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
Portland changed my life, and it could change your - 9/28/2007
I love this city. I moved here 3 years ago from Oklahoma. No offense to Oklahoma, but this place is amazing. I now work with the local library, several local artists, Portland State, Oregon Literacy, and other NGOs and businesses to give as much info and entertainment about oregon as possible at PDX PIPELINE www.pdxpipeline.com.
Not trying to spam a comment board here; just ran across this place while using "stumbleupon" to find more info on Portland. I think if you, as I was, are doing the same--PDX PIPELINE (and this place) are great resources.
Best,
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Got Job? - 9/27/2007
Got Job? Jobs are hard to find and don't pay much, but the cost of living is
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Portland - 9/22/2007
Extremely diverse, vibrant city with lots to do and surrounded by a beautiful
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Not really expensive. - 9/16/2007
One writer mentioned that it is too expensive, and that rather than put $400,000.00 into a dumpy little old house, she would rather move to Argentina or the south (southern US). I realize that the common view for the middle class is that "rent" is a four letter word, but ALL successful business owners do "rent vs own" analyses prior to making any major decision regarding capital expenditures. Rents in Portland for decent apartments start at $550. You can rent a really nice luxury apt for 1000. If you own a 300k house, your monthly costs that the renter doesnt have will be 250 prop tax (theoretically, the rent includes prop tax), 150 insurance, and 200 for maintenance and repairs, including appliance replacement, new driveway, roof work, carpet, painting, water for lawn, landscaping costs including mowing(assuming you mow it yourself), etc. 250 + 150 + 200 = 600. You can add another 2000 or so for interest on that 400k, coming to a total of 2600. Now tell me just exactly how
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Too expensive - 9/10/2007
I am a native Oregonian but grew up in Grants Pass which is in Southern Oregon, not the north like Portland. I went to undergraduate school in Eugene at the University of Oregon and then eventually moved here to Portland a little over three years ago. I have seen the cost of living rise dramatically. The problem with the cost of living is that Oregonians are getting paid less than they were five years ago. Our wages are very poor compared to most other large cities in other states. We get paid terrible yet are expected to buy homes in the area where the median price is now $300,000. And don't think you can get a nice home for $300,000. You will have to put $100,000 into it to fix it up and then your location is probably not too good either. It is very frustrating and my husband and I are considering moving. We are looking at Charlottesville, Virginia or Raleigh, North Carolina. Any thoughts? We are open to suggestions. We are also looking at moving abroad and living in maybe Australia
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Got clouds? - 8/18/2007
Beautiful city but you gotta love those low clouds. I've been here 11 years and am ready to move on. I loved it, and lived for those short summers at Mt Hood. But after the last 2 years of battling depression and sunlight deficiency, I've decided to leave. We've basically had no summer this year (only one sunny weekend this entire summer). I'll miss you Portland, but I'm heading for the
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Economy, Weather, People, and .......Hobo Spiders! - 7/15/2007
Hi,
I'm thinking of moving to Portland and wondered how the economy was there???
Does the weather get very cold in the winter??? I'm used to the NE and enjoy the cold!!! Are the people fairly friendly - are there many homeless/street people??? Any problem with hobo spiders??? Heard they were in Oregon and read where a person there was bit, and the hobo's possibly necrotic venom necessitated 10 lbs of flesh having to be hacked off of the victim's abdomen!!!!!
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You either love or hate Portland - 7/5/2007
I've lived in many places in my life, skipping like a stone from city to city. After living in Portland over 10 years, Portland has an energy that resonates with me, breathes with me....and it's definately home. (You can tell how this review will go perhaps). If you are somebody that feels like the clouds are a comforting blanket of beautiful contrasting grays and blues then you may understand where I am coming from. Some don't like the rain. If so, California is calling you back. After a few days of sun I miss rain. The rain is the life force behind all the vegetative beauty in this city. This city is like one un-ending garden of flowers, trees and of course roses. You can see Mount Hood in varying degrees of breathtaking beauty from many vantage points within the city. It is like a mother that watches over us. If you are into the outdoors the bike paths offer miles upon miles of paved good paths, that loop and meander through the city and down onto the spring water corridor
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Thoughts on Portland from a California transplant - 6/26/2007
First, at the risk of stating the obvious, no city is the best place for all people. In my experience, there are both good and bad things about Portland--hopefully some of what I have to say will be useful to people thinking about moving here.
First the good stuff:
--Real Estate here is still a bargain compared to the rest of the West Coast. There are lots of really nice neighborhoods close to downtown, that while expensive for Portland, are quite affordable if you are coming from someplace with a higher cost of housing.
--The overall quality of life is good compared to bigger cities (I moved here from SF). Traffic is not as bad, and people are much more laid back. Nobody honks or flips you off here.
--Cultural amenities are great for a city this size - many excellent restaurants, lots going on in the music, art and literary scenes. It tends to be more accessible and affordable than in a bigger city too.
--Great
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Portland is wonderful - 6/16/2007
We moved here almost exactly one year ago from the midwest, and my wife and I still look at each other and say "can you believe we live here?" I've lived in several major metropolitan areas including Boston, Chicago and St. Louis, and I've been chuckling at the negative comments here about rain, unfriendliness, "godless liberals" and drug use. We live ten minutes from downtown in a postcard-perfect neighborhood (indie rock meets norman rockwell) and i work downtown. This is a clean, very liveable city with great mass transit. I guess if you're conservative, this probably isn't the place for you. But if you are a fair, open-minded person with moderate to progressive values, you will love this city. As for the rain, it's really overhyped. It does get steadily overcast and misty starting in October through January, but it's VERY temperate, and by February, the rain showers are interrupted by sunshine and blooming flowersl By july through september, it's the most gorgous weather
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