When you are starting your own business, you have to think about a lot of things no matter where you are located. You have to find the perfect office, supplies, etc. And a lot of other things have to be done perfectly in order to have everything going smoothly. But sometimes, picking the right location is key to having a successful start. We are here to help you out with just that. Even if you don’t live in Oregon, you might want to start considering moving here if you want to start your own business. Starting your business in Oregon will be the best move you made. So, if you want to know some of the top locations to start a business in Oregon, stick around.
A little bit about Oregon
If you aren’t from Oregon, we are here to tell you all about it. Oregon belongs to the Pacific Northwest region. It’s located on the West Coast of the United States. Oregon is one of only three states to have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is Salem but that isn’t the biggest city. Portland is the biggest city. Geographically speaking, Oregon is one of the most diverse states. There are volcanoes, lakes, rivers, dense evergreen and mixed forests, as well as deserts and shrublands.
The Columbia River in OR – just one of many beautiful sceneries that can be found in this state.
Oregon’s economy is mostly powered by certain forms of agriculture, fishing, and hydroelectric power. It’s also the top timber producer. Many big companies such as Nike have their headquarters in Oregon.
You could say that Oregon has a little bit of everything for everyone. So, if you don’t live in Oregon and you want to, the only thing you have to do is to find long distance moving professionals in Hillsboro, OR or whichever city you want to move to.
Top locations to start a business in Oregon
Now let’s move onto what you came for – top locations to start a business in Oregon.
When starting a business in OR, have in mind that there is a little bit of everything for everyone in Oregon. You can’t go wrong with any kind of business. But the location matters. Some cities are more suitable than others. Here, you can find just a couple of cities that might suit your needs.
1. Portland
Portland is the biggest city in Oregon. It’s also very well-known. This means there are a lot of people, both residents, and tourists. And certain businesses require a big number of people in order to function. In fact, a lot of businesses require a big number of people. So,make it easier by starting your business in the largest city in the state. It’s a nice-looking city that everyone loves and takes care of. It is very clean even though it can get very busy. It’s mostly the city of young people, you won’t be able to see many older people walking around. But lately, multigenerational homes are on the rise everywhere, so you can expect the trend to arrive in Portland very soon.
2. Wilsonville
Wilsonville is a city that is located less than 20 miles from Portland – the largest city in OR. It boasts the highest average revenue per business which is at $3.4 million. That’s because there are a lot of large companies situated in Wilsonville. These large companies provide business opportunities for entrepreneurs of any kind. Wilsonville isn’t your typical business city. There isn’t any glass skyscrapers nor traffic. It’s just a simple town with many beautiful parks, large streets, and wonderful houses. You can say it’s one of the top family cities in Oregon as well as a good location to start a business in Oregon.
3. Newport
Newport is a coastal city. It’s located southwest of Salem and it calls itself the Dungeness Crab Capital of the World. It’s self-explanatory. The beautiful coastal settings and beaches draw visitors from all over the country. So, this is another city with a lot of people that can be suitable for a certain type of business. The fishing business is very popular. Which means anything that has something to do with fishing and sailing is more than welcome in Newport. One thing we have to mention about Newport is that its housing affordability is great.
4. Hood River
Hood River has 17 businesses per 100 residents. You can immediately tell that this is a good city to start a business in Oregon. The city’s unemployment rate is at 3.6%. That’s far below the state average. The city has a vibrant downtown with all the businesses. And the types of business vary. It’s not just one type. So, if you start here, you have a good chance of succeeding.
5. Salem
As we already mentioned, Salem is the capital of Oregon. It’s a very nice city. It’s not as big as Portland but it’s suitable for certain businesses. Salem is a calm town with nice residents and not a lot of tourists. You can find very nice offices and venues in Salem. Salem is very modern and it has been on the rise in the last year. There are many reasons to own a home in Salem and start your business while you’re at it.
6. Pendleton
One of the safest cities in Oregon is Pendleton. It’s a city in Umatilla County. Pendleton has a large number of people that commute into town to work every day, even from the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla. Pendleton is one of the cities with the lowest cost of living. In addition to this, the city is great for starting a business for many other reasons.
A wool-scouring plant opened in Pendleton in 1893 because of many sheep ranches in the region. It’s used to wash raw wool for shipping. This means you can get wool at a very affordable price in Pendleton. So, any business that is related to this field would bloom in Pendleton. Even though the sheep industry presence is strong, farming (largely wheat) and beef ranching are even more dominant in the area. Although both Umatilla and Morrow Counties are heavily agricultural, there are increasing tech and tourism factors in both. Pendleton hosts one of the nation’s UAV testing sites, and Amazon has established presence in both counties. When it comes to tourism, the city is increasingly investing in this industry, which opens a number of business opportunities. For instance, Pendleton hosts the world-famous annual Pendleton Round-Up, which attracts tourists from across the nation, Europe, and Asia.
7. Boardman
Boardman in Morrow County is a city with a lot of smaller business opportunities. It has a port that is used by a lot of big companies. And when you have a port in the city, you have a lot of opportunities for a successful business. And this is the second biggest port in Oregon. It’s located in Eastern Oregon. Boardman is where the data center linked to Amazon is situated. There is also an ethanol plant in Oregon that can produce up to 40 million US gallons, which is about 150,000,000 L, of ethanol a year from grains. As you can see, a business in Boardman is what you need.
8. Hermiston
Hermiston and Boardman are areas that show the most growth in the area, with large numbers of people commuting for employment. Hermiston is as a transportation center and gateway to Oregon’s favorable sales-tax climate thanks to its strategic location. This thriving growing city of almost 18,000 residents is located at the cross-roads of the Pacific Northwest, just minutes from a Columbia River port and the Washington state line. Hermiston is as a transportation center and gateway to Oregon’s favorable sales-tax climate thanks to its strategic location. Its favorable position at the center of all of the major Northwest markets is supported by its outstanding transportation infrastructure. Seattle, Portland, Spokane, and Boise are all just 3-4 hours away. The major freeways also ease access to markets in Utah, Montana, California, and British Columbia. The most developed industries in Hermiston are retail trade, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting and manufacturing. The highest paying industries are information utilities and construction. We hope this gives you some ideas on the kind of business you can start in Hermiston.
(Submitted by Lisa Roberts)
