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
culture shocked - 12/5/2007
I live in colorado springs. I am married with an autistic child. I am a black female disabled veteran ( I was in the Air Force) my husband is in the Army. We have lived here for 3 years And I love the scenery but it is hard to find jobs and the rental and housing is sky high. I am an army bratt! I started school in Germany and graduated high school in Hawaii I know expensive and this is it. When our son was in kindergarten I picked him up from school instead of my husband and the next day the kids Jumped him.they said he was not yellow white he is yellow black and used the N-word. I was shocked my husband looks mixed or latino and my son looks just like him. I sometimes get those attitudes when my husband and me go out to eat at some places such as Briargate area, Woodland Park, Littleton, etc. I am surprised I only lived here previously when my dad was stationed here when I was 9 I am now in my early 30's. I like to find a place that is cultural, family friendly, We like to eat out
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secure places to live as listed in Farmers "You Be - 12/2/2007
I was amazed to see Portland, Vancouver, Beaverton listed as secure cities. I have lived here 40 years and see crime on a daily basis. I do not live in a bad neighborhood, yet there are always precautions needed to protect myself from the bad element of our community. Many levels of crime occur in Portland and even more problems preventing a secure feeling. I am not alone as many I have talked to feel the same way. I dont know who could have called Portland a secure city unless they were a criminal. We have crooked leadership, we dont respect the police or educators, we fear them! We have more than our share of crackheads and there are many places in town we wont go unless daylight and armed. Secure place to live......not a chance! By the way, I am planning to move out of the Portland area soon because of this growing
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Thinking About Moving - 11/28/2007
I am as student living in Los Angeles and thinking about moving to Portland. To support myself and try to go to school I basically have to kill myself off. The company I work for has locations in Portland so that would make moving in easy for me. Does anyone have any idea of what interior designers make in the
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Enjoy being a renter - 11/14/2007
It's a shame the housing prices in this great city keep so many potential home buyers out of the market. Sure, if you're moving here from California, the prices may seem like a bargain. For those coming from the midwest, they're quite a
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Good life/work balance - 11/9/2007
East Coast visitors may mistake Portland residents for slackers. They aren't. They simply seek balance in their lives, not wealth and status. Everyone here lives two lives: their work life and their passion, whether it be playing in a garage band, cycling, hiking, acting in small theaters or shooting low-budget
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Portland, one of a kind. - 11/6/2007
I have been alot of places in the usa.My experience has been that portland is not as bad as other citys the same size. Most of the crimes to date have been centered in the far east portland area neer rockwood Gresham, mainly beacuse the quality of living out there is bad. apartments out there have mold and roch problems. much of portland has had a make over. although apartments here are moderetly expencive, but on a pacific west region scale it is a bargen. yes portland has its bad parts, but when you compare it to other citys it is not bad at
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depends on the area and the good old south - 10/30/2007
while living 10 min from downtown portland is expensive....then people need to look outside of the immediate area. i used to live 30 min from downtown and houses were less than 250k. some of the problems with the houses in the portland area is that people only see dollar signs...southeast is cheaper than southwest...every city has pockets of expensive and cheap homes...it just depends on location..you wouldnt go to yale and expect to pay state university tuition...not realistic...and those negative comments on the south..are soooo true....i am a native oregonian but currently live in louisiana...majority(51%)of people,not all of the people, are POOR...and treat their property like a trash can...the only thing going on in louisiana is LSU..if you are not a fan of football or gambling..you are out of luck...you are driping of sweat 6 months a year....and it rains at times over 5inches in 2-3 hours...so personally the drizzle is very appealing to me right now...i have not seen the
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Hello - 10/23/2007
My family and I have thought about relocating. We were looking at the rentals and ran across a humorous posting from a guy that wrote a comment and basically " ran down" southern people. I have spent all of my life in the south and yes, we are "nice" people. You have good and bad everywhere but to degrade southern people to make yourself sound more intelligent is stupidity and ignorance in itself. I have a college education and yes I also have a southern accent but I am in no way dumb. It is not showing your "genius" to judge someone because of where they grew up.And yes we enjoy spending time with our family. I am blessed with a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful childern and I enjoy spending time with them very much. So next time you decide to make an observation you might want to look at your self
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portland's not all that great - 10/13/2007
I've lived in portland all my life (25 years) and it's time for me to move on. The transplants are rude,the homeless and mentally ill are everywhere and the city caters to them, and housing is unaffordable. Also, I'm straight which means finding a partner is not gonna happen. It seems as if progress can't be made in portland. You'll never "go up" in the city because there's nowhere/ nothing to reach to. It especially sucks here for me since I'm a college educated, single, straight african-american female. The people here are racist and inrant towards minorities but if you're a white homosexual(not that there's anything wrong with that) the city will welcome you with open arms. The weather is dreary, the people lack class and bikers are taking over the city. If you drive a car, you're a demon.
A little advice for any minorities thiking about moving here....DON'T DO IT! move to Seattle, it's great there. Lot's of diversity, plenty to do and the people are educated and
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Southern Transplant in Portland - 10/8/2007
I can say I moved for love, and that is it. The only reason I moved here is because my spouse's family lives here and he wanted to live close to his family for a change. I miss the warm sun, the family gatherings, the family gatherings that includes relatives and new comers to the city. Here is the backwards, two face, 'I am not a racist' Racist. This is suppose to be an open minded, free spirited city, HA! The cost living is so high, the average person can't afford to buy, a house in the South in a major suburb is about $150,000 to 225,000, but in Portland, a piece of crap is starting at $350,000. And for me the pay is the same, there was not a cost of living increase in pay, so the cost of food, gas and other necessities are outrageous. Definitely, there is no place like
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