North Plains is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, off U.S. 26 on the northwest outskirts of the Portland metropolitan area. …North Plains is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, off U.S. 26 on the northwest outskirts of the Portland metropolitan area. The population was 3,441 at the 2020 census. Pioneer settlers first arrived in the North Plains area in the 1840s. The area to be known as the city of North Plains was platted in September 1910 by the Ruth Trust Company of Portland. They purchased area tracts after James J. Hill planned to extend United Railways there.