Are you thinking about moving to Portland? I’ve lived here for 20+ years and created a quick list of the pros and cons of living in Portland, Oregon.
Hopefully it answers some of your questions, if not, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help!
Ah, Portland.
The city known for keeping it weird and residents that grow chickens in their backyards. But is Portland really that weird?
If a picture’s worth a thousand words, the video below may leave you speechless.
As you read this, keep in mind that these pros and cons are based on my personal experience, not everyone feels the same way.
With that said, let’s jump right in.
Visiting Portland? Check out my personal guide on 25+ EPIC Things to Do in Portland (+5 Tourist Traps to Avoid)
13 Pros of Living in Portland, Oregon
#1. Portland is GREEN
I mean this two ways – Portland has a lot of green spaces (more than 279 city parks) and as a whole, is very environmentally conscious.
Did you know that Oregon was the first state in the country to introduce bottle deposits in an effort to reduce litter?
Respect for the environment is a big deal in Portland, so much so that grocery stores in Portland cannot offer plastic bags. And haven’t, for years now.
In fact, according to a 2019 report released by WalletHub, Portland is the 9th greenest city in America.
I love that about Portland. I love that recycling and composting are considered sport and littering is strongly frowned upon.
Also, Portland recently passed a green tax that taxes large corporations and uses the revenue to fund energy efficiency initiatives in under-served communities. The first city in America to pass such an ambitious tax – hard not to like that!
#2. Portland is a Millennial City
Portland has a decent mix of generations, but through and through, it feels like a millennial city.
In fact, Portland often ranks as one of the top 15 best cities for millennials in the country.
Which means a ton of shops cater to things millennials enjoy — like handmade crafts, vintage clothes and plants …. lots of plants.
This makes Portland a great place to meet folks going through similar phases in life (if you’re a millennial, of course).
But I don’t want to paint a false picture because in my experience, Portlanders tend to be reserved (which we’ll discuss in depth shortly).
Don’t get me wrong, Portlanders are friendly — just reserved.
#3. The Casual & Laid-back Vibe
Perhaps this goes hand-in-hand with being a millennial city? I like the easy-going culture here.
Granted, it’s changed adjusted over the last few years, but Portland still feels more relaxed than most US cities I visit.
What better way to explain this than by example? I work in an office and wear jeans 4 days a week — and so does my boss.
You will very seldom see someone in a suit on our city streets – we simply don’t do that here.
We’re big on outdoor recreation and most of our closets reflect that, even in the office. Khakis reign supreme!
#4. Job Opportunities
The plethora (and diversity) of job opportunities in Portland definitely makes it easy to live here.
There’s a lot of big name businesses in town – especially athletic/outdoor companies like Nike, Adidas, Under Armor, Keen and Columbia.
But fret not, engineers are not forgotten, Intel and Daimler have homes here as well.
Honestly, there’s too many companies to name, if you’re interested in Portland’s largest employers, read: Metro Portland’s Largest Employers.
Did you know? Portland’s tech-industry boom has earned it the nickname Silicon Forest.
#5. Proximity to Nature
Perhaps my favorite thing about living in Portland is the beauty (& diversity of landscapes) of the Pacific Northwest.
There’s a reason the 7 Wonders of Oregon are known the world over!
Portland is a short road trip away from so many cool places – like the Columbia Gorge (windsurfing capital of the world), Bend (the second fastest growing city in the country), the Oregon Coast, Crater Lake National Park and the Alvord desert.
Waterfalls? Plenty. Beach? Yep. Desert? Covered. Mountains? Which one? There’s never a shortage of something new to explore.
But honestly, you don’t even need to hop in the car to explore the incredible scenery while living in Portland. Here’s a list of my favorite hikes within Portland city limits.
#6. Walkability & Manageable Size
Another perk of living in Portland is how walk-able the city is. This is especially true of the neighborhood we currently live in (NW Portland). Here’s photos of our current apartment.
Portland feels manageable because it’s not a big city (like our northern sister, Seattle).
Portland’s charm isn’t found in towering skyscrapers, but rather the unique neighborhoods throughout the city.
The manageable size of Portland makes it very easy to use alternative modes of transportation to get around. In fact, biking is HUGE, with about 7% of locals commuting by bike (the highest percentage of bike commuters in the country – the national average is 0.5%).
Read: Local’s Guide to Cherry Blossoms in Portland
#7. Neighborhood Vibes
One of my favorite things about living in Portland is the charming neighborhood vibes that are as unique as the city itself! With so many areas to choose from, there’s definitely a neighborhood for everyone.
I think what separates Portland neighborhoods from other cities is that you will seldom find “housing farms” where all the homes on the block look the same.
Many neighborhoods in Portland weren’t built in mass clusters.
Rather, homes on blocks were built during different time periods so it’s not uncommon to see a home built in 1904 neighboring a home built in 1930 – it makes for some beautiful and unique neighborhoods.
Further reading: These 8 Charming Neighborhoods Will Make You Fall in Love With Portland
#8. There’s No Sales Tax
Are you deciding if moving to Portland is right for you? Well, here’s something that’s good to know — Oregon doesn’t have sales tax. Making it one of only 5 US states without sales tax.
And since there’s no sales tax in Oregon state, anything you buy in Portland will be sold to you tax-free. If you’ve been eyeing a MacBook or an iPhone, pick it up in Portland! You can save hundreds on big purchases.
Some sneaky folks live in Vancouver, Washington (right across the bridge from Portland) and do their shopping in Portland saving on income tax and sales tax.
#9. The Portland International Airport
For many folks, one of the easiest things about living in Portland is the quick access to the Portland International Airport (PDX), which is often rated as one of the best airports in the country.
In fact, it was rated the most efficient airport in America in 2017. This is a big deal for our family because my husband flies about two times per week.
Based on his travels, he believes Portland’s airport to be the easiest to manage.
Everything from departing to arriving is a pleasant experience and, coming from someone that averages 100,000 miles a year, that’s saying something!
Also worth mentioning is how many direct flights are offered through PDX. We scored a phenomenal deal flying direct to Tokyo, Japan for $520 round trip.
Read: Kyoto in the Fall (Top 10 Places to See)
#10. The Summer Weather
Summer in Portland is a real dream. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 90°F and you can count on sunshine from mid-May through mid-September. Believe me, the summer weather definitely makes up for the winter blues.
In fact, many of our friends refuse to leave Portland because summer here is better than most other cities.
They’d sooner rent/purchase a home to escape for winter, but couldn’t fathom moving out of Portland altogether because of the blissful summer season.
It’s never humid or muggy so you can linger outside and enjoy the great outdoors!
Another big perk of living in Portland? We’re consistently ranked as one of the least challenging cities in the country for folks with allergies.
#11. Portland’s Food Scene
Here’s a fun fact: You know the uber prestigious James Beard Award? Well, the legend that is James Beard was from Portland!
The food in Portland is dream-worthy and one of the reasons people are moving to Portland in droves. You can live in Portland for 10+ years and still find yourself discovering new restaurants, like I do.
It’s easy to find options that offer elaborate farm-to-table meals and delicious yet unfussy quick fare, you can have it all.
It’s very rare to see locals eating at chain restaurants because there’s so (so, so, so) many unique small restaurants. And Portlanders are big on supporting small businesses.
Regardless of where you choose to eat, expect to find well-run restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world, in addition to local and seasonal produce.
Many of my favorite recipes come from a friend (local) who happens to cook delicious PNW recipes.
Here’s my absolute favorite cookbook from a local Portland chef! Some of the best meals I’ve ever made hail from it.
Read: Saturday Brunch at Maurice
#12. Portland’s Beer Scene
Did you know that Portland is often rated as the best beer city in America?
This should come as no surprise, considering there’s 58 breweries in the city.
Listen, Portland without beer is like a pirate without a hook – nothing worth talking about. Portlanders take beer seriously, especially craft beer and IPAs. As a result, breweries are held to a (very) high standard.
Grab a flight from any breweries and find yourself perplexed by the pleasant depth of interesting notes and flavors while discussing whether moving to Portland is right for you. Hint, by the second glass the answer is usually yes.
Further Reading: My personal guide to the 15 BEST breweries in Portland, Oregon.
#13. The Coffee Scene
Year after year, Portland is listed as one of the top 3 coffee cities in America, which is a huge perk of living in Portland!
Coffee is taken SO seriously in Portland and locals can’t help but benefit from it. The intense knowledge Portland baristas have regarding sourcing, roasting and preparing beans is mind blowing.
I feel like I can ask a question about ANYTHING related to coffee and someone will have an answer for me. I mean, I once had a barista explain everything I needed to know about oat milk for 10 minutes!
Needless to say, even if I don’t personally know much about coffee, I sure can appreciate the taste of a great cup. Which is why we can’t live without this.
Further Reading: 15+ Charming Portland Cafes You Can’t Help But Love
The Cons of Living in Portland
But alas! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the cons. We all know that there’s pros and cons to everything and as much as we love Portland, here’s some things we don’t necessarily enjoy.
#1. Homelessness
The homeless problem in Portland is severe, so it’s hard not to mention this first. Homelessness is a very contentious issue in Portland because there’s two camps to choose from: those that sympathize and those that are frustrated.
Of course, most folks find themselves in both camps, but dare you mention the needles you saw on your way home to some of our friends and …. well, nice knowing you.
Here’s why I don’t like it: For me, it’s a safety concern. Once, while walking to the grocery store, I saw someone shooting drugs. I’m not tying homelessness to drug addiction, I’m really not.
But the folks that are addicted to drugs are “front and center” and it makes it hard for me to picture raising kids here.
#2. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Ah yes, the infamous gray Portland rain that everyone talks about – it’s real, folks and it’s the reason so many people are hesitant about moving to Portland.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a disorder that makes folks prone to getting bummed out due to lack of sunshine (this is obviously not a medical definition).
Honestly, I don’t mind the rain in Portland, but between January – March, the gray skies have me clawing at the wall!
However, there are ways around SAD while living in Portland — invest in a Happy Light – here’s the one I use daily.
A Happy Light, you say? Yes, it’s a bright lamp that emulates sunlight and provides benefits similar to sunshine. We use ours every single day, plus it helps our plants grow like crazy, too.
My husband likes to joke that Portland weather has two settings: rain and bliss.
#3. Housing Costs
Living in Portland used to be a desirable prospect because of affordability, unfortunately housing prices have skyrocketed over the past 10 years and that is no longer the case. Heck, Portland’s not even in the same time zone as affordable now!
One of my coworkers purchased a home 30 years ago for $60,000 that is currently valued at $800,000 – a profit of $740,000.
I know what you’re thinking – 30 years ago?! Girl, give me a comparison I can relate to! But here’s the thing – folks in other parts of the country paid much more for homes 30 years ago and have gained much less (my in-laws’ home has only appreciated by $260,000 over 30 years — that’s nowhere near $740,000).
The housing market in Portland exploded over the last few years and as a result, decent starter homes (that require some TLC) start around half a million. If you have a missing rich uncle, now’s the time to find him.
I get it, these prices are not shocking for folks from bigger cities. But Portland used to be known as a transition city where you could get back on your feet, but no anymore. Buying a home is not realistic for most folks, especially millennials.
And yes, I know this isn’t unique to Portland, but for the sake of transparency, I wanted to mention it.
The median price of a home in Portland currently clocks in at $536,000 (an increase of 19.4% from last year alone). If helpful, the chart below shows the recent uptick in housing values and costs.
Oh, and lest I forget to mention the property taxes – mercy! My coworker updated her 1940’s home and now pays $12,000 annually in property taxes. Nice.
#4. Reserved Locals
I recently read an article where the writer described Portland folks as being super friendly and went so far as to say, “Living in Portland means your Uber driver will probably expect you to sit in the front seat. (You might even hurt their feelings if you don’t.)”
I want to know where that Uber driver is hiding whenever I hitch a ride from the airport! Here’s the thing: Most Portland folks are indeed friendly, but they are very reserved.
For example, my (super social) husband moved here three years ago and has found it incredibly challenging to start friendships, and he actively makes an effort. He reaches out to folks, follows up via text and still finds it hard to get a commitment to meet up in person.
In many ways, it seems that most Portlanders are content with the relationships they established long, long ago (maybe in the second grade??) and they don’t seem interested in newcomers.
Again, this doesn’t apply to everyone, but I’ve heard this enough times from recent transplants and it warrants mention. This seems to be one of the hardest hurdles for a lot of folks that move to Portland.
Whether or not you consider this a pro or con is completely up to you. I grew up in this environment, so I’m familiar with reserved Portlanders. But I understand not everyone will feel the same, so heads up.
#5. Nightmare Traffic
Dante’s inferno needs an update, and I’m nominating Portland traffic.
The constant traffic is one of the worst parts about living in Portland and it seems like rush hour extends by an hour every week!
Just in case a real-life example can put this in perspective, allow me to share that before I moved to into the city center, my 15-mile commute from Vancouver, Washington took one hour each way. It was brutal.
Because of the mass influx of folks moving to Portland, the city streets and highways cannot keep up with the unexpected demand. So traffic has become a complete nightmare.
You’ll never mistake Portland for L.A. but it’s pretty bad, especially for a city with a population of 600,000.
In fact, Portland’s nightmare traffic has officially clocked in as the 6th worst in the country, with an estimated 89 hours a year spent in traffic for the average commuter.
#6. Portland Lacks Diversity
Can I be blunt for a second? Portland is a very white city (78% white, in fact). There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. I don’t like it. It’s always refreshing to visit other cities and be reminded of the beauty of ethnic diversity.
In fact, it’s not until I leave Portland that I realize how bad we have it in terms of diversity. Gentrification is rampant, similar to San Francisco.
Make no mistake, Portland can be more ethnically diverse and I’m glad to see the demographics slowly shifting. With that said, I do want to share one area where Portland really shines and that is in having a healthy gay community. In fact, Portland is considered the 6th gay-friendliest city in the country.
#7. AC, what’s that?
My husband, being from the south, cannot fathom how Portlanders live without AC. He’s right about that, you will seldom find a home or apartment with a built in AC, which keeps electricity costs low.
Most folks resort to purchasing portable units to make it through summer. My husband cannot live without the portable AC, he rolls it around the house and it follows him like a tail (seriously!).
But honestly, our summers aren’t crazy hot, we only used the AC eight times during the summer of 2020.
And there you have it, my friends. This is my personal list of the pros and cons of living in Portland, Oregon.
Now to you – let me know if you have any questions below! Happy to help if you have any questions. Plus, it’s always so nice to hear from you.
Love Portland? Here’s some articles you may find interesting
- 25+ EPIC Things to Do in Portland (+4 Tourist Traps to Avoid)
- 12 Stunning Parks in Portland, Oregon
- 20 Interesting Facts About Portland You Probably Don’t Know
- 10 Epic Portland Viewpoints to Check Off Your List
- 10 Adventurous Day Trips from Portland
- 30 Weird, Free & Cheap Things to Do in Portland
- Let’s Talk: Portland, Oregon Vs. Portland, Maine
Until next time,
Antonina
Hi your Pros and Cons article about Portland is great! My hubby and i are from Mexico and been living in San Francisco for about 9 year, before we were in San Diego (we are from Tijuana basically) but now is time to move out and we’ve been doing research and Portland seems to be the place, GREEN PLACE. We’ll be there around end Summer. Thank you for reading. I just wanted to say HI! Kanela
Portland is a great place to be! So fun to hear that you’ll be here in summer – let me know if you want any tips!
Hi Kanela, my name is Karen, reading your comment made me think “no shit!” My us and kids and I just moved from the Bay Area last week after being there for about 9-10 years, we lived in San Diego before (1 year) and we are from Tijuana, this cannot be more of a coincidence. Let’s connect, please! Khuber.bernal@gmail.com
Hi Mark,
We moved from Bay area 5 years ago (lived there for 15+ years) to Vancouver and lived there for about 3 years before moving to Portland metro area, I can tell you that Vancouver is nice place to live. Yes, less diversity even compared to some other areas in Portland metro, still better than many other places in the southern states, I guess.
If you don’t mind crazy traffic on I-5 or I-205 bridges, Vancouver probably a better choice to retire (that’s my plan as well). From no-income tax to more affordable housing and relatively less costly electricity (the electricity run by county, unlike for-profit company as in Portland area). Not to mention that Vancouver is better maintained and planned as midsize town than cities in Oregon’s side of Portland metro (well, this might just be my observation ). Streets are make more sense to drive (unlike in Portland, where we see many weird and dangerous intersections, one ways or super narrow).
You still need to go to Portland area for exotic groceries and I found out that Vancouver does havr very few have decent asian stores. In fact, Portland metro has more interesting asian stores per capita than bay area (minus Chinatown in SFO, off course).
For your wife who’s asian (we are in fact of asian decent too :-), population of portlanders of asian decent are the highest compared to others.
I’m an Uber Driver in Portland and grew up in the area and am constantly talking people’s ears off. I think the reason why you are finding people not being as friendly is the fact that the majority of Portlandians aren’t from here, in fact in 2019 a study was done and found that local Portlandians are the minority now. We all either moved our of the city or state due to rising house prices.
Exactly. In fact the Portland I grew up in had strangers always nodding or saying hello when they passed on walks or hikes. These days we always joke that people who won’t make eye contact with you or pretend you aren’t there clearly aren’t actually from anywhere in Oregon. It’s sad because real Oregonians are super friendly and (surprise!) pretty tolerant.
Points #4 and #6 In the cons list perfectly exampled in these comments. Portland needs to get used to outsiders. It has been historically a problem here. I am sure there have been plenty of rude and unfriendly Portlanders born here. Have personally met a few quite recently. Not all bad seeds are transplants. The trash talking of people not from Oregon displays your lack of tolerance.
Stumbled on your blog and love it. Considering a move to Portland area (in the near future) and also love to travel. Spent 5 lovely weeks in Germany and Croatia last summer, you know, before Covid-19! Thanks for the info!
Portland is a great place to live! Glad you found the info helpful. 🙂
Hi Antonina,
Thank you for the terrific blog. My wife and I are strongly considering retiring in Vancouver, WA to take advantage of the tax benefits and lower cost of housing, but near enough to Portland for the food. Do you think that’s a good plan?
Even tho my wife lived in Corvallis over 40 years ago, we are kinda “buying in” to retiring to Portland area sight unseen. We have eliminated most of the rest of the country due to severe winters (there goes the entire N.E.), baby-carrying mosquitoes (oops, no S.E.), opening car doors with oven mitts (bye, bye AZ and New Mexico) and budget (can’t remain in So. Cal if we want to eat as well as buy a house). I don’t mind rain or cloudy weather (in fact, I prefer it – I don’t tan, I stroke). My wife is accepting the weather with a big sigh every time she mentions it.
My bigger concern is reserved locals and lack of diversity. Our friends have always come in every flavor. My wife is Chinese by way of Vietnam and I’m N.Y. Jew and we don’t get along too well with, what my wife coined, “Jesus White”. Different ethnicity and cultures are what makes life interesting, in our opinion. If we look hard enough, are we going to find pockets of other cultures hiding somewhere in Portland? I think we can give up that idea completely in Vancouver proper – you need to wear sunglasses in that town to cut down the glare.
Since we live and travel for food, the food scene sounds like a major plus. That sounds like something we can really count on… (Insert reassurance here).
Our current plan is coming up in Sept.,, looking at the new build models we have found with our realtor (New Traditions Homes) in Vancouver, signing the offer, selecting the upgrades, and running back to So. Cal until May of next year for the big move. Are we crazy? Our daughter thinks we are, but crazy has always worked for us the past. Crazy, don’t fail me now!
I’m starting to break out in a sweat hoping we are doing the right thing. Oh, Antonina, please tell me are.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Antonina is correct that Portland is a lot less diverse ethnically than many large cities, which is unfortunate. However, I don’t think you should worry too much about that or take away an exaggerated picture of “White Portland.” There are Portlanders of any and every race, ethnicity, religion (or lack of), and political ideology you can think of. Portlanders are generally very accepting of differences and celebrate diversity, even if there are a lot of white people. There is a large Jewish community in Portland, as well as many Asian Americans. Anyone who spends any amount of time in Portland would be able to confirm that we aren’t “Jesus White” in the way that your wife might have been imagining.
I was just thinking this!! Yes, we are WHITE, I only realized how white when I started to travel. However, you will not find a city more embracing of every kind of “difference” there is. I could never tolerate living in a city that was otherwise.
Hi Mark,
I am trying to convince my husband for us to move to Vancouver WA from DC and have the same concerns about diversity. I would love to hear about your experience moving there. If you’d like to get in touch please email me baharj7@gmail.com
Thank you for sharing your experiences very interesting to hear some things I knew about some things I haven’t. felt good to always find out before even considering a move. KJ
Hi Antonina
Hello 😉
Hello, I saw your blog about Portland. I am wanting to move there early next year (2021). I would love to know what area to move to that has short-term rentals and is close to everything as I may not have a car right away. I currently live in Atlanta and need a change, but don’t know a soul in Portland. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, it is common to be able to bring a dog to work? I bring my small dog to work with me (he’s a good boy). Hope to hear from you! Pam
Hello Pam,
First and foremost – welcome to Portland! My husband is from Atlanta as well and enjoys living here. I highly recommend NW Portland because it’s close to everything and doesn’t require a car. As for your little pup, I know that some workplaces are completely fine with dogs, so I recommend calling around before applying!
Thanks for reaching out and don’t hesitate to ask most questions – happy to help!
Portland has the best transit system in the country. It’s so easy to get around
The system is ok. More frequent trains and buses are needed per hour. You can’t say it is the best with only two buses running on a line per hour. Trains arrive every 6-9 minutes in New York. Buses are scheduled every 12 minutes. Much more effective system in NYC.
I have lived in Portland for 5 years now, having moved here from New York City. All points right on in this article. The one that stands out the most for me after 5 years is not making close friends. And it’s so true that this city is super friendly as this article says. People will talk to you in the puplic sphere left and right, rain or shine, from out of the left field. Yet where is that friend that becomes part of your world and gives you that cozy feeling, etc. I have friends if I think about it. But I don’t FEEL like I have friends, not the real kind that I have back east. Maybe it’s getting older. So I read this blog. Nice to be reminded that it’s not “me” or my imagination. I’ve heard this echoed over and over by many people I’ve met along my path here.
I love New York City and dream of living there one day as well. Not making close friends is a real thing around here! My husband is from the south and friendship-wise, it’s a different planet. He had a hard time adjusting to this as well. But I agree, a part of it could be growing older as well. Thank you for your insight and thoughtful comment, it’s nice to hear from other Portlanders!
New York City is a shadow of its former self and is drenched in homelessness and insane people on the streets.
Sadly, covid has vacuumed out all of our culture, while movie theaters and yoga studios await to open so many restaurants, cool shops are shuttered and the spaces are empty.
Will broadway will come back, off broadway theater?
I would not recommend anyone move here without a brilliant reason like love or money.
Ah, this is good to know JP. One of our close friends lives in NYC and mentioned how much it has changed. I’d be curious to see it for myself as well.
It’s unfortunate to see the way COVID brought NYC to its knees. Broadway shows are such a treat — can’t’ imagine New York City without them!
Thanks for your helpful feedback.
I live in Boise, Idaho, but have family that lives in Portland, and they are very upset about the dire homeless situation and the many negative changes in Portland since they moved there 25 years ago. We hope they will move back home to Boise, which is still beautiful, even with the huge growth caused by being on so many “best places to live” lists for years. I wanted to comment about life in New York City as I have several friends who live there, and they are sad about the loss of the theater and many fine restaurants since Covid, and the mass exodus of friends to small towns in New Jersey and upstate New York, also moving to Florida has become very big with New Yorkers. I have fond memories of what New York City was like before the devastation of Covid.
Hi Antonina, discovered your blog while researching the next place I want to live (like many people here). I really enjoy your articles, and I enjoy Portland but do not see myself living there. My journey is almost the exact opposite of yours – grew up in NYC, moved to the Seattle area almost 20 years ago, and now looking to move to a place like Bend, Eugene, or Missoula. A smaller city that more reflects what I imagine Portland must have been like 20-25 years ago. That said, I think every place has good and bad to it. If you have the chance, do follow your dream and live in NYC – sure there will be challenges, and probably a lot of things you don’t like or cause frustration. But it’s also one of the most diverse, colorful, and energetic places in the world.
I definitely agree with both of these points about NYC. But the same point Sasha made about Portland can also be said for NYC and how some from there treat outsiders. There is great diversity in NYC but unfortunately sometimes you see groups living on top of one another without much interaction. I saw it in Bushwick all the time. The young hipsters would not interact with the Puerto Rican and Dominican people from the neighborhood. And vice versa.
If ones main motive for place to live is diversity, move to Queens. Everywhere else seems less diverse.
I’m hoping to move to Portland next year. Maybe we can be friends :’)
Same here! We should all connect haha
Jwquon1@gmail.com
I’m in on this friendship too!
Perhaps a coffee meet for newbies living here
Well I am returning after being away for the last 6 years. I know what it’s like to be there and trying to make friends or even just regular contacts.
Something like a coffee social for the “new kids” might not be all that bad of an idea.
Don’t know where anyone else is coming from but a lot of the complaints about the PDX seems like it’s written by someone who’s used to cities west of the Mississippi.
I’m in Ohio and this is where I was born, frankly I hate it here. Cities like Toledo or Akron are really run down and legitimately dangerous. By rate of comparison Portland is almost Disneyland.
The 5 years I lived in Portland I noted the migration of the homeless. When I first got to Oregon “Occupy” was still a thing and much like the protests from last summer it left a wake of homeless still lingering.
I just seems like they come up from LA in peak summer heading toward Seattle (which is just as bad on the homeless topic) and then wintering back in LA. With Portland being a sopping point between the two is kinda common to see the tides come in and out.
Once you have something where resources are freely available, you draw them in and frankly some stay a while.
The only real reason homelessness in my current neck of the woods is not more common is due to the houses are so cheap.
And by that Iean Toledo has been on a 3 year project to demolish one house every day.
Anyone who complains about the cons of Portland has no clue how good they really have it.
Hi Sasha,
Thank you so much for your post. I really enjoyed this article as well and found it so accurate. I am from NJ, my husband from Seattle, and we have lived all over the US and then Europe before moving to Portland 3.5 years ago. We also have not made any friends. Of all of the places we have lived, this has been a very unique experience. As you say, people are friendly in public but nothing ever develops. I have never met so many people in one place who are completely uninterested in learning about others and sharing of themselves. I have so many one-way conversations that over time I am losing interest in trying. We have two children and it has been especially tough seeing his happen to them as well at times. We have never had trouble making connections like we do here. It really shadows our life here and I would be happy to move away.
Maybe Portland people just don’t know how to make friendships. Some people are just introverts. I think I am and I find it hard to really open up to new people.
I I was born at the old St. Vincent’s Hospital on NW 25th. It was torn down Decades ago. It was August 27, 1949! The Portland that I grew up in looked ascansed at anything abnormal. So glad the city has matured!
Honestly I was thinking in moving to Portland, but the cons are heavy. I just don’t know now if it’s a good idea. I am very sad.
Hi John,
Portland is a great place to live, but yes – you have to evaluate for yourself if you’re okay with the cons. I’m glad you found this helpful, even if it doesn’t seem like the right place at this time.
Hi ,I have visit Portland and enjoyed mi vacacion, my daughter and her husband just moved in Portland a week ago, they are newly married, I just worry about them if they want to have family and raise their children, I didn’t like that people smoke drugs in the public place,that is not the way I raise my children and here in my city is not allowed is illegal. Thank you for the tips.
Hello,
I hope your daughter and her husband enjoy their time in Portland. It seems like they have good heads on their shoulders, I hope it works out for them!
Ok so at least in my area there is a diverse community
I’m glad to hear that – diversity is the spice of life. 🙂
Thanks so much for this article, my family will be relocating fro
Los Angles to Vancouver Tuesday and It’s super bittersweet. I’m hoping that I’ll enjoy it and get to benefit from your pro list. I love brunch ( bottomless champagne I hope) so I’m thrilled about that.. the only thing that concerns me is the lack of diversity, since we are Black. I’m hoping that this doesn’t ruin our new found journey in the beautiful town
Hi Charde,
Welcome!! I hope your move goes smoothly. I hope you and your family have a seamless transition to life in Vancouver/Portland. We’re definitely not as big as LA, but I hope the food scene can keep you entertained all the same.
And yes – brunch! Make sure to try Tasty n Alder and Screendoor – both are so good! Also, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I live 2 hours south in the eclectic town of Eugene and when we come up every couple months we always need a wonderful oyster po boy from screen door ????. Glad someone else has the same love for it ????
Screen Door for the win!! I LOVE that place, it’s so good!
Are there any areas with more affordable apartments for rent?
Hi Em,
It seems like rent prices are (slowly) dropping due to COVID. I think North Portland has reasonable rates. In NW (the area I live in) studios are currently going for $1,000. Hope this helps!
Hi Antonina – I’m a 50-ish millennial woman seriously considering a move to Portland. I’ve only visited the city twice for a few days each time (May 2021 and again just this past week) but I love everything about it…the food, the culture, the green spaces, the proximity to such natural and awe-inspiring beauty of mountains and rivers and plains and coastline, and the less-hot summers and lack of humidity!
I visited Vancouver just for the day so my experience there is very limited but I kind of liked the slightly less “big city” feel of it. I currently live in Charlotte, NC which is a great city, but feel like the vibe of the Portland/Vancouver area speaks to me. I also much prefer colder weather and don’t mind the rain.
I like spending time outdoors with hiking, hunting mushrooms, kayaking, SUP, and snow skiing, and photography (amateur). My son will graduate from college in 2022 and it feels like the right time to do something different with my life. I can work from anywhere in the country as I work from home.
I would not buy a house, would prefer to rent something small and live simply, to be able to use my income to have fun. I would have a car as I want the freedom that affords, but wouldn’t use it locally for daily errands if I didn’t have to.
So my questions are:
1. What is the health care system like in Portland and across the state line in Vancouver?
2. Would apt living in Vancouver be more reasonable and perhaps newer than Portland…and would I be more likely to find a place with a/c?
3. Does it make sense to consider living in Vancouver instead, and enjoying Portland evenings and weekends? I’m a bit worried about the comment of Portlanders hating Vancouverites…I thrive on Meetup group activities and don’t want to be ostracized, lol!
Hi Mara,
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my post! I love Charlotte! We were just in town for a wedding a few weeks ago and thought it similar to Portland.
As far as your questions go:
1. I can’t really speak to this. I had healthcare in Portland and Washington from different employers. My Portland employer prioritized great care whereas my Vancouver employer was not as concerned with it.
2. There are tons of new apartments popping up in both cities but I’d definitely say there are generally more affordable options in Vancouver. A/Cs come standard in all of the new apartments whereas the older ones don’t have them at all.
3. This is a tricky question. There are obviously wonderful tax benefits of living in Vancouver (no state income tax) and enjoying Portland on weekends. Personally, the traffic across the bridge makes it daunting to commute regularly for nightly outings and I think it’s more likely you’ll end up visiting Portland less than you think.
I think it comes down to what neighborhood you like the best and how much you want to use a car. If you’re OK commuting to outings by car regularly then Vancouver might just be your cup of tea! If you like walking/biking places then it might be worth the extra money to live in Portland.
The good news is that if you move out and feel like one is better than the other you can always move across the bridge in either direction 🙂
Hope that helps!
Antonina
I really appreciate this article, I am in x-ray school and my partner and I hope to move out of the south not too long after graduation (maybe in a year or so). We kinda want the opposite of what we have here in a small southern town and we are torn between Portland and Seattle. I feel like after reading this article I am strongly more into Portland. 🙂 Hopefully, they have a good job market for those in aviation and radiography <3 Thanks for the solid run down.
Hi Rachel,
Congrats on X-ray school!! My husband is also from the south (Georgia) and he loves it out here. I suggest checking out both cities before making the final call. It sounds strange, but the two cities have such different feels! I love visiting Seattle, but couldn’t see myself living there and have friends that think the exact opposite. I would guess Portland has great opportunities for radiography, but Seattle has us beat in aviation (Boeing).
I hope this helps, thanks so much for your kind words!
I just came back from a road trip to Oregon and I wanted to stay ???? Passing through Bend, Sisters, Salem etc.. and ending in Portland. I was like wow portland is similar to Los Angeles yet different… My most favorite was Sisters just breath taking views! It was like being in those Hallmark movies. I have always been a city gal but over the past few years that has change, and now I’m more open to live in small towns. I will surely be coming back to oregon, I can only imagine how it looks during the winter days ????
Hi Ghilary, I know EXACTLY what you mean about Sisters, Oregon!! That place is like magic! I’m also noticing that I’m more open to living in small towns as I get older.
I hope you return to Oregon soon! There’s a lot waiting for you here. 🙂
Thank you, I really enjoyed this read…
Thank you for taking the time to let me know. That’s very kind of you!
Great post and I agreed with pretty much all of it! I moved up there in 2018 and was looking forward to all the same pros you listed. My first fall was magical. I LOVED seeing actual seasons because I come from Southern California where we have perpetual summer. Then the crippling weight of the cons list set in. The first thing that surprised me was that I wouldn’t be saving oodles of money in rent or overall cost of living. In fact, it was almost the same as when I was living back in San Diego. One of the biggest struggles I Haden Oregon was the lack of friendship. Like you mentioned, it’s not that people aren’t friendly, they’re just….reserved. I also couldn’t stand the lack of diversity and feeling a bit like a fish out of water. I had my come to Jesus moment end of 2019/early 2020 when it just didn’t make any sense for me to keep being miserable. Not quite 2 years after moving, I’m back in San Diego 🙂 my cost of living is almost exactly the same and my car insurance even went down! Portland was a cool place to visit but just wasn’t for me.
To add one more to the cons: Oregon drivers and their love of tailgating. Sigh.
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for taking the time to offer your two cents!! San Diego is so beautiful, my husband and I even entertained living there at one point.
And yes, Portland speaks to some but not to all. I’m so glad you tried it out though! How lucky we are that we can move around. 🙂
We only tailgate people with california license plates. HAHA
That is great! That says it all!!
You need to bring your friends with you if you want to have any in Portland!!!
Hi Heidi,
I’m sorry to hear about your experience here in Portland.
It may be a condition that’s many different things to many different people.
So with that said, for say a person that’s nearing the age of 70 now, and has lived here for my entire life, but to most people I appear more like a guy in my late 40s or 50ish that provides thousands of hours of sidewalk astronomy with large sophisticated telescopes in public parks and on sidewalks during my retirement years, which I’ve spoken about several times on National Public Radio – my astronomy artwork has been featured in NASA websites for nearly two decades. I’ve been engaging in these astronomy hobbies aside from my professional work of 30 years in the computer industry. For most of my life, and was hired to teach astronomy by age 50 as an Adjunct professor at a local University because of my experience and knowledge. They interviewed several people that had degrees and master’s degrees, but they chose me to teach the course, the guy with no degree.
I designed and built our own home for my first wife and daughter and I, in 1988 when I was only 33, in the beautiful suburban town of Troutdale, 20 miles East from downtown Portland.
I may be one of the original old school Portlander’s.
When many people visit here and complain about the traffic and driving they’re probably not talking about original oregonians but instead they’re mentioning the recent transplants that came from Southern California New York City or Chicago that are very short-tempered and very fast driving without signaling but passing on the right and tailgating.
There are many other things to consider living in Portland but many of these conditions have just evolved in the past few years which is largely due to the high level of transplants from all over the nation and now from all over the world.
I don’t see too many commenters here mentioning the superfluous amount of bicycles on the streets in Portland is this creates yet another dangerous driving situation.
I myself am a bicyclist part-time and I have been since I was a child but I stopped writing 10 years ago because I found it becoming too dangerous in the inner city environment.
All cyclists pedestrians motorists and now underaged minor children riding electric motor scooters are well aware that you’re not supposed to be holding a cell phone in your hand which is a dangerous attractive distraction anywhere in the world. The Portland Police have been rather vigilant about it than handing out citations but their patrol staff is underfunded now, and they’re having to let this condition slide.
I was wondering about your living situation in Portland, and if it was only renting.
For those of us that built modest luxury homes in the outline suburban areas the living conditions were much cleaner and well controlled.
For those that want the convenience of living near large inner city restaurants and other conveniences they are willing to make compromises with the overcrowded situations in the inner cities.
I also noticed that the the blogged article did not mention much about the higher class living on the West Side toward Beaverton which if others are not aware of the entire west side of Portland is like another city. Beaverton and its other constituent suburban towns across the entire west side of Portland looks like Southern California transplanted. It is in fact true that most of the Southern Californians that have relocated here to Portland since the late 1950s will reside on the west side of the city, where it is much newer and much more affluent and it’s appearance and amenities.
The large mega billion revenue companies every year in their income such as Nike and Intel and I would include the OHSU Hospital and Science University in the West Hills just south of downtown employees many professional people that earn six digit figures per year. This class of people does not worry about renting problems on the east side of Portland.
So with these things realized as a local I can tell you there’s a much broader diversity here than people might think if they’ve only visited for a short time and say rented in less than desirable living conditions in the dilapidated areas of the east inner city side of Portland.
Thank you so much for this write up; it’s the first truly even handed perspective that I have seen.
We (my boyfriend and I) are in a unique place. We have both been offered good jobs in Portland, and we’re really excited about the prospect of relocating. Our biggest anxieties, without question, are (1) housing costs and (2) current socio-political unrest. We were very fortunate to have excellent jobs in an inexpensive and conservatively stable city, and we were able to peacefully live well below our means, which was very comfortable.
Homes in Portland cost 2-3X what we’ve grown accustom to and, if the media is to be believed, it appears like Portland has descended into a state of anarchy. It’s un-nerving.
If I may ask, do Portlander’s fear a real estate bubble, or does the current trend really feel sustainable? Secondly, how unstable is the political landscape? Is the instability beginning to affect the day to day functionality of peoples lives across economic conditions, personal safety, and quality of life?
Thanks so much.
Hi Cara,
Great questions! I can’t speak too much for the housing market. Personally, it doesn’t feel sustainable to me but that’s solely based on feeling – no stats.
As for the political unrest – we get asked this question all the time! Honestly, life is pretty normal here.
It’s funny, I get texts left and right from coworkers/family asking if we feel unsafe. Not at all. I walk over to my favorite cafe every morning, go on lunch walks and ride my bike around in the evening. Plus, now that the fall color is coming in, you better believe I’ll be spending even more time outdoors.
The news makes it seem like the city is burning when in reality the protests only occur in the late evening within a 2-block radius.
I say this as a local Portlandler – the things I see on the news are crazy and I wouldn’t know the protests were happening at all if it weren’t for the news lol! And we only live 10 blocks from the “action” zone. Honestly, the current political landscape isn’t even worth mulling over, it’ll blow over and it’s not even that bad.
I hope this helps!
Antonina
I’ve lived in Portland all my life, I’m 24. I do not want to live here anymore, crimes and homelessness have increased since the start of covid. The housing prices are still ridiculously over expensive. I feel that there is an anarchy type vibe in the more trendy areas of Portland and downtown. I’m getting the heck out of this city soon. My advice to you is your current city and current income and cost of living sounds non-stressful, I would say stay where you are for now.
Thank you so much for this article! My wife and I are considering moving to Portland with our 7 month old son. We currently live in California and we lived the past 3 years in the Bay Area (which we absolutely loved). However, due to the pandemic my job cut my salary and it was difficult for us to continue affording life in the Bay.
My in-laws live in Yakima, Wa which is a driveable distance away. We want to live close to them but still want to live in a city. We are thinking Portland might be the perfect place for our little family.
I am a high school teacher and my wife is finishing up her Master’s degree in Social Work. Do you know if teachers in Portland generally are happy with their quality of life?
Hi Mark,
The Bay Area is so beautiful! I never miss an opportunity to visit.
As for your question – A few of my friends are teachers in Portland (all elementary school). They seem to love their jobs but mentioned to me that the large class room sizes are very challenging to handle. I’m not sure if large classroom sizes are a thing in California, but in Oregon that seems to be the case.
Apart from that, most of them purchased homes 10 years ago (when they were affordable) and enjoy their quality of life immensely. However, those that have not purchased a home find it hard to afford one now because the housing market has gone through the roof.
I hope this helps! And wish you luck with the move. 🙂
Hi Mark, I saw your comment and wonder if you have already made the move? Me and husband are planning to move from the bay area to portland area as well!
Thank you for this article. I’m a Portland native who’s been living in CO the past decade or so. But my partner and I are looking to head back in a couple years. Probably to settle in the Vancouver/Camas area.
This article is spot on, but don’t forget, Portlanders also loooove their brunch. And the part about making friends is pretty accurate. It’s similar to the Seattle freeze phenomenon, I just don’t think it’s as severe. I attribute this to a strong sense of nativism that still exists.
But again, great piece!
Hello — brunch is a BIG deal to be sure! I agree, Portland’s reserved nature is not as severe as the infamous Seattle freeze.
We are ex-Portlanders who left the PNW for life in Europe in 1999, but did go back fairly regularly until Covid. A few thoughts: in the pros, add dog friendly. We had a dog during our time there and found the area one of the best places in the country for canines. So many places to go — the mountains, the beach, even the parks closer in — and so many places you can sit outside with your dog while enjoying a coffee or a beer. Big plus.
Downsides: native Oregonian pretentiousness. This is the darker aspect of the Portland reserve and something we definitely had to adjust to. When (then) President Clinton was in town for the forestry summit, I was quoted in Willamette Week as saying we could solve the crisis if all the native Oregonians would simply pull the old-growth sticks out of their butts. My ancestors sailed to Philadelphia in 1727 but I would never have thought to cop a “native Pennsylvanian” attitude with Philly newcomers. (fwiw, native Swiss are even worse than native Oregonians)
Also: you paint an overly optimistic picture of job opportunities. For some, yes, it’s pretty good (tech and healthcare mostly). But far too many have jobs that don’t begin to pay enough to get on the Portland housing ladder or save for retirement. Or that come with decent healthcare coverage. There is heavy competition even for tech jobs and layoffs aren’t uncommon. A friend lost his Intel position about 15 years ago, couldn’t get another tech position, so decided to work at Costco “pushing chrome”. His former co-workers considered it a downward move, but he likes the work, gets decent benefits, has been able to move up the ranks, and never obsesses about work after he clocks out. (And when the 2009 economic meltdown hit, a lot of those former co-workers got laid off and suddenly realized a steady job at Costco could be pretty sweet.)
Finally: Millennials aren’t the only game in town and the only audience worthy of your notice. Please keep in mind that diversity and inclusion aren’t just about gender, sexual preference and race. Communities should be age-diverse as well.
Hi Carn,
Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. I agree with you on a lot of the points you made — and goodness, you live in Europe? That’s a dream of mine!
Thank you so much for posting this Antonina! My husband and I are planning on moving next year. This has provided insight that is beyond valuable. We have visited a few times and fell in love. Since you mentioned the lack of diversity component, wondering if you have thoughts about thriving as a bi-racial household? (It’s a real thing, even coming from Chicago). Thanks so much!
Hi Ingra,
Glad to hear you loved Portland!! And it’s exciting to hear that you’ll be moving here. I don’t know that I’m the most equipped person to chime in on the bi-racial piece but am hoping other readers can chime in.
I can say that Portland is becoming more diverse by the day. Also, Portlanders are accepting of other races, religions, etc. — while still being reserved. I’m hoping someone can chime in and provide a good answer to your (great) question — I’d like to hear what experience bi-racial households have in Portland.
Thank you so much for the prompt reply! I appreciate your candid thoughts and look forward to seeing additional responses.
And I also am very thankful for your warmness. You’re a great ambassador.
We have lived here for over 50 years..we have done a lot of things, buying houses, renting much more. The thing is..we have people who are not in control of our city.now there is a lot of homeless every place and is costing the city lots of money.most apt. Rent is from 1300 to 1500 at average there is a lot of hiking areas just out of Portland. THE GORGE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL ..I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF SIGNS LOOKING FOR WORKERS IN GRESHAM, OR. IT’S A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE..GOOD LUCK TO YOU!
Hi Lewlehr,
It is true — rent prices have gone up substantially in recent years. As for lack of control, I’d say yes/no. It’s not as bad as the media makes it seem, that’s for sure.
And yes! Could agree more about the gorge — so beautiful!!
My husband and I moved to the Portland area five years ago from Chicago. We just left to move to the south. I gave it two years to really provide a fair evaluation but after that, I was counting the days until I could leave. I made one real friend in the time I was there and husband made one also.
Pros: Summers, landscape, outdoor activities, home appreciation and profit (for now if you bought a few years ago)
Cons: Cost of living, dirty, unfriendliness of people, open dislike of outsiders (especially Californians), high income taxes, constant riots, idea that anyone successful should pay even more taxes and give away to less fortunate, inability to pump own gas, lack of direct flights out of PDX, wildfire smoke/air quality, traffic
You didn’t mention the fact that the state considers a $125k annual salary wealthy and it is taxed higher than the already high 10 percent state income tax. People should know this. Property taxes are also high. The lack of sales tax nowhere near makes up for these!
Portland is definitely not for everyone and I am so relieved to be gone and will never look back! I took my home profits with me too ????!
Lol Brenda, the last sentence made me laugh.
Thanks for offering your insights, it’s always helpful to hear other people’s perspectives. I agree, Portland isn’t for everyone (no city is). My husband moved here from the south and can’t imagine living anywhere else. I’ve grown up here (and enjoy living here) but am interested to try a new city because this is all I know.
I hope you enjoy your time in the south – those mild winters are hard to beat!
Thank you so much for writing this! I learned so much! As a Black Female, from the Midwest, looking to move to the west coast it was very refreshing to see you address the lack of diversity in Portland. My significant other is a white male from Idaho and we’re having a hard time trying to find a city on the west coast where we can both be happy and it has the diversity I’m looking for. I will say even with the lack of diversity, it still sounds like a great place to live, so I won’t rule it out yet! Thanks again!
Hi Camille,
Thanks for your kind feedback! I’m glad you found this post helpful. The west coast is a beautiful place to live and I’m sure you and your partner will enjoy your time here. Since you’re interested in west coast cities, I wonder if San Francisco is on your radar? It’s ripe with cultural diversity! Let me know if you have any other questions, happy to help!
Hello! Thank you so much for this! I have been reading blog after blog, article after article, and yours truly has been the most helpful. I am curious as to your knowledge of other towns/cities in Oregon? Or if you know of someone else who does?
I am very seriously considering moving to Oregon in 2 years. I am from Southern California but lived in the PNW for a year back in high school (about 15 years ago now). I have friends in Oregon that have been begging me to move there, and I definitely want to. I’ve never been a fan of SoCal, so I can’t say I’ll miss the weather. Or traffic. Or cost of living and meager jobs. My concern is where in Oregon should I go?
I’m 31. Single. I don’t like to “party” but I like a nice bar visit now and again. I’d like to purchase a home soon for myself and my cats (lol) and I know I’ll never be able to obtain that here in Orange County. I love that small town feel, used to live in one. I love the rain. Hate the heat. And I don’t need a lot to make me happy (mainly good drinks, good food, and books). My friends in Albany say that’s the best place. 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 2022, 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.
Thanks!!!
Hi Larrisa (that’s my sister’s name!), thank you for the kind words. Another city you may want to research is Bend, Oregon. It seems like it can fit the bill for what you’re after! If we didn’t live in Portland, we would live in Bend, but we like the “medium” city feel of Portland more.
Let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks!
Hey there,
Thank you for this article. Please speak on the wildfire season, as I’d like to know if and how that affects your judgement of the (entire) west. 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?
Also: Are there any places in the rest of the US that you find the pro’s of Portland and are relatively affordable?
I’m very excited about Portland but need to make sure I’m making the right decisions!
Jack
Hi Jack,
Honestly, wildfire season isn’t much of a concern. We had a bad season this year and the last one before that was in 2017 (Eagle Creek Fire — caused by a kid setting off fireworks in the Gorge). By and large, I seldom think of fire season in Portland, most years are very uneventful and it’s not something I even take into consideration because fires happen so infrequently.
Great question about cities similar to Portland but more affordable — perhaps Bend? But the cities are most definitely different. I hear that Austin, Texas is similar as well, but haven’t visited myself yet (on my list!).
And yes — you definitely need to figure out the best spot for you! Thankfully, people don’t have roots so we can pick up and move whenever needed. How fortunate are we?
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Antonina
Portland is not as nice a place to live as it used to be. I moved here i 1976. 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. It’s very expensive to rent, and houses are not affordable. 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. Even though I’ve lived here most of my adult life I am seriously considering moving to another state.
This article hits the nail on the head. I moved here from NC after living in NY and the lack of diversity is VERY apparent. I love the nature and the cities location but I’m quickly falling out of love with it. Maybe it’s the covid blues or the ever increasing rent but I have a feeling Portland will be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else. We’ll see, I do love the northwest. Great article.
Hi Sean,
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience as well! Thanks for the kind words!
Also — just checked out some of your work. Wow! You are so talented.
Antonina: thanks for your comments. So often when you read about cities it’s from the perspective of real estate agents who only want to portray the positive. I’m doing research on potential places to retire. I’m white and my girlfriend is Filipina. 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.
Hi Bill,
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. Depending on where you go in Vancouver there’s definitely the potential for more room to spread out and to do so more affordably than in Portland (plus the major tax advantage of no state income tax).
Regarding social/political leanings, Vancouver is definitely more conservative than Portland and generally speaking the closer you are to the downtown area the less conservative it is. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Antonina
This is one of the most balanced pros and cons I have read about Portland, Oregon. I’ve lived here since Cinco De Mayo 2015 and have gone through several phases of love/hate with this city. But if I met an outsider asking if they should move here? I’d point to this article.
Thank you. Now I don’t have to explain things to people. 😉
Monica,
Thank you for adding your two cents! I’m glad you found these pros and cons balanced. So glad you found the article helpful, it was a pleasure writing it! 🙂
And your last sentence — lol, cracked me up.
Thank you so much for such a refreshing and honest outlook of this city. We’ve lived here 6 years and still feel alone on some of these pros/cons. Glad we’re not the only ones!
You’re definitely not alone in those feelings, trust me. 🙂
Thanks for the thoughtful post. I am moving from Chicago to Portland next month (June 2021). 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. Given that, shouldn’t we transplants be able to find each other to make friends (while trying to break through to the natives). 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. thanks, Miriam
Hi! 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.
Hi Melissa,
I know that Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a huge employer in Portland! I also know that Portlanders LOVE having pets, so I imagine there are ample opportunities for veterinarians and pediatric NPs.
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!
I find it funny that Seattle is a “big city” at 700,000 and Portland is “not big” at 600,000. Evidently the transition occurs at just under 700,000, a milepost Portland has just about crossed. Thanks for a great article!
When sizing up cities, one should look at “metropolitan area,” not city population. This accounts for suburb size, which can be pretty different in cities across the US. Seattle is around 4.1 million in their metro area, while Portland is at 2.5 as of the 2020 census.
Hi!
We are from México and are on a phase where my hubby might work in Portland. 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. It’s the whole state actually. 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. It’s a case of a nice area becoming popular and ruining it for the locals. Don’t even mention you are from California. They will be pleasant to you in person, but scorn you privately. This is speaking from a native Oregonian.
I’ve lived here for 23 years and hear the whining all the time. The rest of the country has people moving in & out but they don’t complain about it like SOME Oregonians do. I have to remind them that when their grandpa moved here in 1910 that Oregonians hated them too. The whole “native Oregonian” thing is stupid. I find there are more people from the Midwest that have moved here than from California. To complain about Californians is so simple-minded. Almost EVERY major city in the West, South and Southwest has grown incredibly & you’re always gonna have the natives whining about. Life changes – adjust or move to another city. It’s America- we get to do that.
I loved this and couldn’t agree more! I just moved from Long Beach CA. to Portland in January of 2020. 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.
Also, I am half Mexican, a quarter Korean and a quarter “white” (its like a mix of British, Irish, and Russian), but I find it so strange that my Caucasian co-workers get more offended over race related jokes or issues than I do. People here have extreme white guilt that makes me feel more uncomfortable than understood.
Its like I’m ousted because I look different and I don’t always agree with their opinion because they didn’t grow up around other races. 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. It’s just hard understanding the culture out here.
Hi C.V.,
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.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I completely agree with your comment about white guilt. Portland sorely lacks diversity and a lot of long-term residents grew up in a pretty white community. Personally, I believe the Portland approach is “better safe than sorry” and the intentions are good but the execution poor. And yes, I’ve seen passive-aggressive behavior worthy of an Oscar in my 20+ years of living in Portland.
But as you mention, there are big perks to living in Portland, too! It’s all a matter of balance and I’m hopeful that as more new folks move in Portland will start to diversity and change for the better. Growing pains, but hopefully the end result will be worthwhile.
Again, thank you SO much for taking the time to leave this input, it is so helpful for folks to hear, especially if they’re strongly considering moving to Portland.
Well I am returning after being away for the last 6 years. I know what it’s like to be there and trying to make friends or even just regular contacts.
Something like a coffee social for the “new kids” might not be all that bad of an idea.
Don’t know where anyone else is coming from but a lot of the complaints about the PDX seems like it’s written by someone who’s used to cities west of the Mississippi.
I’m in Ohio and this is where I was born, frankly I hate it here. Cities like Toledo or Akron are really run down and legitimately dangerous. By rate of comparison Portland is almost Disneyland.
The 5 years I lived in Portland I noted the migration of the homeless. When I first got to Oregon “Occupy” was still a thing and much like the protests from last summer it left a wake of homeless still lingering.
I just seems like they come up from LA in peak summer heading toward Seattle (which is just as bad on the homeless topic) and then wintering back in LA. With Portland being a sopping point between the two is kinda common to see the tides come in and out.
Once you have something where resources are freely available, you draw them in and frankly some stay a while.
It’s not that I don’t have compassion for all of them, I don’t mind them really at all. If I was in their (lack of) shoes I would likely do the same thing.
The only real reason homelessness in my current neck of the woods is not more common is due to the houses are so cheap.
No joke some places go for less than 8,000… 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.. you’re dead right that is where I want to be.
It’s a crazy thing that has not been seen in my life time here in the Buckeye state (Columbus aside) and that elusive thing is called “prosperity”.
Anyone who complains about the cons of Portland has no clue how good they really have it and just how bad a LOT of the east coast/mid west (mid east?) truly is.
I think you’re being extremely generous using the word ‘reserved’. Like your husband I am another very social person and my attempts to meet people were met with a concrete wall of the most unfriendly responses I’ve ever seen. One guy took pity on me and pulled me aside one day. He said, “You didn’t go to high school with any of us, so no one here is going to be your friend.” It was so absurd as to be almost funny.
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.
As I worked in fashion design I did an extensive series of photo shoots cataloguing Portland’s hipster look. See it at nikmills.com.
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. I’m planning to move from Mexico to Portland at mid 2022 because of work, and I was wondering about schools; I made some research and a lot of the areas and neighborhoods look and sound very good to live, including also Vancuver; but I need also to find a neighborhood with a good elementary school for the kids; can you tell me something about good schools?
How much does it snow in Portland? I really enjoyed reading your blog.
Hi Sidy,
Not much, we had a big snow storm in 2017 and had some snow in 2021 as well. Apart from that, we don’t really get snow. In fact, my coworkers and I are always surprised to see snow in the forecast.
Glad you enjoyed the blog! I love writing it and am glad to hear that!
Hi Antonia, I am currently going into college and was hoping you could give me some insight on what career path/degree your husband has? This may sound a bit weird…. but traveling as much as he does sounds like a dream! I’m so conflicted with what career path to take and I don’t want to live the bland life of a desk job hahaha
Hey Carlos!
This is Will (husband). Thanks so much for the kind words! 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. After starting a few businesses with middling success I eventually combined two passions of mine (public lands & film making) to start More Than Just Parks.
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). Eventually our work was noticed by media outlets and eventually state & local tourism boards, the park service, the forest service, and beyond. Now we do work for all of those sorts of organizations.
In summary, I’d say the keys are:
#1 do something you love (even if you’re not the best at it to start with)
#2 be confident about sharing it with your friends/family & press to get the word out
#3 know that it’s going to be way more work than you thought but if you love it the time passes fast
#4 build up a base of work strong enough so you can pitch groups on higher paying work eventually
Hope that helps! Feel free to email me will @ morethanjustparks.com
Best,
Will
I’m 22-years-old and looking for a fresh start. I’ve decided that, in the next year, I’m going to uproot my life and go somewhere new. Portland is at the top of the list right now, as I’ve been told by lots of people that I have a “Portland vibe.” I’ve never really been sure what that means, but if the city is up my alley (and it sounds like it is), I’d love to come and check it out.
Up until last year, I lived with my family. I’m born and raised here in Kona, HI, and there’s not a lot going on for people looking to break into the arts professionally. It’s scary to think about leaving behind everything I’ve known for 100% of my life thus far, but I think it’s time, and honestly, an essential life experience. Plus, why not!
That being said, as optimistic as I’d like to be, it still is scary. Reading articles about it has offered a small comfort. Thanks for this!
take the plunge, no matter where you choose! you’re young, you’re single. great time to experience the good (and bad) of living in a different region. Many people I know who have moved from Hawaii or San Diego have a hard time because the weather isn’t perfect everyday like home. But if ya don’t wind grey skies, you’ll be OK here. And if you do, that’ll just make ya appreciate home a little more. No matter what happens, the worst thing that can happen is it doesn’t work out, and then you can just move back home. 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.
Thanks again!
Enjoyed the guide. We moved here from Eastern PA, about 30 mi N of Philadelphia. 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. I’ve found the native Oregonians to be friendly, but I am from the MidWest originally, so I am used to small town life.
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 117F. 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.
New to Portland. St. Johns neighborhood is all I am familiar with. I wonder if historical zoning is the reason the houses are almost wwithin arms reach of each other. I am neighborly, but if I wanted to live that close I might consider an apartment instead of a single family house. Also with some exceptions St. Johns looks a little like a Shanty Town with shabby looking small houses, no land and a strange kind of architecture being from the East I’ve never seen before. There is an area near the University overlooking the industrial valley that has something resembling a view if you consider the tops of huge warehouses to be similar to the waves rolling in from the ocean. And that’s another point. No ocean. How does one live without and ocean nearby. Trees are OK for some, but I am not a hugger.
Thanks for listening and I must say my experience so far is limited to one neighborhood.
This is SUCH a great article and I’m saving a lot of these links as I am moving to Portland at the end of this month!!! It’s crazy — I’ve been going to Portland my whole life and never until recently seriously considered moving.
You see, I have relatives in Portland and am from the midwest, but California called to my heart and I’ve been in the Bay Area for about 8 years. But like so many other folks, it’s not sustainable living here anymore and I’m feeling incredibly lonely here too and deciding to give Portland a try – this is the first time I’m moving to a new place where I actually already have a network of people!!
The consistent rainy/grey scared me away before – but as a writer and creative, I find it feeds into my creativity and I’ve never tried- so why not! I think the happy light will def help. I’ll 33 and single and looking to settle down and want a house etc in an area thats probably less expensive and super close to hiking areas, yet close enough in to be able to be in a cool area…. so I really think this is the perfect city for all that.
I’m thrilled to start a new chapter and see what it will bring! This was so helpful. I’m especially curious to explore the wellness community (yoga, herbalism, spirituality, art). I feel inspired here.
Hi Brittany!
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and for the kind words! I totally agree with the rainy/grey sentiment. Each year when it rains in the fall for the first time after a Summer without I always get excited.
So glad you found the article helpful!
Cheers,
Antonina
A tip to help you get around in Portland,, remember the NW is ODD, so when t comes to finding an address, the last # in a address, will show what side of the street you will find that , last #, odd 1 3 5 7, etc, will be on the north and west side of streets, and even # 0 2 4 6 8, will be on the south and east side of street. Hope I helps in getting around town, and you find where you want to go????
Thank you ! Love this article. We will be visiting soon!
Thanks for the article! We lived in Portland years ago and are considering a return with our four kiddos. Without going too far out from true Portland (heck no on Gresham, please) – could you recommend a few neighborhoods where we would find the most kids?
I’m looking for friends too tell your hubby let’s meet at GN
Hey Antonina,
Thank you for the blog. I love the consideration you put into this article and can really feel you’re someone who knows this city! I have been starting my career in illustration/art and thinking of moving to Portland. The main thing that has me also looking other places is the cost of living but I love the access to the outdoors it offers. Do you know much about the art scene here? I come from the other Portland in Maine, which is known as a top dog friendly city! Is Portland OR also super dog friendly?
Love and best,
Lina
Hi Lina,
Portland, Oregon is one of the most dog friendly cities in America! All of our friends have dogs, and a lot of restaurants are completely fine with your pooch joining if you’re dining outdoors!
Also, I LOVE Portland, Maine and try to visit every other year. It’s so charming!
All my best,
Antonina
I moved here in YEARS ago from Michigan and thought i found heaven. Portlanders USED TO BE ridiculously friendly. All of the transplants changed that in the 2000s. I miss this city and can’t find a place to live, having to live in Oregon City. It really SUCKS.
I agree
What do I think? The homelessness, the drug, and alcohol problem, and high crime rate. Safety issue is a problem. The homicides have increased, and home brake ins. I once loved Portland, and now can’t wait for it to be fixed. Really sad. The Summer fires increased, the drought problems. This is rather scary.
This is great! Are there affordable housing in the suburbs of Portland? That’s the one thing keeping me from moving there, is I want to own a home in the next few years but definitely can’t afford a half a million dollar home.
I feel like exactly what you said is happening everywhere. Where is it safe to live anywhere nowadays in the US? 🙁
Thank you for your bravery on listing the homeless problem as number one and what a contentious issue it is.
I have lived near Portland for 4 years and completely agree with this. I’ll never regret moving to Oregon as it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever lived (mountains, beaches, forests etc) But the difficulty in making real close friends makes me question being able to stay longer term. One con I would like to add: the fire season! Where you can’t go outside because of the smoke, the sun is a weird glowing orange ball and white ash lands on your cars.
Echoing this comment 100%. I moved to Portland 6 years ago and fell in love with the beauty and vibe of the city. I’ve come to the point where the loneliness– lack of friendships and community is unbearable. I am very friendly, open hearted and minded, and making friends was never an issue in my life. I am ready to move on now as I don’t have much faith this will change. It makes me very sad to have come to this point as I do love Portland– despite all the recent downfall. Reading this sentiment over and over in botht the article and comments validates this as a reality for me, very helpful…
I appreciate your perspective as a portlander. But honestly, it’s been completely the opposite for me and my neighbors. We moved here a year ago from Chicago (talk about SAD!). I really had such high hopes, I was excited to start our new life in PDX. In Chicago, if someone looks lost, someone helps them. In Portland, you could be spinning in circles trying to figure out what went wrong on your GPS and people will walk right on by pretending not to notice. I’ve been weirdly faced with “I’m a five generation Oregonian, you don’t belong here!” As if people haven’t been migrating since the beginning of time. Also, like if your family goes back that far, it might not be something to brag about- white colonial folks did some bad things. I haven’t found community- I’m gay and trans and have desperately looking to connect. Instead, my neighbor posted a picture of me on NextDoor while I was walking my dog and now all my neighbors are speculating about my gender on a public platform. I’m really worried for my safety as some men with trucks has commented about killing people like me. I live with several chronic conditions that have been so wildly challenging to care for with sub-par medical care. A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and we decided we just can’t stay here. We don’t have support and portland is no place to have serious treatments without community. I feel as though we are being pushed out by a city that I really wanted to love but doesn’t love me, perhaps because my family hasn’t been here long enough to commit genocide on indigenous people? Who knows.
And I just want to offer: someone injecting drugs poses no more of a safety issue than someone injecting insulin. If literally nothing else happened, I don’t see the act of doing drugs inherently unsafe. Perhaps, we could all stand to acknowledge that life can be really hard for a lot of people, but it’s harder without shelter. They are our neighbors whether you want to acknowledge them as humans or not. We don’t know if that was their first time using a clean needle and they worked hard to navigate harm reduction strategies with a case manager. Perhaps they were using around people because he was hoping someone would be concerned if he overdosed rather than using alone. All things to be celebrated! Substance use is not inherently dangerous to other people- not having affordable housing, limited treatment options, zero regulation on substances other than camnabis, and frankly rude people witnessing another humans low moment and using to craft a blog entry about how they were unsafe is what makes drug use dangerous and often secretive. I think you’re blaming the wrong thing, policy and city leadership make things unsafe, NOT people surviving the best they can through a system thar hates them. I know this because I’ve spent 12 years working in substance use mostly on the south and west sides of Chicago (and in chicago’s prison system, maximum security div for men providing HIV testing). The earliest nod we have to drug use is people in Assyria and Africa, it picks up in ancient Greece too. What on earth makes the people of Portland think that they think they can stop drug use by shaming homeless people constantly any chance folks get? We will never, ever, ever stop substance use. But we can make it kinder, safer, and generally less terrible for everyone involved.
I’m pretty tough but I know how to find community but PDX ain’t it. ESPECIALLY if you’re a person of color.
Actually, trimet just cut service by 9% at the beginning of 2022. As someone who has lived all over the country and has been a transit commuter for over 15 years, trimet is just ok. I use it daily and am often late even though i leave w well over an hour to commute less than 5 miles normally. Its lacking a lot for as expensive as it is. But i couldnt let anyone say anything as offbase as its ‘one of the best’. Its not. At all.
hi, overall good write up. We have been here since 2000. I understand you have a public blog and don’t want to appear too negative, but you were a bit soft on Portland overall.
since living here since 2000, some observations, not in Pro or Con order.
the climate here has changed a lot. It used to rain a lot and hard. It used to be the rain started at Halloween and didn’t end until July 4. That isn’t so any more in recent years. We still have the cloudy gray days late Oct – June, but we more early Springs now and Summer starts early in June. And we do have hot summers now. 100 degree days start in June. Sure, they come and go, but it has not been uncommon to have a string of 100+ degree days through the summer. We built a house in a cookie cutter development west of Portland and the builder said “you really don’t need AC here”… they offered central air as an option. We, too, are from the South, and we bought the AC option and we are glad we did. We use quite a bit. Hot is hot. And if you suffer from allergies you can’t always have open windows. Especially in wildfire season.
so I mentioned we are from the South. And reading that, some people just tuned out my comments. YES – you will be profiled in liberal, diverse, accepting Portland. From people commenting on the accent to assuming you are a racist (you have to prove that you are not and the test to prove is arbitrary). My wife worked in downtown portland and was criticized for doing something that is common in the South – dressing professionally for an office job. She was actually laughed at and ‘coached’ by the manager for looking odd. Yes. and odd is nice business woman’s business skirt and jacket and blouse. it would be called classy in other parts of the US. And she was criticized for her accent (southern). There are a lot of accents around – just the southern accent is not one of the cool ones to have.
Friendships. I have worked at the same large tech company here since 2000 (you left one major company off your list – a large chip manufacturer ;)). Sure – I made office friends, chit chat at work etc – the office friendliness. but in 22 years, we have not made any deep personal friendships outside the office. Or in our neighborhood which we have lived in for 20 years. and we are normal people and started off trying to very friendly, Southern style. People I work with have been here a long time, grew up here – seems friendships/relationships are forged over time – very deep – when you can crack the nut and get inside. A lot of friendships are formed around alcohol – drinking. The only way I got in to participate in outings (inviting myself) was drinking outings. I drink a beer here and there, but we are talking adults – with families – pounding double IPAs and getting slammered, then bragging about it. and bragging about weekend trips camping and getting slammered. So if you are not a big drinker it can be tough.
Golf. Big golf country here. Helps with the socializing, work golf leage, but still, people stay at arms length. No invites to join a weekend foursome ‘after hours’. Hard to break into the long formed cliques. Actually, it is possible to be too friendly which I think confuses people. I haven’t figured out Portland ‘cool’ yet after 22 years. I guess I am just not ‘it’ 😉 which is fine. I am who I am. But people in Portland despite what they think are not all accepting and open. Even among whites.
Weather – short and getting hotter summer.. count on a 3 1/2 month summer. Long gray winters. A mungy spring some sun, rain . Oh – in Portland, you don’t let the rain stop you. You can tell non natives – they carry umbrellas. Portlanders – you see them out in the rain in whatever.
Dressing style – anything goes (except business suits). Shorts year round in the office. Sure. And not all men are meant to wear shorts. T shirts with cool slogans, beer related slogans – great. Funky hats with ears – very cool in a tech environment.
People. I work in tech. I have never been around so many smart and nerdy people in my entire life. Brilliant yet socially dysfunctional people. It’s actually hard to engage in small talk: “hi, how was your weekend?” “who cares, I worked”.. “did you do anything fun?” “what do you mean by fun”.. ahhh ok.. time for more coffee. But it is possible to carry on a conversation with some people with only four words – cool, crazy, wild, and super. I went to Multnomah Falls – Crazy! We got really drunk – Wild! Sorry.. I digress. Outside of work – doctors offices and such, people are generally rude and like they are having a bad day all the time.
Natural beauty. I took photography classes here which was actually a good way to see things in the area through field trips. Oregon is magical from a lighting during the different times of day and year photographic eye point of view. and lots of subject material to photograph be it landscape or street.
And yes the homeless encampments problems has exploded. just drive from the airport along I-84 and to the vista ridge tunnel for a sampling. it’s worse in the city itself. and it is spreading out to the suburbs. It is a social problem and Portland Metro in typical style thinks taxes will solve it – so there is a new homeless tax and the good wage earners.
One might say – why are you still there if you dislike it so much – the pay is good, so the job has held me here this long.
you can’t get much in the suburbs here for half a million anymore. You could have prior to year 2020 or so. Real estate has gone really crazy here – like many places. What goes up comes down, just a matter of how much and when.
houses packed in so close together is the norm in a lot of cities nowadays. It was new for us 20 years ago when we bought our house here – it took some getting used to and some creative landscaping.
I have been here since 2001, having lived all over the country the half century before. I find Oregonians are very stand-offish, they do not go out of their way to really get close. On the east coast, in larger cities, people are used to a more open social approach- professionals who move frequently learn to be open to making friends and social contacts-people in PNW have actually told me they “had enough friends for now. ”
I think we under estimate how much the Oregonians who settled here were from Southern and Border states-Dixie- that lost the Civil War. These people resent and don’t trust government, subscribe to racist beliefs and are basically antisocial. I have met some doozies here. I miss the East Coast sociability
I find people very unfriendly here in Portland. Oh, they will be smiling and nice, but your neighbors and coworkers won’t want to hang with you or go hiking or anywhere else. My daughter went to U of O, Eugene. She ended up in a group for depressed students who were unable to make any friends. Apparently the kids only befriended fellow students WHO LIVED IN THE SAME DORM. They wouldn’t form friendships with kids who commuted and lived at home or lied off campus. There were a number of other freshmen students who had the same experiences.
Good afternoon,
I just was accepted for a new position at the Portland VA and I have to say I am excited for a new beginning. My wife and I have been doing excessive research on Portland and the surrounding areas. Would you be kind enough to assist with a list of things to do and places to live in Portland. My wife has been there before I have not. We appreciate any assistance you could share. Thank you for this article as well.
Calling a place “too White” smacks of racism and anti-White conditioning. In fact cities with the most racial diversity also have the highest violent crime rates as a general rule. Decrying a place for being too White is bad form, and something you would never get away with saying about any other race.
This is feedback that I will take into consideration. Now to you, you write: “In fact cities with the most racial diversity also have the highest violent crime rates as a general rule.”
Have you ever questioned the link between crime rates and racial diversity that you call out? Did your explanation ever expand beyond stereotype? If the (honest) answer is no, I’d argue that’s bad form too.
What have you personally done to lift up those around you that you so quickly seem to dismiss? Because it seems to me that you see the world and black and white (and you know which side you’re on).
I think you are missing one pro and one con.
Pro: Gas attendants. People pump your gas for you and gas prices are similar to other states (because they just raise gas taxes)
Con: Taxes. Although there is no sales tax, there is high property and income taxes. People living in Portland have had to pay county and city taxes along with their state and federal taxes.
PNW resident, Ara American, has gone out and interviewed people in Portland many times about this topic. The feelings are mixed, but most people don’t feel safe going out at night. https://youtu.be/8Uld3bO3DoM
I moved here in 1979 from Colorado. This used to be one of the greatest cities and tried to get other family to come for visits and or relocate. 42 years later I wouldn’t invite a foe not to mention family.
I used to be so proud of Portland and today is just the opposite. From the homeless to the crime to people just not caring about it anymore. I’ve spent my life in east county and don’t have any desire to move or live in the west side or other areas other then possibly central Oregon as my kids live there.
They moved there several years ago and probably had the right idea long before Portland became “broken” and I guess that’s the best way to describe Portland today and I don’t see it changing for the better. I don’t see myself relocating no matter how much I’d like too other then going to central as I age and need help from my offspring. I really never wanted to feel this way about Portland but here we are.
Good luck to the younger people that are trying to start a family in this “broken” city.
are the street riots as bad as fox news makes them out to be… and are businesses really leaving the area… i just read about the bad, good to hear some of the GOOD from someone who obviously likes the place… used to live in Eugene.. beautiful place
The street riots were pretty isolated to only a few streets in downtown. You could go even just a few blocks away and not experience any sort of rioting.
You definitely see too much from the news of doom and gloom, since they want to paint Portland as some hellscape, but the reality is that while items such as homelessness are relevant, they aren’t the giant issues that these conservative talk shows would like you to believe.
Portland hasn’t been cool since 2012.
I honestly was contemplating moving from Michigan to Portland and after Reading your article, Not only am I depressed now, but it appears that this is only a nice place if you’re white and rich….. I do appreciate the pros. However your cons are really heartbreaking and something to truly think about… Thanks for a ruining a person dreams maybe you should move from Portland.
Wherever there is a place that is beautiful and cheap, young artists discover it and start moving there. Then it becomes a good scene for awhile until it starts to attract business. At that point rents go up and then young artists can’t afford it. Sounds like Portland!
Thank you for admitting that it’s hard to make friends in Portland. I discovered that it’s best to befriend other newcomers.
I’ve been here 2 months now(moved from Orlando) and it has been interesting getting settled in. I live on the NW side of Portland and I feel that was a mistake. The E and SE side of Portland seems to be the sweet spot in terms of socializing. NW is kind of stuffy if I’m honest. Dating scene is…interesting lol.
Oooh, DO elaborate on the dating scene!
While Portland traffic is bad, I would much rather them to invest even more into their public transit which is only getting better and better. Something like a line going up the 5 with its own right of way.
Increasing lanes of traffic only fixes things for so long, and will destroy the charm and neighborhood wonder that makes Portland so great to live in. Portland has been, luckily, pretty strong in not buying into making it into a car centric hellscape, and I would say that is the greatest reason why it’s seen as a good place to live by many. It’s one of the only places in the US that isn’t turning into one of them.
The best way to fix traffic here is to make public transit even better. I’m sure of it. People complain about moving up and down the 5? Make transit on the 5 that has its own right of way. People complain about burnside? Make a protected public transit on burnside. It’ll be more upfront cost, but it’ll decrease the amount of people on the road, and provide tax dollars for the state as people buy passes, and we can employ bus drivers.
I disagree with you on diversity. I was born and raised just outside of Portland Oregon and I can testify that they’re are many different races yet they all have their own communities in different parts of Portland which may be why you haven’t noticed.
I love your article. I’m a 59 y/o teacher with a soon to be graduate who is 25y/o. They are in the LGBTQ+ community, their degree will be in Graphic Design with a minor in Communications and some classes in Game Design. Portland or the surrounding area is the place my son would like to move to, we are living in Texas. Is this a good move? I’ve heard about crime and the high cost of living. Since I have HCM and he wants me move with him, I’m just wondering if it’s realistic. Portland has a wonderful HCM specialty hospital there. I want the reality of moving, available rent places, etc. I would appreciate any help or advice.
If people are so reserved, what is dating like? How do people form serious romantic relationships?