Why portland is great

I have friends in Oregon that have been begging me to move there, and I definitely want to. Or traffic. Or cost of living and meager jobs. My concern is where in Oregon should I go? I love that small town feel, used to live in one. I love the rain. Hate the heat. But my friends in Portland say no…..

Portland is the best. At this point I need a third party to intervene. I plan to visit a few places early next year , to decide on what I love most. But any and all opinions on the matter from locals would help me tremendously to narrow things down. Another city you may want to research is Bend, Oregon. Is it worth living in a place with hazardous air quality, even for only a few weeks out of the year, rather than somewhere with significant better air?

We had a bad season this year and the last one before that was in Eagle Creek Fire — caused by a kid setting off fireworks in the Gorge. Great question about cities similar to Portland but more affordable — perhaps Bend? But the cities are most definitely different. And yes — you definitely need to figure out the best spot for you!

How fortunate are we? Portland is not as nice a place to live as it used to be. I moved here i At that time you could see Mt. Hood from anywhere in Portland — and I was impressed with how few tall buildings there were for a city as large as Portland was. There was fareless square downtown and symbols like a brown beaver, a snowflake and others for sectors of the city that buses went to so even a young child could easily determine where to get a bus.

A single person could afford to rent a decent apartments without having to get a roomate. If you drove out to Hillsboro, there used to be no traffic at all. Everything is different now. Some of the less expensive areas have lot of crime and gunfire guaranteed — I live near some of the worst areas in the city.

Yet because of the quirky way that the property taxes work, I pay one of the highest rates in the zip code I live in. And of course, all the lawlessness of those who continue to smash windows and damage property and the homeless problems just add to the mess.

This article hits the nail on the head. Great article. Antonina: thanks for your comments. We like the idea of retiring to a single-family home with a decent-sized lot with plenty of nature around, but still within reach of shops, etc.

What about an outlying area of Vancouver so we could have space, nature, and quiet, and still come down to Portland to shop and enjoy the city?

My concern is that if we retire to an outlying area that it will be overly conservative, both socially and politically. Your thoughts? Thanks so much for the kind words! I actually grew up in Vancouver partially and can speak to your concerns. Vancouver is growing nearly as fast some say faster than Portland. This is one of the most balanced pros and cons I have read about Portland, Oregon.

But if I met an outsider asking if they should move here? Thank you for adding your two cents! So glad you found the article helpful, it was a pleasure writing it! Thank you so much for such a refreshing and honest outlook of this city. Thanks for the thoughtful post. I am moving from Chicago to Portland next month June Decided to relocate myself to a place where I can do more actually some hiking.

Your comments about the difficulty of making real friendships is concerning. I am leaving behind a strong social support group. I hear that Portland is a city of transplants.

I refuse to make this huge move only to spend my evenings lamenting on the phone to my inner circle. Would love to hear your and others advice. My husband is a veterinarian and I am a pediatric NP. Does Portland have job opportunities for those in the medical field? We live in Philly now, but are originally from Cali. Would love to move back to Cali, but unfortunately we cannot afford it. Portland is an awesome option due to decreased cost of living and proximity to family in CA. I hear you about loving life in California that sunshine is glorious!

I hope your move goes smoothly and big thank you for the important work both you and your husband do! Evidently the transition occurs at just under ,, a milepost Portland has just about crossed. Thanks for a great article! This accounts for suburb size, which can be pretty different in cities across the US. Seattle is around 4. We have a 4 year old daughter and will like to know how is education at Portland and if you recommend us to move all the way through.

Thanks a lot. You comment about Portland people being reserved is true. Native Oregonians are not real enthusiastic about out of town people moving here. As a general rule they are seen as much of the problem with increasing housing costs, traffic, etc.

They will be pleasant to you in person, but scorn you privately. This is speaking from a native Oregonian. I have to remind them that when their grandpa moved here in that Oregonians hated them too. I find there are more people from the Midwest that have moved here than from California. To complain about Californians is so simple-minded. Life changes — adjust or move to another city. I just moved from Long Beach CA.

This city and state is incredible but there are so many issues! I love the beer scene out here and all the fresh bakeries and food but yes, Portlanders tend to be reserved and also passive aggressive which can be annoying because its just rude. If I did something wrong, I would like someone to be up front and honest, not just state out loud to other people about something I did. People here have extreme white guilt that makes me feel more uncomfortable than understood.

And the homeless here do get treated better. It makes it seem that life would be easier if I was on the street instead of being a contributing adult to society.

The taxes are crazy on income here! But again, there are a ton of perks to living here too. Thank you for taking the time to provide your invaluable perspective.

I think Portland is slowly starting to diversify and any newcomer would benefit from hearing your experience. Portland sorely lacks diversity and a lot of long-term residents grew up in a pretty white community. But as you mention, there are big perks to living in Portland, too! Growing pains, but hopefully the end result will be worthwhile. If I was in their lack of shoes I would likely do the same thing.

No joke some places go for less than 8,… and no that is not a typo. The city has been dead so long that Toledo has been on a 3 year project to demolish one house every day. If rising costs of housing and the dreaded gentrification is the big hot topics for an area.. One guy took pity on me and pulled me aside one day. The bigger problem is this widespread reserved quality results in a kind of parochial mindset. Portland lacks an intellectual dynamic that make big cities exciting.

See it at nikmills. After eight years I finally moved on. I travel frequently and make friends wherever I go. Great article and comments from all, gives me better understanding of Portland living. Not much, we had a big snow storm in and had some snow in as well. In fact, my coworkers and I are always surprised to see snow in the forecast.

This may sound a bit weird…. This is Will husband. Regarding career path it was a winding road to say the least. I too feared the desk job route and wanted to avoid that at all costs. Originally, I went to school University of Georgia for business of all things and dropped out after a year to start my own. Media and content creation had been appealing to me — whether it be websites, graphics, photos, film making, etc.

At the start it was just me and my brother creating films on amazing national parks with no idea how we could turn the business into something sustainable we moved in with our parents to cut costs. Now we do work for all of those sorts of organizations. Up until last year, I lived with my family.

Plus, why not! Reading articles about it has offered a small comfort. Thanks for this! Good Luck! Thank you so much for sharing this detailed guide. My wife and I were super confused before reading this guide. But now we are clear. Enjoyed the guide. I always smile when I see comments about the traffic. It used to take me two hours to go 30 miles, on a weekend, I could do it in about 25min. So for the people looking to move to Oregon: We moved to Salem area, much lower housing prices, but not all the amenities that are available in Portland.

But, it is a 30 to 60 min drive. As for weather, you will get sun not a lot, but enjoy it when you do , rain, and clouds. This pas July we had temps up to F.

But overall, the weather is ok, actually reminds me of the UK was stationed there. Homelessness is a problem in Oregon. Salem is trying to address, but there are some large encampments.

But, I have to say the homeless are as aggressive as they were in Philadelphia or New York. I do not know about Portland. Overall I do not regret our move here, will probably retire here. Personally I would have preferred somewhere warmer, but the boss wanted to move to Oregon, so here we are. Ah, Portland.

Comments Hi your Pros and Cons article about Portland is great! Portland is a great place to live! Glad you found the info helpful. Hi Antonina, Thank you for the terrific blog. Hi Mark, Antonina is correct that Portland is a lot less diverse ethnically than many large cities, which is unfortunate. Hello Pam, First and foremost — welcome to Portland!

Portland has the best transit system in the country. Will broadway will come back, off broadway theater? I would not recommend anyone move here without a brilliant reason like love or money. Thanks for your helpful feedback. Same here! We should all connect haha Jwquon1 gmail. Hello, I hope your daughter and her husband enjoy their time in Portland. Hi Charde, Welcome!! Screen Door for the win!! Are there any areas with more affordable apartments for rent?

So my questions are: 1. Hi Mara, Thanks so much for taking the time to read my post! As far as your questions go: 1. Hi Rachel, Congrats on X-ray school!! I hope this helps, thanks so much for your kind words! I hope you return to Oregon soon! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. To add one more to the cons: Oregon drivers and their love of tailgating. Hi Heidi, Thanks for taking the time to offer your two cents!! We only tailgate people with california license plates. Thanks so much.

Hi Cara, Great questions! I hope this helps! Hi Mark, The Bay Area is so beautiful! I never miss an opportunity to visit. And wish you luck with the move. But again, great piece! Hi Carn, Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. Hi Ingra, Glad to hear you loved Portland!! Hi Lewlehr, It is true — rent prices have gone up substantially in recent years.

And yes! Could agree more about the gorge — so beautiful!! Lol Brenda, the last sentence made me laugh. I hope you enjoy your time in the south — those mild winters are hard to beat! Hi Camille, Thanks for your kind feedback! Eventually, the petals expire and pile up like colorful snow in the streets. Around the 4th of July, Summer kicks in. Plants are in full-bloom, and deciduous trees are leafy and verdant.

Often, overnight clouds gather above area rivers. The morning cloud layers usually burn off by early afternoon. According to U. Climate Data , the annual average high temperature is Portland Average Temperatures. Living in Portland means enduring a lot of rain and cloudy skies from October to the end of May and even a little during the summer.

Portland averages 42 inches of rainfall each year. You can also expect days each year wherein some measurable amount of rain falls.

Portland Average Rainfall Data: Weather. Other parks in town include a golf course, swimming pools, picnic areas and off-leash dog areas. In the summer, you can float the Willamette River or enjoy several fountains and splash pads all over the city to cool off on hot days. A few parks offer beach areas. Just be careful not to step on any goose droppings! Photo: Voodoo Doughnut. Not necessarily. Several bars and restaurants line the cobblestone block.

Customers can enjoy treats from wherever they please and sit together at the street tables. When it rains, outdoorsy folks throw on their waterproof, Gore-Tex jackets and brave the weather. Do you think ebooks have killed the printed word? The store occupies an entire city block and is home to 1 million books.

You can spend hours on a rainy Saturday perusing all the titles. You can even sell your old books for cash or double your bounty for store credit. Downtown, near Pioneer Courthouse Square, is the place to go. Living in Portland with kids can be a museum-filled one. Plus, they serve spirits just to keep it interesting. The Oregon Zoo has been a family favorite since For a more lively afternoon, visit Oaks Park , a kid-oriented park with amusement rides, roller skating and miniature golf.

Portlanders love art. Even the City of Portland allows street art and murals. Original art murals comprise a unique medium of expression which serves the public interest.

For fine art, there are dozens of art galleries across the city. Three monthly art walks give anyone living in Portland an opportunity to have a look at the latest work from local artists.

First Fridays are a little more spread out, hosted by Central Eastside galleries. Check out a few other artsy favorites like Portland Art Museum visual arts , Oregon Symphony popular and classical music or Portland Center Stage classical and contemporary plays. Photo: Fontana Studios.

Nor will you enjoy summertime beer and hot dogs at a Major League Baseball game. With few professional sports teams in town, Portlanders rabidly huddle around the Timbers men's soccer , Thorns women's soccer and Trail Blazers basketball. This limitation creates common, shared experiences with friends and co-workers. When you have only a little, you share a lot. Portland is the kind of place where old fashioned water cooler talk about sports is still a thing.

Sports fans here are on the same page. There are 77 waterfalls and countless hiking trails to explore, nearly all of them with breathtaking views. Crown Point. Skiing and snowboarding are popular wintertime activities in the Northwest.

Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood Meadows are the closest ski areas to the city, about 1. Hop in your car and explore the Willamette Valley, best-known for Pinot Noir wine and home of world-class wineries. Drive 1. Portland Public Schools serve 49, students and operate 78 schools. Key information about the school district including an up-to-date progress report is found on their District Overview page.

Schools include:. Here are a few standouts:. The quality of life in the Greater Portland area also draws in established companies like Intel, the largest employer in town at 18, people.

WaferTech and Mentor Graphics are close by. Apparel design and manufacturing is big deal here. You can even keep all your shoes and garments organized with containers made by Portland-based Storables. Median Income. Median Home Price. Median Age. Comfort Index Climate. South of the Columbia, numerous neighborhoods and communities spread east, south along the Willamette River, and west up into wooded plateaus west of downtown. Read More about Portland.

Set along the banks of the Willamette, the downtown core is clean and modern with a financial district, well-patronized downtown shopping and several parks. The surrounding streets are studded with small restaurants and businesses in well-maintained older brick buildings. The downtown population is steadily growing with new riverfront high-rise units and a number of Pearl District residential developments. The city has excellent destination museums, cultural amenities and entertainment venues in an interesting blend of modern and historic facilities.

Areas close in are gentrifying and becoming more expensive, causing some dislocations among longtime residents. Older tree-lined streets and boulevards are framed with well-kept late Victorian and early 20th century bungalow style homes and plenty of small street-corner restaurants and businesses. Farther away from downtown, suburbia has emerged, but to a lesser degree than many other cities.

With no Washington income tax and no Oregon sales tax, many residents choose to live in Vancouver and work and shop in Portland. Vancouver also has an excellent supply of family homes, good jobs and schools. Excellent intercity rail service is also present mainly in the form of the Amtrak Cascades, connecting Eugene, Oregon to Portland, Seattle and ultimately Vancouver B. Recreation and outdoor activities abound at the coast, 60 miles west, and the Oregon Cascades and Mount Hood ski area, 50 miles east.

Rugged and interesting Cascade mountain areas northeast and southeast offer plenty of outdoor recreation and skiing, and the Columbia River is well known for watersports, especially windsurfing. The urban growth boundary has kept the urban and suburban landscape attractive and livable, but a steady stream of migrants from other parts of the country has pushed up home prices considerably.

Many locals feel that, while things are good today, Portland may succumb to some of the overcrowding and cost issues pressuring many other cities along the West Coast. Although high on a national scale, cost of living is moderate among West Coast cities. Aside from rising costs, economic cycles and wet weather, the city has a lot to offer for all lifestyles and interests; the area has strong cultural amenities and a highly educated population for a big city.

Portland is situated midway between a low coastal range to the west and the higher Cascade range to the east, each starting their rise about 30 miles from the city. Both ranges are visible from the city. The natural landscape is heavily forested with large, coniferous trees. The climate is marine with a strong winter rainfall pattern. July and August are almost completely dry. There are only 5 days each year with measurable snow.