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
Why we are moving to the area - 2/23/2010
My husband and I are from the Metro-Detroit area; and if you think Portland is reeling from the "economic downturn" you have seen nothing! Coming from a city that had based its ENTIRE economy on the auto industry, I can tell you that things here are really down and dirty.
We began searching for a new place to live once we settled on career choices that did not really fit into the lifestyle in the area. My husband is an artist, musician, and graphic designer, while I look to open a Holistic Wellness Center in the eventual future. Most people in the area here are not concerned with health and the west coast is an area very friendly to this type of thinking already.
We wanted an area that had an avid outdoor community, was pet friendly and very eco-conscious. We also wanted great public transportation, a varied economy, and a strong arts/music/cultural attration. The micro-breweries help too! And thankfully, I Love the rain and realize that this helps things stay lush.
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Best city in America - 2/17/2010
Ive lived here for 3 years now, and i absolutely love this place. Portland, OR is Eden to me. Everything is here and more. Anything you could possibly want to do outdoorsy is here. What other major city in the US has a breathtaking gorge with a absolutely stunning waterfalls just a 10 minutes away?? I can see St Helens, Mt. Rainer, Mt Adams, and Mt Hood all from where i live, and i live in an old building built 20s. nothing fancy. I feel like a kid in a candy shop here. The Coast is an hour from here, you can snowboard and hour from here. Thousands and thousands of hiking trails. Mt Hood is the only mountain in the US that has the only ski runs open all year round. The coffee shops here are to die for.. not the ol starbucks.. im talkin about Stumptown!! the best!! and lots of other great shops. the food carts, saturday market, the MAX, Powells!!... the biggest bookstore in the world. As soon as i moved here i sold my car and bought a bicycle, the smartest thing ive ever done. you dont
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Pretty Mild Place - 2/6/2010
I've lived in the Portland area my whole life, 45 years. Some of the negative things I read on this site seem a bit exxagerated. Yes we have crime, mean people and so forth, but compared to other cities, Portland is a breeze to live in. The only things that would worry me about someone thinking of moving here are the fact that finding a job can be difficult, the governments here are not really pro business and the winters tend to linger on a bit too long. Although our winters are quite temperate and mild compared to say, Denver, Chicago or Reno. It doesn't rain here as much as it used to and the showers are more intermittent now. It doesn't freeze here very often either. I would suggest a trip up here during the winter to see what it's like at its worst. I would also suggest moving to one of the suburbs like Tigard or Beaverton. I've always live in the West Portland area, not the Eastside. Less crime and other problems on the Westside. Unless you like the more Bohemian and
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Cost of Living High - 2/1/2010
On Jan. 26, 2010, Oregonians passed Measure 66 wich raised the income tax paid by households earning at or above to $250,000 a year or individual filers who make $125,000 or more. Measure 67 raised the state's $10 minimum corporate income tax. Don't think NIKE, Intel and a few of the other big companies that are still based in the Portland/Beaverton/Hillsborough area won't be thinking about downsizing or relocating their corporate offices (Phil Knight is a brilliant man and he's not going to stand for this - plan on him making some changes) over the bridge to Washington State. This will impact the whole economy of Oregon by the reprocussions it will cause. But will no sales tax, you got to do something to generate revenue for the big government in Oregon. Many of the bloggers have been denegrating the Californians who moved to PDX in the late 90's/early 2000 - it was because of all the great jobs in the high-tech sector when there was a boom time there... all of our friends from
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we rarely snow, summers not too hot, and thats the - 1/23/2010
Good climate goes a long way when you been to other cities in the U.S. with less favorable weathers. The eastern part of U.S. gets too much snow while the south is too hot during summer time. The North is alright but sometimes they freeze. So yea the best thing about OR is the moderate weather. Never
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Doing business in Portland, Oregon - 1/17/2010
I have lived in Oregon all my life. In thoes 66 years I have seen Oregon's economy extensively fluctuate and her political climate change to the point that I don't recognize her any more. According to a top economics professor at the University of Oregon; "Here's what I am worried about. Portland is a nice City, but; I'm worried that we are creating a City that is good for 20% of the population and throwing the other 80% under the bus"!
Portland's cost of housing is rated as one of the most "over valued" in the Country when compared to wages paid and Oregon's business climat is suffocating under one of the highest income tax rates in the Country.
Portland is a pretty City and Oregon is a beautiful state, but; both are in a serious "death spiral" unless the political and economic landscape
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relocating - 1/13/2010
I am looking for honest input on this city.
No detail is too small.
Considering moving from Sacramento, Ca. Please share your thoughts
good or bad...
Thanks.
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Considering relocating from Sacramento... - 1/12/2010
Would love an honest review of Portland and/or Vancouver Wa. Considering relocating due to high cost of living...(or the perceived lower cost in Portland/Wa.)??
Please share your honest thoughts/opinions. I am also concerned about diversity...what's it really like? (all previous post are 3 yrs old.)
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Will it EVER stop raining? - 1/7/2010
Portland is the most beautiful city I've ever lived in, but it rains incessently. That's why it's so beautiful, is something I'm really tired of
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