' s ▁population ▁histor ically ▁grew ▁stead ily , ▁but ▁in ▁recent ▁years ▁has ▁le ve led ▁off . ▁The ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁census ▁listed ▁ 2 2 5 ▁residents . ▁By ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁number ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁ 1 , 6 2 8 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁census ▁set ▁the ▁population ▁at ▁ 2 , 9 2 3 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁West ▁L inn ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁population ▁has ▁continued ▁to ▁grow ▁each ▁year . ▁Currently , ▁the ▁city ' s ▁population ▁is ▁ 2 5 , 2 5 0 . ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁West ▁L inn ▁was ▁the ▁Top - R ank ed ▁Oregon ▁City ▁on ▁the ▁CNN / M oney ▁Magazine ▁' Best ▁Places ▁to ▁Live ▁ 2 0 1 1 ' ▁List . ▁ ▁C iting ▁' bre at ht aking ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁C asc ades ▁and ▁relatively ▁low ▁local ▁tax es ,' ▁the ▁Number ▁ 6 9 ▁listing ▁includes ▁a ▁photo ▁of ▁Central ▁Village , ▁and ▁also ▁mentions ▁the ▁Music ▁in ▁the ▁Park ▁concert ▁series , ▁the ▁historic ▁Will am ette ▁area , ▁the ▁far mer ' s ▁market , ▁and ▁the ▁Street ▁Dance . ▁ ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Sher wood ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁Oregon ▁city ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁listing