Stable, safe, and secure in the ‘burbs

Depending on whom you ask, suburb living is either the first step toward establishing a stable, safe and secure lifestyle or a ghastly proposition that should be avoided at all costs.

Five years ago the Department of Transportation and Parking Services at Portland State conducted research among students and estimated that roughly 70 percent of undergraduate and graduate students either drive to campus or take public transportation.

Many of these students likely commute from local suburbs such as Beaverton, Gresham, Tigard or Oregon City.

If you’re living in the city and you decide that you need a break from the smell of transients, the sounds of traffic and the aesthetically unappealing nature of concrete, glass and moderately tall buildings, the Vanguard‘s guide to suburban living should comfort your soul and prepare you for your journey to minivan land.

Gresham“My neighborhood is always on the news.”

Likely serving as the most affordable of the suburbs for various reasons, the city of Gresham sits just 12 miles from downtown. Gresham is among the fastest growing cities in the state and the fourth largest in Oregon, but is notorious for criminal behavior and rough housing.

Because of this, apartments and other renting options are often inexpensive and upfront. Be aware of the city’s high turnover and fast growth.

Of the suburbs, Gresham features the best options for commuting to campus using public transportation. TriMet’s MAX passes through the city several times per hour, and because Gresham is the most populous suburb of Portland, TriMet’s bus service to and from the area is among the best.

Tigard/Tualatin/WilsonvilleWhich Applebee’s is your favorite?

With a combined population of 75,000, these three suburbs lie in between 10 to 20 miles south of Portland State.

Chances are, if you live in one of these communities you live with your parents or other family members, because apartments are among the most expensive around. Most of the area’s apartment complexes are newer and feature most, if not all, of the desired amenities, which raise the price above what most students can afford.

Although the rush hour commute to downtown is likely one of the worst in the metro area, the addition of TriMet’s new WES commuter rail that opens in September should ease some of the traffic burden. The new line will feature a 27-minute light rail trip, during the morning and evening high-traffic times, from Wilsonville to Beaverton where commuters can hook up with the MAX or other bus lines.

Beaverton/HillsboroContinuous urban sprawl.

These west-side metropolises are not only home to the conglomerates Intel, Sun Microsystems, Tektronix and, of course, apparel-monster Nike, but they are also among the best markets in the metro area for finding cheap rentals and opportunities for the young and burgeoning property owner.

Although the area is family-oriented and dominated, there are affordable housing options throughout. In fact, 52 percent of all the residences in Beaverton are rental properties.

The MAX Blue and Red lines run continually, easing the burden on the narrow Highway 26 into downtown Portland. Much of Beaverton is just a stone’s throw from Southwest Portland, and at most times during the day the commute is less than 10 minutes.

If you can stomach the 30-plus minute commute, Hillsboro features tons of newer and more affordable housing options.

Lake OswegoProud of our sex-offender free status.

If you live here and are a PSU student, you are probably on a temporary sabbatical from attending a more expensive university (read: Lewis & Clark).

Estimated as the wealthiest city in Oregon, with the average median income at $74,900, Lake Oswego is featured as one of the only cities in the state without a registered sex offender.

The beautiful scenery of Lake Oswego causes homes to be valued much higher than most other places in the metro area, and the city keeps affordable rental opportunities to a minimum.

Suburb breakdownThe Vanguard rates seven outlying suburbs, taking into consideration cost, location, and intangibles.

Lake OswegoPopulation: 36,34510 miles from campus** 1/2

GreshamPopulation: 99,22512 miles from campus**** 1/2

BeavertonPopulation: 85,5608 miles from campus**** 1/2

HillsboroPopulation: 88,30015 miles from campus*** 1/2

TigardPopulation: 46,71510 miles from campus*** 1/2

West LinnPopulation: 24,18013 miles from campus*** 1/2

Oregon CityPopulation: 30,06018 miles from campus**

**Information from the United States Census was used in this story.