Portland, Texas

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Portland, Texas

| settlement_type = City

| nickname = Gem City By the Gulf

| motto = Building Community and Raising Families

| image_skyline =

| imagesize =

| image_caption =

| image_flag =

| image_seal =

| image_map =

| mapsize = 250px

| map_caption = Location of Portland, Texas

| image_map1 = SanPatricio County Portland.svg

| mapsize1 = 250px

| map_caption1 =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = Texas

| subdivision_type2 = Counties

| subdivision_name2 = San Patricio, Nueces

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = Council-Manager

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Cathy Skurow

| leader_title1 = City Manager

| leader_name1 = Randy L. Wright

| established_title =

| established_date =

| unit_pref = Imperial

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}

| area_magnitude =

| area_total_km2 = 65.11

| area_land_km2 = 32.35

| area_water_km2 = 6.87

| area_total_sq_mi = 25.14

| area_land_sq_mi = 21.84

| area_water_sq_mi = 3.3

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes = {{Cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=160XX00US4858904 |title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Portland city, Texas |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 8, 2024}}

| population_total = 20383

| pop_est_as_of =

| population_est =

| pop_est_footnotes =

| population_density_km2 = 630.10

| population_density_sq_mi = 1631.95

| timezone = Central (CST)

| utc_offset = -6

| timezone_DST = CDT

| utc_offset_DST = -5

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m = 13

| elevation_ft = 43

| coordinates = {{coord|27|52|59|N|97|19|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}

| postal_code_type = ZIP code

| postal_code = 78374

| area_code = 361

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = 48-58904{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}

| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info = 1344378{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25}}

| website = {{URL|http://www.portlandtx.gov}}

| footnotes =

}}

Portland is a city primarily located in San Patricio County with some water bodies extending into Nueces County in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population was 20,383 as of the 2020 United States census. Current population calculated by the City of Portland is 22,783. Portland is a suburb of Corpus Christi, located on the north shore of Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays.

Geography

Portland is located at {{coord|27|52|59|N|97|19|14|W|type:city}} (27.883117, –97.320466).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.14 sq mi (65.11 km{{sup|2}}), of which 21.84 sq mi (56.57 km{{sup|2}}) are land and 3.3 sq mi (8.54 km{{sup|2}}) (13.2%) is covered by water. The city is roughly equidistant from Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon.{{cite book|last1=Bradfield|first1=Bill|last2=Bradfield|first2=Clare|title=Muleshoe and More|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbn-be5N9mkC&pg=PA156|year=1998|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9780884158653|page=156}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

| 1950 = 1202

| 1960 = 2538

| 1970 = 7302

| 1980 = 12023

| 1990 = 12224

| 2000 = 14827

| 2010 = 15099

| 2020 = 20383

| estyear = 2023

| estimate = 22783

| align-fn = center

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable"

|+Portland racial composition{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4858904&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=data.census.gov}}
(NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}}}

!Race

!Number

!Percentage

White (NH)

|10,095

|49.53%

Black or African American (NH)

|353

|1.73%

Native American or Alaska Native (NH)

|88

|0.43%

Asian (NH)

|571

|2.8%

Pacific Islander (NH)

|39

|0.19%

Some Other Race (NH)

|80

|0.39%

Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)

|674

|3.31%

Hispanic or Latino

|8,483

|41.62%

Total

|20,383

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,383 people, 6,136 households, and 4,639 families residing in the city.

=2000 census=

As of the census of 2000, 14,827 people, 5,021 households, and 4,051 families were residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,125.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 5,351 housing units averaged 767.1sq mi (296.0/km{{sup|2}}).

In 2017, the Texas Demographic Center estimated the population at 21,619.{{Cite web|url=http://demographics.texas.gov/Resources/TPEPP/Estimates/2016/2016_txpopest_place.pdf|title=Texas Demographic Center|date=June 2018|website=Texas Demographic Center}}

Of the 5,021 households, 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were not families. About 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94, and the average family size was 3.30.

In the city, the age distribution was 32.6% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,574, and for a family was $52,220. Males had a median income of $37,316 versus $25,722 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,871. About 5.8% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

The original 640-acre townsite of Portland was purchased by John G. Willacy in 1890. In 1891, Willacy sold the land to the Portland (Maine) Harbor and Improvement Co. Portland is situated on the second-highest bluff on the Gulf Coast and overlooks both Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays.

Education

Image:GPHS-BuildingFront1.JPG]]

Portland's public education is provided by Gregory-Portland Independent School District,{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48409_san_patricio/DC20SD_C48409.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: San Patricio County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-09-27}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48409_san_patricio/DC20SD_C48409_SD2MS.txt Text list] made up of W. C. Andrews Elementary (grades K–5), T. M. Clark Elementary, East Cliff Elementary, Stephen F. Austin Elementary (in Gregory), Gregory-Portland Middle School (grade 6–8), and Gregory-Portland High (grades 9–12) Schools.

Del Mar College is the designated community college for all of San Patricio County and Nueces County.[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.177. DEL MAR COLLEGE-CORPUS CHRISTI JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]

Crime

In 2022, Portland had a crime index lower than the U.S. average and half that of Texas.{{cite web|title=Portland, TX Crime and Crime Rate|url=http://www.usa.com/portland-tx-crime-and-crime-rate.htm|publisher=USA.com|access-date=26 June 2012}}{{cite web|title=Press Statements - Olgin/Chapa Murder Investigation|url=http://www.portlandtx.com/index.aspx?NID=376|publisher=Portland, Tx|access-date=18 September 2012}} Of fifteen cities in the region, only two cities have lower crime rates than Portland.{{Cite web |title=Texas Department of Public Safety, URC Data 2022 |url=https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/crime-records/crime-texas}}

Notable people

Matt Merrell, racing driver
Mitch Morris,[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1632070/bio Internet Movie Database: John Mitchell "Mitch" Morris Bio] an American actor and attorney, was a regular in Queer as Folk (U.S. TV series) and star in the sex comedy, Another Gay Movie
Vince Vieluf,[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0896735/bio Internet Movie Database: Vince Vieluf Bio] an American actor; starred in An American Werewolf in Paris, Rat Race, Love, Inc., National Lampoon's Barely Legal, and cult favorite Grind.
Don Williams (1939–2017), was a country singer and songwriter. Williams moved to Portland as a child from the Texas Panhandle/South Plains town of Floydada and was a 1958 graduate of Gregory-Portland High School. Williams had 17 songs to reach number one on the country charts.
Steve Trevino, Comedian
Walker Janek, American Baseball Player