Business ideas · Oregon · Census Business Patterns 2023
Business ideas in Portland, OR: what has room right now
Out of 229 business types, these five have the most room in Portland at a $60,000 budget: fewer per resident than the rest of Oregon, a startup range you can reach, and a realistic time to the first paying customer. Skipped 49 the city already has more of. Run it with your own budget and interests.
Neur picks
Portland, OR · 642,715 residents
- 01
Garage / Epoxy / Concrete
Decorative concrete coatings, epoxy floors, and garage upgrades
- RoomPortland has 94% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 50 more.
- CostOpens for $10k to $30k, inside your budget.
- In Portland3
- Per 100k vs state0.5 vs 8.2
- Residents per one214,238
- To first dollar—
- 02
Towing Service
Light-duty towing, roadside, and impound; one wrecker to start
- RoomPortland has 81% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 17 more.
- CostOpens for $60k to $200k, inside your budget.
- In Portland4
- Per 100k vs state0.6 vs 3.3
- Residents per one160,679
- To first dollar1 to 3 mo
- 03
Medical Supply / DME Store
Wheelchairs, oxygen, braces, and home medical equipment, retail and Medicare
- RoomPortland has 81% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 17 more.
- CostOpens for $60k to $250k, inside your budget.
- In Portland4
- Per 100k vs state0.6 vs 3.3
- Residents per one160,679
- To first dollar4 to 10 mo
- 04
Non-Emergency Medical Transport
Wheelchair and stretcher vans taking patients to appointments and dialysis
- RoomPortland has 79% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 11 more.
- CostOpens for $30k to $120k, inside your budget.
- In Portland3
- Per 100k vs state0.5 vs 2.2
- Residents per one214,238
- To first dollar1 to 3 mo
- 05
Mortgage Broker
Shops home loans across lenders; paid per closed loan
- RoomPortland has 79% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 22 more.
- CostOpens for $5k to $40k, inside your budget.
- In Portland6
- Per 100k vs state0.9 vs 4.4
- Residents per one107,119
- To first dollar1 to 3 mo
Questions
- What business should I start in Portland, OR?
- On Census Business Patterns for Portland's own ZIP codes, the types with the most room at a $60,000 budget are garage / epoxy / concrete, towing service, medical supply / dme store, non-emergency medical transport, mortgage broker. Garage / Epoxy / Concrete leads: Portland has 94% fewer of these per person than Oregon. At the state rate it would hold about 50 more.
- How is "room" measured?
- Establishments per 100,000 residents inside Portland against the Oregon rate, from Census County and ZIP Business Patterns 2023, with crowded types (more than 1.35 times the state rate) left off. It is a screen, not a guarantee: the paid report maps the actual competitors and the neighborhood demand.
- What does it cost to open these?
- Garage / Epoxy / Concrete $10k–$30k; Towing Service $60k–$200k; Medical Supply / DME Store $60k–$250k; Non-Emergency Medical Transport $30k–$120k; Mortgage Broker $5k–$40k. Ranges are Neur planning ranges per business type; the report localizes rent and wages.