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
ANTI-CALIFORNIA - 1/14/2007
OUR EXPERIENCE WAS NOT VERY POSITIVE IN PORTLAND , OR ANY OTHER PART OF OREGON. WE MET MANY PEOPLE THAT RESENTED PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA. WE COULD NOT WAIT TO GET BACK TO CALIFORNIA. WE DO NOT CARE FOR NARROW-MINDED PEOPLE. WE MET SOME NICE PEOPLE AT WORK AND SCHOOL ,BUT ALL IN ALL THE GENERAL ATTITUDE IS THAT CALIFORNIANS ARE TAKE OVER THEIR REAL ESTATE MARKET AND THEY RESENT IT. IT IS A FREE COUNTRY IS ALL I CAN SAY AND A PERSON CAN BUY REAL ESTATE WHERE THEY WANT TO. THEIR CLOSE MINDEDNESS JUST DID NOT WORK FOR US AND WE ARE GLAD WE LEFT AFTER 1
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Quality of life in Portland - 1/13/2007
Portland is really what you make it-just like any place else. Its just easier to make it something nice here. I find people generally friendly and polite, the climate while wet is much more mild than the midwest and there are great places to eat. Summer can be spectacular-seldom above 90 degrees and usually dry, winters are long and wet but they sure beat -10 degree windchills, ice storms and snow. If Oregon doesn't suit you try living in Kansas for 25
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Portland-NOT SO GREAT - 1/12/2007
I'd like to analyze some of the statement made by the last person:
>first of all im glad people rip on portland, it keeps them away.
SUBTEXT: "I have NO rational defense, and anyone who has an opinion of Portland other than anything positive is an idiot. I am really just afraid to face the fact that some of these comments made about my home town MIGHT be true. THEN, what do I do? I would have to ACTUALLY face some reality."
TRANSLATION: Like a lot of places, there are some great people in Portland. Unfortunately not everyone is friendly or enlightened, like this last post. An unfortunately, this type of attitude is VERY common.
>they are just wrong.
SUBTEXT: "I am TERRIFIED that they might be right. Let's burn them at the stakes!"
TRANSLATION: This is the same kind of thinking that runs in the KKK (which was quite popular in this area).
>this stuff about portland being grey for 9 months
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How can you not love Portland - 1/10/2007
I lived here for almost a year and would have given my right arm to stay however the job economy for nuclear medicine is not great largely because of the overpopulation of students generated from Oregon programs in this field. Still, if you have other marketable skills in health care (nursing, more general radiology trining, etc.) Portland offers beauty, culture, art, and outdoor lifestyles to fit just about
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LIFE IS THE SUM OF YOUR CHOICES -- CAMUS - 12/31/2006
Per below posting life is what you make of it. If you assume things about people it will come true. I moved here from Atlanta 7 years ago and find people much more sincere, real and true to their word than in
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Best value on west coast... - 12/17/2006
Just moved up here from the SF Bay area where I sold a 2,000 SF home for close to $1 million (In April & 30 minutes from downtown SF) and bought a brand new, beautifully detailed 3,000+ SF home for $550K 5 minutes from downtown Portland!! I truly believe Portland offers the best value (real estate wise) over any other west coast metropolitan area. Most homes are in the $250K to $400K and we're talking nice homes in nice areas. In fact, downtown condos in the Pearl District are more expensive than single family homes 10 minutes away!! That doesn't make sense. For those who say housing is unaffordable, that's just not true. I believe Portland is the ONLY met area on the west coast that has the potential to appreciate another 40-50% over the next 5 years or so. EVERY other met area (SF, LA, Seattle, San Diego, Sacramento) has made its big move. Portland has had steady annual appreciation and that's due to a predictable inflow of people and families from more expensive areas.
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Happy to leave Portland ........ - 12/16/2006
Having been born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and living most of my life in Portland, I have had enough of the cold and grey skies and relocated to Orlando, FL. For anybody considering moving to Portland, especially from a warmer climate, you absolutely have to be able to deal with the cold and gloominess for 10 months out of the year. For me, the grey weather affected me so badly my doctor recommended light therapy, anti-depressants, or moving to a warmer climate. That was an easy decision since living like a zombie wasn't an option at all. Now instead of raking leaves in the rain, I'm going to Home Depot and buying banana trees and palm trees to plant in my yard. Instead of letting my kids drive me nuts cooped up in the house all winter, we go to the beach or go kayaking in December. Fellow Portlanders, if you have problems with the miserable weather there like I did, don't wait until your 43 years old like I did - LEAVE NOW!! Orlando is not perfect, but it is beatiful and
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To Zayra in OC - 12/11/2006
Portland can be a fun place for a young person to live...there is a decent nightlife/music scene most nights of the week. Sellwood, Moreland, SW Portland and even parts of NE Portland are hip but relatively inexpensive places to rent - downtown and the Pearl district will cost you an arm and a leg. Be prepared to have a hard time finding a job that pays more than $8-9 an hour unless you get a government job or are in the healthcare industry. Business in Portland has seen better days - high regulations/taxes and the price of real estate have far outpaced the economy here. If you love the sunshine be prepared for about 8 months of gloom a year. Several other posts talk about how people in Portland walk around sleepy and depressed for most of the year - its true. People here arent rude, but they arent friendly either. People are very flaky and ingeniune (with a few exceptions of course)Summers are beautiful here and very enjoyable. From July - September there is alot to do as far as
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Ain't no sunshine - 12/10/2006
After living here 47 years, here's what I know. PDX is second only in dark days to Alaska. Yes, temperatures are mild year around, but clouds hover over the trees and shut out sunlight for months on end. People say "You have to have rain to keep everything green." As far as I'm concerned, the dreariness is too high a price to pay for green. You'll need to get a light box for your seasonal affective disorder.
The people are neither friendly nor unfriendly in Portland, they're plain old depressed. They don't look at you, because they feel sad inside. For that reason, it is hard to meet people here.
Since I was 18 I've said that men in Portland would rather read a paper and have a cup of coffee than be with a woman. No sun fosters asexuality. Single women, this is not the place to meet men.
People visit here in the summer when it's absolutely exquisitely beautiful in August and September. If you can deal with the other ten months of
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I’m considering relocating to Portland any suggest - 12/9/2006
I’m from Orange County, California and the cost of living and traffic is bad. I’m 15 miles from work and it takes me 30-45 minutes to get home and my rent is pricy. How good or bad is the traffic, job opportunity, and cost of living here in Portland? Can someone from Portland please advice? Can anyone suggest a decent neighborhood in Portland to rent in?
Thank you,
Zayra
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