The number of young adults in the has declined nearly 8 percent in the decade between 1990 and 2000. This is a major demographic shift. Taking notice of this trend, the Westside Economic Alliance and the Portland Development Commission decided to co-sponsor this study which examines what young adults in the 25 to 34 year-old age group want from cities and how well communities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region are positioned to compete for this mobile and economically important group. Research was conducted on six U.S. cities, including Portland, by economist Joe Cortright of Impresa Consulting and Carol Colletta of Colleta & Co.

The Westside Economic Alliance and the Portland Development Commission co-sponsored this study which examines what young adults in the 25 to 34 year-old age group want from cities and how well communities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region are positioned to compete for this group.