 30 percent of its monthly income on rent.

This map shows how much more average rent costs than the median Latino family can afford to pay.

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