Hidden Mid-Century Modern Gems: 4 Vancouver, WA Neighborhoods That Rival Portland’s Style at Half the Price

Now, I’m not saying these neighborhoods are wall-to-wall Eichlers or anything. These aren’t planned MCM communities where every house looks like it stepped out of Mad Men. But what they are is regular Vancouver neighborhoods where, if you know where to look, you’ll spot way more mid-century architecture sprinkled throughout than you’d expect. And the best part? You won’t need a tech salary to afford them.

Sherwood Neighborhood (North of Minnehaha): The Sleeper Hit

Drive through Sherwood on any given weekend, and you might not immediately think “mid-century goldmine.” It’s a pretty typical Vancouver neighborhood with a nice mix of housing styles. But keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll start noticing them – those low-slung ranch homes with the horizontal emphasis, the split-levels with their geometric lines, and the occasional contemporary that makes you do a double-take.

The cool thing about Sherwood is that many of these mid-century homes have been quietly loved by their owners for decades. You’ll find some that are completely original (hello, vintage bathrooms and all), others that have been thoughtfully updated while keeping the good stuff, and a few that are basically blank canvases waiting for someone who gets it.

The mature trees throughout the neighborhood are perfect for that whole indoor-outdoor living vibe that MCM is all about. Plus, the lots tend to be decent-sized, which means these homes can actually breathe the way they were designed to.

East of Walnut Grove (Next to Green Meadows): The Experimental Zone

This area is interesting because it developed a bit later than some other parts of Vancouver, which means the mid-century homes here often have more of that late-50s, early-60s experimental flair. You know what I mean – the architects and builders were getting bolder, trying out more dramatic rooflines and bigger expanses of glass.

It’s definitely a mixed neighborhood in terms of architectural styles, but when you find the MCM houses here, they’re often pretty special. Think post-and-beam construction, walls of windows, and floor plans that were probably mind-blowing to people used to traditional box-shaped rooms.

The proximity to Green Meadows is a nice bonus – you get the established neighborhood feel with good infrastructure, but you’re still in this pocket where mid-century homes pop up regularly enough to make house hunting interesting.

Royal Oaks (Near Ogden): The Pleasant Surprise

Here’s where things get fun. Royal Oaks might just have the highest concentration of mid-century homes among these four neighborhoods, but it’s still very much a diverse, lived-in community. It’s not like you’re touring a mid-century housing museum – it’s more like you’re walking through a regular neighborhood where every few blocks, you’ll spot something that makes you slow down and stare.

The mid-century homes here run the gamut from “holy cow, is that original everything?” to “someone clearly loved this house and updated it beautifully” to “this could be amazing with some TLC.” Many still have those signature elements that make MCM fans weak in the knees – the floor-to-ceiling windows, the clean horizontal lines, the way the house seems to float on its lot.

What’s really nice about Royal Oaks is that the neighborhood itself feels established and stable. The mid-century homes fit naturally into the streetscape instead of feeling like oddities, which honestly makes daily life more pleasant.

Northcrest & Northwood: The Dynamic Duo

These two adjacent neighborhoods are probably your best bet if you want options. They’re both products of that post-war suburban boom, and while they’re definitely not exclusively mid-century, there’s enough scattered throughout to make them worth your time.

The variety here is actually pretty great – you might find a modest ranch perfect for a first-time MCM buyer on one street, and a few blocks over, there’s this dramatic contemporary that’s clearly someone’s architectural statement piece. Some are completely original (for better or worse), some have been updated with varying degrees of success, and others are basically waiting for someone with vision and a renovation budget.

The community planning in both neighborhoods reflects those mid-century ideals about suburban living – you’ve got curved streets, decent-sized lots, and that whole integration-with-nature thing that was such a big deal back then. When you find a mid-century home here, it usually feels right at home in its setting.

Why Vancouver Makes Sense (Besides Your Wallet)

Look, Portland’s mid-century market is gorgeous, but it’s also kind of insane price-wise. Vancouver gives you the same architectural period, the same Pacific Northwest setting, and often bigger lots – all for significantly less money. That price difference isn’t just nice to have; it can be the difference between getting a fixer-upper and being able to actually fix it up.

Plus, Vancouver’s mid-century homes tend to have more space to work with. These neighborhoods were developed when land was cheaper and families wanted room to spread out. That means you’re more likely to find homes that actually live up to those MCM ideals about seamless indoor-outdoor living.

The Real Talk About House Hunting Here

Here’s what you need to know: these aren’t going to be obvious. You’re not going to drive down a street and immediately spot a row of classic mid-century homes. They’re mixed in with split-levels from the 70s, newer construction, and everything in between. That’s actually part of their charm – and part of why they’re still affordable.

The key is knowing what to look for: those horizontal lines, the emphasis on bringing in natural light, open floor plans that were revolutionary for their time, and that integration with the landscape. Some will have all their original details intact, others will need some detective work to see past unfortunate updates, and a few will be diamonds in the rough waiting for the right person.

But here’s the thing – when you find the right one in one of these neighborhoods, you’ll have gotten authentic mid-century modern living without the Portland premium. And in a housing market like this one, that’s pretty much winning the lottery.