Overview
NW Cornell Road has been Cedar Mill's commercial spine since before the area had a name. The Cedar Mill Business District between NW 107th and NW 118th has a real, functioning commercial strip: QFC for groceries, a handful of independent restaurants, a library branch, and enough services that most weekly errands can happen within a half mile. It's not a lifestyle district — nobody's doing a Saturday morning wander here — but it works, and it's been working for 40 years without requiring a major redevelopment plan to survive.
The housing is 1960s and 1970s ranches, split-levels, and two-stories on generous lots. Mature firs and alders line most residential streets, and the setbacks are large enough that neighbors aren't looking into each other's living rooms. Beaverton School District serves the entire community — there's no cross-district boundary confusion here. Sunset High School is the main high school feed, and it consistently tests above state averages. NW Cornell connects westward to Portland's NW district in about 15 minutes in normal traffic, which gives Cedar Mill residents reasonable access to Portland restaurants and culture without the city tax bill.
Cedar Mill sits in unincorporated Washington County, which means no Portland or Beaverton city income taxes. That's the financial argument, and it's straightforward. The honest limitation is that Cedar Mill is suburban in a way that neither Portland nor the newer Bethany development tries to be — the streets don't have sidewalks on every block, MAX doesn't come anywhere near it, and dinner options beyond the Cornell corridor require a drive. For buyers who want a newer-ish house on a big lot, good schools, and a short drive to both Portland and the Intel/Nike campuses, Cedar Mill delivers without pretending to be something it's not.
Getting Around
20–25 min by car via NW Cornell or Hwy 26 (35 min in rush hour), no MAX service
Schools
Beaverton School District
Parks & Green Space
Cedar Mill Community Park
Tualatin Hills Nature Park
Rock Creek Trail
Your team
We actually know Cedar Mill — and we’ll tell you the truth about buying here.
David & Bri, Movement Mortgage. Portland born, Portland based — the local read no rate sheet gives you.
Buying in Cedar Mill?
Get expert guidance from a Portland team that knows this market — David & Bri, Movement Mortgage. NMLS #1367416 / #265974.
FAQ
4 questions
Is Cedar Mill part of Beaverton or Portland?
+
Neither — Cedar Mill is unincorporated Washington County. It uses a Beaverton mailing address (97229 zip code), and it's served by Beaverton School District and Washington County services, but it's not legally inside Beaverton city limits. This means no Beaverton city taxes and no Portland city taxes. Property and income taxes run lower than Portland's.
What high school do Cedar Mill students attend?
+
Most of Cedar Mill feeds into Sunset High School in Beaverton School District. Sunset consistently performs above state averages and offers a range of AP and advanced coursework. There's no cross-district ambiguity here — the whole community is Beaverton SD.
How's the commute to downtown Portland from Cedar Mill?
+
About 20–25 minutes via NW Cornell Road or US-26 West in normal traffic, 30–35 minutes during morning rush. There's no MAX stop in Cedar Mill, so driving is essentially required. Commutes to the Intel campus in Hillsboro or Nike's Beaverton campus are 15–20 minutes.
Why do buyers choose Cedar Mill over Beaverton or Hillsboro?
+
Three main reasons: unincorporated Washington County taxes (lower than Portland, also lower than Beaverton city taxes), good public schools through Beaverton SD, and the Cornell Road connection to Portland's NW district. The housing stock also tends to run on bigger lots than you get in Beaverton proper at similar price points.