What BestPlaces Users Say about Portland
Portland, Maine is a small coastal city known for its picturesque downtown area and thriving arts scene. It is also a popular tourist destination due to its close proximity to various outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing. However, for those considering moving to Portland, it is important to get a sense of what it's like to actually live there. In order to do so, we will be summarizing several user reviews from the website BestPlaces.net to gain insights from those who have experience living in Portland.
According to a reviewer named Samantha, "Portland is a lovely city with a strong sense of community. The downtown area is charming and there's always something fun going on. However, the cost of living is quite high, especially when it comes to housing. It can be challenging to find affordable options." Another user, John, echoes this sentiment by stating, "Portland is a great place to live if you can afford it. The views are gorgeous and there's always something to do, but the high cost of living can be a deterrent for some." On the other hand, Sarah shares, "I moved to Portland a few years ago and have loved every moment. The food scene is amazing and the people are friendly. The only downside is the harsh winters, but the beautiful summers make up for it." Lastly, a reviewer named Mark highlights the city's education system and says, "I relocated to Portland for work and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of schools here. It's definitely a family-friendly place to live." In summary, while Portland offers a vibrant community and scenic surroundings, it may come at a higher cost. However, many find the city to be a great place to call home, with thriving cultural and educational opportunities.
based on 35 ReviewsGet to know Portland with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Portland
Overall Nice Place to Live - 12/28/2005
I am a lifelong resident of the greater Portland Maine area and I can certainly attest to the positive and negative aspects of calling this area home. The positives being a very safe and healthy climate to raise a family in, with great schools and many recreational activities year round. The negatives being a very expensive real estate market, extremely high tax structure and of course the winters. Although Maine is a very rural state, the greater Portland area is fast becoming an exburb of Boston. Having travelled to many major cities across the US, however, I can say that Portland has a long way to go before it experiences many "Big City" issues such as violent crime. If you live in a large metropolitan area and dream of moving your family to a friendly, safe, and charming area, as long as your pocketbook can handle it this may be the place for
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beautiful but expensive - 8/13/2005
I moved here from Boston almost 10 years ago. I thought it would be less expensive but everything costs more. I did buy a house though, right before the market went through the roof. The reason I bought was because it was cheaper than renting around here. The taxes though are quickly becoming an issue and there is a limited amount of good jobs and even those do not pay comparable to living expenses including taxes. They called Mass "taxachusetts" but Maine is worse. The state is visually amazing and you have to take that into consideration. Maine is beautiful, the coastline and the mountains... definitely breathtaking. If it wasn't for that I would have already
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Money, money, money.... - 7/29/2005
It's a nice place to live - if you can afford it! We moved here about 6 months ago. It is definitely more expensive than anticipated. Everything costs more here: groceries, daycare, housing, utilities. It's sad, but we're not sure if we can make it here on our income (60,000 +). We are barely keeping our heads above
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housing - 7/19/2005
Very expensive to live...........average house is around $225,000 for an area that does not have the incomes to really afford it. taxes out of site, poorly managed state
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Large Small Town - 7/11/2005
It's a small city - some people call it a large small town dressed up like a city. But it's got some big buildings, lots of places to eat, but man - live here more than three months and you've likely met everybody. Clean tap water,
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