Homes Built Before 1978 in the Portland Metro and Southwest Washington, by City
1978 is the year lead based paint was banned in U.S. homes. It is also the line that decides whether a contractor needs EPA Lead Safe certification to work on your house. This page shows how much of the housing stock in each of the 33 cities and areas VResh Construction serves was built before that year, using the latest U.S. Census data.
61%
of Portland's 307,719 homes were built before 1978
374,815
homes built before 1978 across all 33 areas on this page
Oak Grove
has the oldest housing in the Portland metro at 69% built before 1978
Happy Valley
has the newest at 11%, with most homes built after 1990
Map: share of homes built before 1978
Larger and darker circles mean an older housing stock. Click any circle for the numbers and a link to VResh's page for that city.
Table: every city, ranked
Sort any column by clicking its heading. The share built before 1970 is included as a floor that needs no estimating, since the Census reports homes by decade.
| VResh in this city |
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 five year estimates, table B25034, Year Structure Built, retrieved September 2026 via Census Reporter. Map coordinates are approximate city centers, not Census geography. Oak Grove and Cedar Mill are census designated places. Clackamas uses ZIP code 97015 because it is no longer a census designated place. "Built before 1978" counts all homes built before 1970 plus eight tenths of homes built between 1970 and 1979. ACS figures are survey estimates and carry margins of error, which are larger for small cities. Download the data as CSV.
What this means if you own one of these homes
Any renovation that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 falls under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. That includes siding replacement, window replacement, dry rot repair, exterior painting and most interior work. The contractor must hold EPA Lead Safe certification, set up containment, use lead safe work practices, clean and verify the work area, and give you written documentation. In Oregon the contractor also needs a state Lead Based Paint Renovation license from the CCB. Ask any contractor to show both before work begins on an older home.
Older homes in the Pacific Northwest carry a second issue that shows up on the same job: moisture damage. Homes from the 1940s through the 1970s were built before modern flashing and weather barrier practices, and decades of rain find the gaps. On most pre 1978 exterior projects VResh takes on, some dry rot is found once the siding or trim comes off. The lead safe protocols and the structural repair are handled by the same crew, under one permit, with one warranty.
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Questions about this data
Why does 1978 matter for a house?
Lead based paint was banned for residential use in the United States in 1978. Under the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, any contractor who disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must hold EPA Lead Safe certification and follow containment, cleaning and documentation procedures. Oregon also requires a state Lead Based Paint Renovation license on top of the federal certificate.
Does a home built before 1978 always contain lead paint?
No. The share of homes with lead paint rises with age. Federal estimates put the likelihood at roughly one in four for homes built between 1960 and 1977, about seven in ten for homes built between 1940 and 1959, and close to nine in ten for homes built before 1940. The only way to know for certain is a lead paint test. Likelihood figures are from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and EPA.
How were the numbers on this page calculated?
Every figure comes from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024 five year estimates, table B25034 (Year Structure Built). The Census groups homes by decade, so the 1970s bracket is split: eight tenths of homes built between 1970 and 1979 are counted as built before 1978. The share built before 1970 is shown separately as a floor that needs no estimating.
Why is Clackamas shown as a ZIP code?
Clackamas stopped being a census designated place in 2020, so there is no longer a city level figure. The page uses ZIP code 97015, which covers the Clackamas area, and labels it as such.
Can I use this data?
Yes. The table is drawn from public Census data and you are welcome to cite it, embed the figures, or link to this page. A CSV download is provided below the table.
Own a home built before 1978?
VResh Construction is EPA Lead Safe Certified and licensed in Oregon (CCB #241979) and Washington (#VRESHCL776ND). We handle siding, windows, roofing, dry rot repair and interior renovation on older homes across every city on this page, with full RRP compliance and written documentation.