St. Johns Homes for Sale | Portland, OR Neighborhood Guide

St. Johns

Average Sales Price

$500,657

Total Listings

St. Johns is the historic town center at the far north tip of the Portland peninsula, anchored by the 1931 Gothic-revival St. Johns Bridge and a walkable downtown core around N Lombard and N Philadelphia. Homes here run heavily pre-war, with Craftsman bungalows, Victorian cottages, and Tudors on 5,000 to 7,000 square foot lots. Residents walk to Stormbreaker Brewing, Proud Mary Coffee, Safeway, and the St. Johns Theater, and have direct access to both Cathedral Park under the bridge and the 80-acre forested Pier Park.

LISTINGS

$434,000

3 Beds2.1 Baths1,408 SqFt

6842 N SEDRO ST, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Premiere Property Group, LLC
$499,900

3 Beds2.1 Baths1,384 SqFt

9222 N CHARLESTON AVE, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Next Generation Real Estate LLC
$380,000

2 Beds1 Bath944 SqFt

8351 N BANK ST, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Tindell & Co
$625,000

4 Beds2 Baths2,052 SqFt

10236 N SMITH ST, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Coldwell Banker Bain
$399,000

3 Beds1,160 SqFt

10348 N BARR AVE, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Windermere Realty Trust
$463,000

3 Beds1.1 Baths1,344 SqFt

8329 N JOHNSWOOD DR, Portland, OR 97203

Listed by Premiere Property Group, LLC

More Listings

RECENTLY SOLD

$416,810

$410,000 1.7%

8715 N SWENSON ST, Portland, OR 97203

3 Beds1 Bath912 SqFt

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Listed by Think Real Estate

$425,000

$400,000 6.3%

8116 N HARTMAN ST, Portland, OR 97203

2 Beds1 Bath802 SqFt

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Listed by Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty

3939 N Marine DR #12, Portland, OR 97217

$1,055,000

$1,270,000 16.9%

3939 N Marine DR #12, Portland, OR 97217

3 Beds3.1 Baths3,206 SqFt

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Listed by SimpliHOM

More Listings

North Portland Neighborhood Guide

Living in St. Johns

The historic town center at the north tip of the peninsula, with a walkable downtown core, the Gothic-style St. Johns Bridge as its landmark, and pre-war housing on a grid that pre-dates Portland's annexation.

Updated April 2026 by Joe Saling

Neighborhood Overview

What St. Johns Is Really Like

St. Johns sits at the far north tip of the Portland peninsula, bordered by the Willamette River on three sides and anchored by the St. Johns Bridge, a 1931 Gothic-revival suspension bridge connecting Northwest Portland to the peninsula. The neighborhood was an independent city until Portland annexed it in 1915, and that history still shows: the downtown core around N Lombard Street and N Philadelphia Avenue has the feel of a small-town main street rather than a Portland commercial strip. Boundaries run roughly from Pier Park and the Portsmouth Cut on the east to Cathedral Park and the river bluff on the west, with the downtown core in the middle.

A weekday morning in St. Johns starts with coffee lines at Proud Mary and Two Stroke Coffee, kids walking to James John Elementary, and commuters catching the 4 or 44 bus on Lombard. By mid-morning the downtown core is active with small-business foot traffic, and by evening it's one of the busier neighborhood dining strips in North Portland, with Stormbreaker Brewing, John Street Cafe, Occidental Brewing at Cathedral Park, and the St. Johns Theater. Weekend rhythms cluster around Cathedral Park beneath the bridge towers, the St. Johns Farmers Market in season, and the annual St. Johns Parade.

On residential blocks you will see porch dinners in summer, community-built Little Libraries, and significant block-party culture. St. Johns has one of the more organized neighborhood associations in the city, an active business district, and a visible arts and music scene centered around the Theater and the handful of small venues on Lombard. Many residents bike to work on the N Willamette Boulevard greenway or the N Ivanhoe connector.

Looking for broader context on the area? Read my full North Portland relocation guide for how St. Johns fits into the wider district.

Housing & Style

Homes and Architecture in St. Johns

St. Johns has one of the oldest housing stocks in the city, with a large share of homes built between 1900 and 1940 on 5,000 to 7,000 square foot lots. You see Craftsman bungalows, Old Portland foursquares, Tudor-style homes, English cottages, and a meaningful layer of Victorian-era cottages in the oldest blocks closer to downtown. The area between the downtown core and Cathedral Park has some of the neighborhood's most photographed pre-war homes, while the blocks closer to Pier Park and Columbia Boulevard mix in 1940s to 1960s ranches and more recent infill. Lot sizes are generally larger than Portsmouth or Kenton, and the bluff-edge blocks toward Cathedral Park command a meaningful premium.

When you shop in St. Johns, expect a wider range of condition and presentation than in the Mississippi-Williams corridor neighborhoods. Some homes have been carefully restored by long-term owners; others are first-time-buyer projects or flips with variable quality. Competitive dynamics are strong for updated homes on the quieter interior blocks, modest on homes that need significant work, and strongest of all for anything within easy walking distance of the downtown core. Watch for older cast-iron sewer laterals, original knob-and-tube on pre-1930 homes, and the occasional cracked foundation on hillside lots near Cathedral Park. Many homes still carry their original basement layouts, which affects ADU conversion economics.

Craftsman bungalows
Victorian-era cottages
Tudor & English cottages
5,000 to 7,000 sq ft lots
Mid-range for North Portland

Around the Neighborhood

Dining, Parks, and Daily Life

Stormbreaker Brewing

Brewery & Gastropub · N Lombard

Full-size brewery and kitchen on the N Lombard downtown strip with a large covered patio. Stormbreaker is one of the main gathering points in downtown St. Johns and hosts neighborhood events through the year. Combined with Occidental Brewing down at Cathedral Park, St. Johns has more in-neighborhood brewery capacity than most Portland neighborhoods.

John Street Cafe & Tienda Santa Cruz

Breakfast & Mexican Market

John Street Cafe anchors the weekend breakfast scene with housemade pastries and strong coffee. Tienda Santa Cruz a few blocks away serves some of the best tamales and taquitos in North Portland. Both are on the walkable downtown spine, and both draw patrons from well outside the neighborhood.

Proud Mary Coffee & Two Stroke Coffee

Coffee Shops

Proud Mary is the Melbourne-import roaster with one of its U.S. flagships on N Lombard, known for single-origin espresso and brunch. Two Stroke Coffee and several other smaller shops round out the coffee scene. Between the two, St. Johns has the strongest daily coffee culture on the peninsula.

Cathedral Park & Pier Park

Riverfront & Forested Parks

Cathedral Park sits directly beneath the St. Johns Bridge with a boat launch, open lawn, and the city's marquee bridge view. Pier Park on the east side of the neighborhood is 80-plus forested acres with trails, an 18-hole disc golf course, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a skate park. Between the two, St. Johns has outdoor access most Portland neighborhoods cannot match.

Daily Errands

Grocery, Pharmacy, Hardware

Safeway on N Lombard handles full-service grocery within walking distance of the downtown core. New Seasons Market on N Lombard in University Park is about 5 minutes by car. Walgreens and Rite Aid cover pharmacy. Winks Hardware on N Lombard is a neighborhood fixture for hardware, paint, and garden needs. The St. Johns Farmers Market runs seasonally.

Getting Around

Transit & Commute

Downtown Portland is typically 20 to 25 minutes by car via I-5 off-peak, or about 30 to 35 minutes by the 4 Fessenden or 44 Capitol Highway bus routes. The St. Johns Bridge connects to Highway 30 and NW Portland in about 15 minutes. The MAX Yellow Line at N Rosa Parks or Kenton stations is a 5 to 8 minute bus ride east. N Willamette Boulevard handles the bike commute south.

From Your Agent

Joe's Take on St. Johns

When buyers tell me they want a walkable downtown core, character-heavy pre-war housing, and outdoor access at the back door, but also want to spend less than the Mississippi and Williams corridor, St. Johns is the neighborhood I put at the top of the list. You get a real downtown main-street feel that no other North Portland neighborhood offers, arguably the best brewery and coffee density on the peninsula, and two top-tier parks (Cathedral and Pier) inside the neighborhood itself. The trade-off is distance. St. Johns sits at the far north end of the peninsula, which means the commute downtown is 5 to 10 minutes longer than Portsmouth or University Park, and the grocery options, while workable, are thinner than the inner-Northeast corridors.

The housing stock and location suit buyers who want a pre-war home with real downtown walkability, outdoor access to both the river and a forested park, and a neighborhood with its own business district and identity. Remote workers and hybrid commuters do especially well here given the distance premium is less of a daily factor. It is less of a fit for buyers who need a 10-minute commute downtown, or who want the newer infill density of the Mississippi-Williams corridor.

Before you write an offer in St. Johns, there are a few specifics worth checking. Pull a sewer scope on any pre-1940 home; St. Johns has some of the oldest original cast-iron laterals on the peninsula. Ask for electrical inspection notes on pre-1930 stock to flag any remaining knob-and-tube. Check foundation condition on hillside homes near Cathedral Park, since some of the steeper bluff lots have had historical settling. Verify the specific school boundary for your target address at pps.net, since St. Johns crosses James John, Sitton, and Cesar Chavez boundaries depending on the block. And if the home is close to the St. Johns Bridge approach or Columbia Boulevard, drive the block at rush hour to hear truck traffic, since freight routing is a real factor on specific blocks.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About St. Johns

How do home prices in St. Johns compare to the rest of North Portland?

St. Johns typically prices in the middle of the North Portland range. Expect to pay less than the Mississippi and Williams corridor neighborhoods of Boise and Overlook, roughly in line with University Park and Cathedral Park (which is technically part of the St. Johns district), and above Portsmouth, Arbor Lodge, and parts of Kenton. The walkable downtown core, the dual-park access (Cathedral and Pier), and the pre-war housing stock push prices up; the distance from the Mississippi-Williams commercial density pulls prices down relative to those premium blocks. The current average sales price and active listing count are shown at the top of this page and update automatically with the market.

What are property taxes like in St. Johns?

Multnomah County property taxes in St. Johns run at an effective combined rate of approximately 1.3% to 2.1% of assessed value. A typical single-family home carries an annual property tax bill of roughly several thousand dollars to around ten thousand dollars, depending on assessed value and any local tax measures in effect. Oregon Measure 50 caps assessed value growth at 3% per year, so long-held homes often pay less than their market value would suggest. Verify current rates and the specific assessment for any address you are considering at multco.us/assessment-taxation.

Which schools serve St. Johns?

St. Johns is served by Portland Public Schools. Default elementary assignments include James John Elementary (near the downtown core), Sitton Elementary, and Cesar Chavez K-8 depending on the specific address, since the neighborhood sits across three elementary boundaries. Middle students continue to George Middle School or Ockley Green, and high school students attend Roosevelt High School. Portland Public Schools uses open enrollment, so residents can apply to any PPS school regardless of address, though acceptance at oversubscribed schools is not guaranteed. Verify the specific address assignment at pps.net, since boundaries can change.

What is the housing stock like in St. Johns?

Housing stock is predominantly pre-1940 Craftsman bungalows, Victorian-era cottages, Old Portland foursquares, and Tudor-style homes on 5,000 to 7,000 square foot lots, mixed with 1940s to 1960s ranches and scattered newer infill. Condition varies by block, with some homes carefully restored and others retaining original systems. Amenity access includes Cathedral Park (directly under the St. Johns Bridge with a boat launch and open lawn), Pier Park (approximately 80 acres with trails, a seasonal outdoor pool, and an 18-hole disc golf course), and the walkable N Lombard downtown core. The St. Johns Bridge and the Willamette River form the neighborhood's western edge.

How long is the commute from St. Johns to downtown Portland?

Downtown Portland is typically 20 to 25 minutes by car via I-5 outside of peak hours, or about 30 to 35 minutes by the 4 Fessenden or 44 Capitol Highway bus routes. The MAX Yellow Line is accessible by taking a 5 to 8 minute bus ride east to the N Rosa Parks or Kenton stations. For NW Portland or Hillsboro-direction commutes, the St. Johns Bridge connects to Highway 30 in about 15 minutes. Peak-hour drives downtown can push to 30 to 40 minutes via I-5.

Is St. Johns walkable?

St. Johns has one of the most walkable downtown cores in North Portland. Homes within three to five blocks of N Lombard and N Philadelphia can walk to Stormbreaker Brewing, Proud Mary Coffee, John Street Cafe, Safeway, Winks Hardware, the St. Johns Theater, and the Farmers Market in season. Walk Scores in the downtown core reach the 80s, while interior residential blocks vary from the 50s to 70s. The downtown is one of the few North Portland neighborhoods that genuinely feels like a town center rather than an arterial commercial strip.

How does St. Johns compare to nearby North Portland neighborhoods?

St. Johns typically prices below Boise and Overlook (the Mississippi and Williams corridor), roughly in line with University Park and Cathedral Park, and above Portsmouth, Arbor Lodge, and Kenton. University Park has a top-rated K-8 school and a walkable New Seasons but lacks a true downtown core. Kenton has the N Denver corridor but is smaller and less dense. Portsmouth is cheaper but has a working-arterial commercial strip rather than a walkable downtown. St. Johns is the pick when a buyer wants a pre-war home with a real downtown main-street feel, dual park access, and the strongest small-business density on the peninsula.

Can I add an ADU or short-term rental in St. Johns?

Most St. Johns lots are eligible for an accessory dwelling unit under Portland's Residential Infill Project rules, which allow up to one ADU on a single-family lot. The larger lot sizes in St. Johns can make detached ADU construction more flexible than Portsmouth or Arbor Lodge. Short-term rentals require a City of Portland STR permit; Type A permits require owner-occupancy, and Type B permits (non-owner-occupied) have stricter limits and are harder to obtain. St. Johns does see stronger STR demand than most North Portland neighborhoods due to the downtown core and bridge-adjacent setting. Verify both ADU eligibility and STR permit type for your specific address with Portland Bureau of Development Services (portland.gov/bds) before counting on rental income.

Thinking About Buying in St. Johns?

I help buyers navigate North Portland neighborhoods every week. Let's talk about what you need, what you can afford, and whether St. Johns is the right fit.

Schedule a Free Consultation Or call Joe directly: (503) 910-7364

Joe Saling · Saling Homes at eXp Realty · 10+ years serving Portland metro buyers and sellers

Saling Homes at eXp Realty is committed to the principles of the Fair Housing Act and Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in the State of Oregon. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Verify all data independently before making real estate decisions.