Tualatin

Tualatin is a city of 27,383 residents spanning Washington and Clackamas Counties in the Portland metropolitan area.1 With a median household income of $105,073, Tualatin is relatively affluent, but faces significant housing affordability challenges common to the region.2 The city covers 8.2 square miles and has seen slight population decline from its 2020 peak of 27,883.1

Housing Statistics#

Metric Value
Median home price $630,000 (2025)3
Median rent $1,8754
Total housing units 11,3571
Homeownership rate 55.3%1
Vacancy rate 5.2%1
10-year appreciation 92.99%5

Tualatin’s housing stock is 49.8% single-family detached homes, with large apartment complexes comprising 29.4% and smaller multifamily buildings at 10.8%.5 The median construction year is 1991, reflecting significant growth in the late 20th century.1

Zoning and Land Use#

Tualatin updated its development code to comply with HB 2001 (2019), which requires cities in the Metro region to allow duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters, and townhouses in residential zones.6 The city had to reduce parking requirements that exceeded state limits.6

Mayor Frank Bubenik noted that HB 2001 “handcuffed” the council on density decisions, limiting their ability to block developments they might otherwise have rejected.7 The first major test came with the Tualatin Heights Apartments rezoning, which was approved after extensive debate to allow 100+ additional units, increasing density by nearly 50%.7

With very little vacant land remaining in the city, Tualatin’s focus has shifted to infill development in existing neighborhoods.6

Buildable Land#

According to Tualatin’s 2019 Housing Needs Analysis:8

Land Category Acres
Total residential Plan Designation 2,556
Developed (no capacity) 2,193 (86%)
Vacant/Partially Vacant 364 (14%)
Buildable within city limits 96
Basalt Creek (annexed) 194

The city’s 322 acres of total buildable land can accommodate approximately 1,207 new dwelling units at the target density of 8 units per net buildable acre.8 However, there is a deficit of capacity for medium-high density (109 units) and high-density high-rise (101 units) development through 2040.8

The Basalt Creek area, with 194 buildable acres annexed north of Basalt Creek Parkway, represents what planning officials describe as “the last buildable land zoned this way in Tualatin.”9

Recent Housing Developments#

  • Plambeck Gardens: A 116-unit affordable housing project on a 4.66-acre parcel in Basalt Creek, developed by Community Partners for Affordable Housing. Units will include two, three, and four-bedroom apartments.10

  • Tualatin Heights Apartments: Rezoning approved in 2024 to add 100+ units, increasing density by nearly 50%.7

  • Downtown Revitalization: An active city project with Community Advisory Committee meetings ongoing.11

  • Tualatin 2040: Comprehensive planning initiative completed in 2023 that produced a Housing Needs Analysis, Housing Production Strategy, and Equitable Housing Funding Plan.11

Key Housing Challenges#

Tualatin sits in Washington County, which is the least affordable county for renters in Oregon.12 Key challenges include:

  • Severe cost burden: Over 30% of Tualatin residents spend more than 50% of their income on rent12
  • Rising renter burden: Renter cost-burdened rates increased from 30% to 56% in recent years8
  • Regional waitlist: 18,000 applicants waiting for affordable housing county-wide12
  • Workforce housing gap: 93% of Tualatin workers commute from elsewhere, many unable to afford local housing8
  • Limited land: Only 96 buildable acres remain within existing city limits8
  • Funding cuts: Expected reductions to eviction prevention funding threaten housing stability13

A City Council work session in April 2025 addressed rising housing instability and child homelessness in the community.13

Local Housing Policies#

Limited Affordable Housing Tax Exemption Program: Property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing low-income housing under Tualatin Municipal Code Chapter 14-01.14

Equitable Housing Funding Plan (adopted June 2023): Studies potential funding sources for affordable housing production, advancing nine strategic actions from the Housing Production Strategy.11 Key mechanisms include:

  • System Development Charges (SDC) exemption for affordable housing
  • Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption
  • Construction Excise Tax (CET) under exploration as flexible revenue

Metro Housing Bond: Tualatin benefits from the $652.8 million affordable housing bond approved by Metro-area voters in 2018, which aims to create permanently affordable homes for 14,000 people across the tri-county region.12

Sources#

  1. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Tualatin city, Oregon ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Data USA: Tualatin, OR ↩︎

  3. Redfin: Tualatin Housing Market ↩︎

  4. Zillow Rental Manager: Average Rental Price in Tualatin, OR ↩︎

  5. NeighborhoodScout: Tualatin, OR Real Estate Market Trends ↩︎ ↩︎

  6. Tualatin Life: Tualatin Seeks Code Changes to Allow Middle Housing ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  7. Tualatin Life: Tualatin City Council Grapples With New Zoning Requirements ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  8. City of Tualatin Housing Needs Analysis (December 2019) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  9. Pamplin Media Group: Tualatin Pursues Parkland in Basalt Creek ↩︎

  10. Tualatin Life: Affordable Housing Project Moves Forward in Tualatin ↩︎

  11. City of Tualatin: Tualatin 2040 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  12. Tualatin Life: Officials Discuss Solutions for Tualatin’s Affordable-Housing Crisis ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  13. CitizenPortal.ai: Washington County Faces Eviction Crisis ↩︎ ↩︎

  14. City of Tualatin: Limited Affordable Housing Tax Exemption Program ↩︎

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