Focus Areas

The counties that make up the Portland-Vancouver metro region – Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties in Oregon and Clark County in Washington – share many positive features and face difficult challenges.

In the four-county region, between 245,000 and 355,000 people live in poverty, depending on the measure used. Poverty is not only an economic issue, it is a health issue. Lack of education, insecure housing, poor diet, unstable employment, limited assets and social exclusion contribute to poor health. In fact, people who live in poverty are at least twice as likely to face a serious illness and a premature death.

If the community chooses to tackle these issues, the Portland-Vancouver area will cultivate successful young people, contribute to healthy lives and support the independence and financial stability of our residents.