What BestPlaces Users Say about Portland
Portland, Oregon is a dynamic city known for its vibrant arts scene, outdoor recreation opportunities, and progressive culture. It has a population of over 600,000 people and is consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in the United States. With such high praise, it's no surprise that many people have chosen to make Portland their home. To get a better understanding of what it's like to live in this city, I have included summaries of user reviews from BestPlaces.net.
According to a review from "Mark," Portland is "a city that truly lives up to its reputation." He goes on to mention the city's charm, friendly residents, and abundance of coffee shops and microbreweries. Another user, "Samantha," agrees, stating that Portland is "a dream city for anyone who loves nature and outdoor activities." She also highlights the city's food scene and bustling downtown.
However, not all reviews are glowing. A user named "Jonathan" mentions that while he loves the city's culture and opportunities, the high cost of living can be a challenge. He also points out the growing issue of homelessness in certain areas of the city. Similarly, "Jessica" mentions that the traffic and commute times in Portland can be a downside, although she still enjoys living there overall.
In summary, it's clear that Portland has a lot to offer, from its unique culture to its beautiful outdoor spaces. While some reviewers mention challenges such as high costs and traffic, the majority of users are happy with their decision to live in this dynamic and diverse city. As "Mark" puts it, "Portland truly is a gem in the Pacific Northwest."
based on 386 ReviewsGet to know Portland with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Portland
CRIME CITY, USA. - 6/1/2010
AFTER OVER 10 YEARS OF LIVING HERE I AM FED UP. THE WEATHER IS FINALLY STARTING TO GET OLD, THE CRIME IS OUTRAGEOUS. ABOVE AVERAGE CRIME IN EVERY CATEGORY EXCEPT FOR MURDER. ITS A VERY LAID BACK PLACE. HOMELESS ARE EVERYWHERE EVEN OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. MOST PEOPLE ARE COOL, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY REALLY STUPID PEOPLE HERE(MY MOM CALLED THEM LOW LIFES WHEN WE LIVED IN RENO, I CALL THEM WHITE TRASH.) LOTS OF DRUGS, TRASH IN SE PORTLAND WHERE WE ARE. THE WEATHER IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE EX. BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON SATURDAY IN JUNE, THEN NEXT DAY LOOKS LIKE A WINTER DAY. VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF NEEDY PEOPLE IMO, ATLEAST IN PORTLAND. HOWEVER, AFTER SAYING ALL THIS I DO UNDERSTAND THIS EXISTS IN OTHER CITIES. I WOULD ALSO SAY THE COST OF LIVING IS RIDICULOUS. WATER AND SEWER ARE THRU THE ROOF AND THE CITY JUST INFORMED RESIDENTS ABOUT A 12% INCREASE. THE CITY OF PORTLAND HAS DEFINITELY GONE WAY WAY DOWN HILL SINCE I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND MOVING HERE. THERE ARE SOME GOOD
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Start Your Review of Portland
CRIME CITY, USA. - 6/1/2010
AFTER OVER 10 YEARS OF LIVING HERE I AM FED UP. THE WEATHER IS FINALLY STARTING TO GET OLD, THE CRIME IS OUTRAGEOUS. ABOVE AVERAGE CRIME IN EVERY CATEGORY EXCEPT FOR MURDER. ITS A VERY LAID BACK PLACE. HOMELESS ARE EVERYWHERE EVEN OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. MOST PEOPLE ARE COOL, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY REALLY STUPID PEOPLE HERE(MY MOM CALLED THEM LOW LIFES WHEN WE LIVED IN RENO, I CALL THEM WHITE TRASH.) LOTS OF DRUGS, TRASH IN SE PORTLAND WHERE WE ARE. THE WEATHER IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE EX. BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON SATURDAY IN JUNE, THEN NEXT DAY LOOKS LIKE A WINTER DAY. VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF NEEDY PEOPLE IMO, ATLEAST IN PORTLAND. HOWEVER, AFTER SAYING ALL THIS I DO UNDERSTAND THIS EXISTS IN OTHER CITIES. I WOULD ALSO SAY THE COST OF LIVING IS RIDICULOUS. WATER AND SEWER ARE THRU THE ROOF AND THE CITY JUST INFORMED RESIDENTS ABOUT A 12% INCREASE. THE CITY OF PORTLAND HAS DEFINITELY GONE WAY WAY DOWN HILL SINCE I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND MOVING HERE. THERE ARE SOME GOOD
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Weather - 5/12/2010
Portland's a great city, however it is very dreary in the winter. Grey cloud cover is almost a daily experience here, sometimes with rain, sometimes
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Hard Place to Make it - 5/7/2010
There are so many things going for Portland...overall it is pretty ideal, but it is a hard place to make ends meet. The job market has become so over-saturated with young, educated professionals that it has become virtually impossible to find a job that pays more than $10/hour. The possibility of buying a house is a pipe dream to most because real estate is so expensive. I love Portland in so many ways, but I have considered moving to a less desirable city where I could easily make more money and buy a house for half as much. What a
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Biggest mistake - 4/15/2010
I move to Portland a couple of years ago and really hate living here. The people here are cool but are little much with there skinny jeans and environmentalism. Neighborhoods are the same with a bar, trashy art gallery, strip club, and an adult bookstore.
Portand wants to be this utopian society for wanna-be artists, writers, and bookstore owners. As I sit here in coffee shop after spending all day scanning store, this really is not good. I left a good job in a nice city for this crap. Please don't move here. It isn't worth it.
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High Cost of Living?? - 4/7/2010
I guess depends on one's lifestyle, but I'm moving to Portland in part because the cost of living for me will be much lower than it is in Florida. My rent will be cheaper, I don't need to own a car (I am lucky in that I telecommute for my job), my utility bill will be much less, and because I'm a vegetarian and good produce is plentiful, I expect to afford to live there very well. However, I do understand that for those buying a house, having to drive to work downtown, and who eat out frequently, etc., that it can be pricey. Also love the liberal vibe, the art/music scene, the moderate weather. I'll be there in 3 weeks!
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Religion - 3/26/2010
I saw your list of religions for Portland. Why didn't you mention Wiccan? It is alive and viable, especially in Portland. We are a wonderful group of loving people. There are many of us, especially in PDX.
Blessed Be,
Polly
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Various Shades of Grey - 3/9/2010
As a native of Portland and lifetime resident, one thing that has not changed is the predominant color of our environs: Grey. If you think grey is not so bad, then imagine driving on the freeway to work each morning, and a bright object revealing a cold, peeled potato is lingering somewhere in the sky, almost invisible because of the soggy drippy blanket which hoods our land. That object is the Sun. Look around you, at the other vehicles on the freeway, and what do you see? Vehicles overwhelmingly colored in shades of grey, silver, or some kind of metallic brown. Yes, they nearly blend into the asphalt and concrete from which they seem to rise. If the car was not originally one of these dreary colors, it is now, thanks to the endless road spray film which accumulates every day. Roll down your window, and the cars sound like hissing snakes crawling forward, approaching equally ugly, bland buildings which hold their jobs.
Awe, but the weekend comes. In Portland,
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Portland - not what it use to be - 3/7/2010
As someone who was born and raised in Portland, and lived there for over 50 years, the city has (in my opinion) gone downhill. I lived through the recessions of the 80's, 90's, early 2000. Finally the recession of 2009 got me and my wife and we moved out, we moved away, far, far away to where the nonsense of Portland and Oregon can no longer touch us.
Portland instituted an 'urban growth boundary' which, like most government ideas has plus sides and a ton of minus sides. The idea was to curb sprawl and encourage responsible city growth; sounds like a good idea. The problem is that it immediately made build able land scarce; and when something is scarce, the price goes up ... in the case of Portland WAY UP. I presently live in Houston (told you I moved way away) a 1500 sq ft home down here can run $100K, that same home in Portland runs anywhere from $200K to $300K depending on the location. The overall affect is that you better be making a six figure income (or close
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active lifestyle - 2/24/2010
Portland offers many outdoor activities which meet all desires. There is something for everyone and never a dull
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