Clark County is no longer Portland’s quiet, orchard-filled neighbor, and people from other states — and even countries — are catching on, U.S. Census Bureau data shows.
Continued population growth, Vancouver’s waterfront, comparative affordability, a strong job economy and tax benefits are driving interest in Clark County’s housing market.
Outside investment in Clark County is fueling growth, experts say, and making its housing market even more competitive, especially in the realm of new construction.
“Developers are building something new, something fresh, things are moving out,” said Andy Bogdanov, a local Realtor with Keller Williams. “I feel like our economy will definitely explode in the next few years.”
Where they’re moving from
The most popular locations, with the number of people who relocated to Clark County between 2018 and 2022, according to the census:
- Oregon: 10,775
- Washington: 7,638
- California: 3,902
- Utah: 807
- Oceania: 805
- Arizona: 780
- Texas: 710
- Colorado: 592
- Idaho: 536
- Asia: 431
Interest from nearby
Oregon is the top source of people who are moving to Clark County, according to census data. Between 2018 and 2022, 10,775 people moved from Oregon to Clark County.
That’s thousands more people compared with the number of people moving from other parts of Washington, although Clark County does receive a significant number of newcomers from around the state and California, as well. According to Redfin, the most interest in homes in Vancouver comes from Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Median home sales in those areas range from about $851,000 to $1.3 million, according to Redfin, while the median home price in Clark County is about $550,000.
“It does have an impact when you have people … moving into a market where homes are more affordable,” said Terry Wollam, a local broker at Wollam & Associates. “They can be more aggressive in purchasing a home.”
Buyers from wealthier areas often have more cash on hand to buy, giving them an advantage in the market, Wollam said.
“A cash buyer is always going to be more enticing to a seller than a finance buyer,” he said.
Many of his buyers are moving from Seattle or California for new jobs, Wollam said.
Seattle and the Bay Area, especially, have taken hits in the technology sector, with thousands of jobs slashed in recent years due to over hiring during the pandemic, according to state employment departments.
A 2024 report by the Portland Metro Chamber showed that Clark County’s job growth has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, adding more jobs than Oregon’s Clackamas, Multnomah or Washington counties.
Another concern for people in California is rising insurance rates and avoiding the wildfires that plague the Golden State every year, Wollam said.
Many home insurance companies have paused business or increased rates in California due to wildfires. The fires have become a concern for people year after year, with 179 structures damaged or destroyed in California last year, according to the state.
“I know we’ve had some people move up because they were around some of the fires that were in California, and they were moving up here to avoid that fire risk,” Wollam said.
International interest
Oceania, at No. 5, and Asia, at No. 10, are also in the top 10 places people are moving from to Clark County, according to census data.
Several local Realtors said there’s always been international interest in Clark County’s housing market, although Bogdanov said he’s experienced an increase in international buyers since he started advertising homes in Chinese.
“I was thinking I need to span out and try something,” he said.
He’s currently working with four clients from across the globe. Many are interested in new development, he said.
“Some are looking for, particularly, land because they see how much and how fast Vancouver has expanded,” Bogdanov said.
Many of his international buyers are interested in buying properties as an investment, because they recognize Clark County’s growing economy and population.
“They want something new, something fresh, something that is still in the works,” he said.
One of the places he advertised in Chinese was a $3.2 million waterfront condo, he said.
“Things are developing so quickly,” he said. “Locals can’t afford the prices that those condos are being offered at.”
People are choosing to invest in Clark County for reasons other than its growth, too, including its natural beauty and proximity to the coast and hiking, Bogdanov said.
“They see the Pacific Northwest as this new California in a way,” Bogdanov said.
