Edge-of-city quiet
Sitting near Portland's southern boundary gives the neighborhood an unhurried, tucked-away feel.
FAR SOUTHWEST · PORTLAND
0 spots to discover in this neighborhood 4,200 residents · 2.3 sq mi
“Where Portland meets the suburbs — campus life and forested quiet”
NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY
“Where Portland meets the suburbs — campus life and forested quiet”
“Where Portland meets the suburbs — campus life and forested quiet”
— Far Southwest, Portland
About
Far Southwest is Portland's most southerly official neighborhood, occupying a slice of the West Hills that pinches between the cities of Tigard to the west and Lake Oswego to the east. Annexed to Portland progressively through the mid-20th century, the area retains a thoroughly suburban character: established single-family subdivisions with mature landscaping, no traditional main street, and daily commercial activity mostly conducted in nearby Barbur World Foods, the Barbur–Capitol corridor, or the Bridgeport Village regional mall just across the Tigard line.
The neighborhood's defining institution is Portland Community College's Sylvania Campus (12000 SW 49th Ave), the college's oldest and largest campus, opened in 1968. PCC Sylvania serves over 26,000 students annually, hosts a performing arts center, and is the primary employment center within neighborhood boundaries. Lesser Park — several acres of wildlife habitat with hiking trails through mixed forest — provides a quiet natural counterpoint to the campus.
Far Southwest sits within the Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. coalition but lacks its own standalone neighborhood association; it is covered by the broader SWNI structure. Residents tend to identify more strongly with the Barbur Boulevard corridor and adjacent Tigard shopping centers than with any single neighborhood node, giving Far Southwest a diffuse, car-dependent quality that sets it apart from the more cohesive neighborhoods to the north.
Boundaries: Bordered by SW Terwilliger Blvd and SW Boones Ferry Rd to the east, the City of Tigard to the west, the City of Lake Oswego to the south, and SW Barbur Blvd to the north. Adjacent to Collins View, South Burlingame, and Arnold Creek.
The Vibe
Far Southwest is quiet and residential, with the hushed, end-of-the-city feel that comes from sitting right at Portland's southern edge. Trees and gently rolling streets set the tone.
It appeals to those who want a calm, out-of-the-way base with quick access to the southern suburbs and the broader metro area.
History
Far Southwest is, as its name suggests, one of the southernmost neighborhoods in Portland, sitting near the city limits on the hilly ground between Multnomah and the Tigard and Lake Oswego edges. It is a small district that developed as part of southwest Portland's gradual postwar expansion.
The terrain here is rolling and wooded, and growth came incrementally, filling in residential streets among the trees over the latter half of the twentieth century. Its position at the city's southern boundary gave it a quiet, edge-of-town character that persists today.
Far Southwest remains a modest, low-key residential neighborhood, often considered alongside its Crestwood, Ashcreek, and Arnold Creek neighbors in the larger fabric of southwest Portland.
Character
Sitting near Portland's southern boundary gives the neighborhood an unhurried, tucked-away feel.
The area connects easily to Tigard, Lake Oswego, and the rest of the southern metro.
Landmarks
12000 SW 49th Ave
Portland Community College's oldest and largest campus (est. 1968), serving 26,000+ students annually with full academic programs and performing arts center.
SW 65th Ave & SW Iowa St area
Wooded natural area with acres of wildlife habitat, forested trails, and stream corridors — one of the neighborhood's few public green spaces.
SW Terwilliger Blvd corridor
Natural area parkland along the Terwilliger Blvd greenbelt, providing trail connections into the broader SW Portland green network.
Real Estate
A small, low-density residential neighborhood of single-family homes on hilly, often wooded lots near the city's southern edge.
Get listed and be found by locals already exploring this neighborhood. Sponsor a spot and be the first thing they see.
Founding rate locked at signup · 5 sponsor positions per region · Annual billing
Nearby
Explore More
Claim your free listing and connect with local customers. Get verified, manage your presence, and grow your reach.
Sign in once and access all of the PDX Network.
New here? Create an account.