Madison South

Madison South is a NE Portland neighborhood that is very close to Rocky Butte State Park. It is also bordered to the West by Glenhaven City Park. This makes this part of town a very green location with plenty of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. The top of Rocky Butte is one of the prettiest vantage points in all of Portland. Not only can you see the Portland skyline, but also the mountains in the distance. This is also part of the Boring Lava group, which are cinder cones located in Oregon. This natural area is quite amazing and really the best part of this neighborhood. There are also two huge castle walls, which are good for climbing. You will also see various sporty folks biking through this park.

Next door to the park is the City Bible Church campus and Portland Bible College. If you aren't religious, you may feel that living so near these Christian places is a bit oppressive. However, if you do appreciate religion, you likely would consider this to be a plus for Madison South.

The homes in this area seem to be pretty nondescript and are available for fairly low rates. The streets tend to be more barren and less tree lined than what you will see in other Portland neighborhoods. Also you won't find too many interesting businesses and stores in Madison South. However, there are a variety of ethnic restaurants including Mexican and Vietnamese food.

Unlike the name suggests, Madison South is actually in Northeast Portland. It's between I-84 (to the South) and I-205 (to the East) and Sandy Boulevard to the North and West.

There are some unusual natural areas here, including Rocky Butte, a volcanic area popular among climbers, and the Grotto, a beautiful botanical garden and shrine run by the Catholic church. Rose City Park is also here, so there are plenty of green spaces to be enjoyed by those who need to get away from the urban environment for a while.

The MAX light rail station at NE 82nd Ave makes it easy to commute downtown. However, most Madison South residents do own their car and rely on it daily; unlike more urban areas of Portland, it is not common to see people commuting by bus or bike. Other Madison South residents work at the Banfield Pet Hospital headquarters, which is here in the neighborhood.

The residential areas of Madison South are spread out and suburban. This is a pretty average, family-friendly community. Most of the homes were built in the 1940s and 1950s, with a fair number of newer houses too. It's a little more worn than comparable Portland neighborhoods, which means that homes are a bit more affordable, making it popular among first-time homebuyers.