Moving to Portland? We don’t want to bury you in a stack of superlatives, but this city definitely tops lists for natural beauty, environmental responsibility, and well, coolness. Encompassing five counties in Oregon and two in Washington, metro Portland passed the 2 million-person milestone in 2002 and approached 2.3 million in 2012. The city’s superior land-use planning and investments in public transportation have attracted international acclaim. Historical architecture and old, quaint bookstores are juxtaposed with the latest in LEED technology and a plethora of wifi hotspots. Every neighborhood in and around Portland has its own loveable quirks, but no matter where you live you can expect a distinctly eclectic culture of coffee shops, parks, brew pubs, and farmers markets. Residents also take part in year-round outdoor activities, enjoying all four seasons despite the region’s propensity for rain. Perhaps this is just a small insight into the city’s popular mantra, “Keep Portland Weird.”

Portland is incredibly commuter friendly, as are these NALS Apartment Homes communities. We offer luxury apartment homes for rent in Hillsboro, OR and Vancouver, WA, both a half hour drive from Downtown Portland and wonderful cities in themselves. The tech-heavy Hillsboro is home to major offices for Intel, Wells Fargo, Yahoo!, and SolarWorld. All apartments are pet friendly, offer flexible lease terms, and provide access to a number of resort-style community amenities.