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
Keep Portland Weird but Beautiful! - 2/22/2019
I've lived here for many years and loved it! Could I afford to purchase a home here today-nope! Getting harder and harder to meet the high rent which continues to go up. Worst traffic, housing is outrageous (compared to CA, Hawaii, Washington D.C. or Seattle), gasoline prices are higher, and school ratings are low and over crowded. Too many people who are trashing the state-Portland used to have clean rivers, parks, streets and highways-litter is out of control. Cost of living continues to rise; yet some rate it a good place to retire. ??? People move to Portland for so many reasons and then get upset with the infrastruture, (year-round road contruction) housing, crowds, lack of parking, traffic, etc. Our bridges are old, the roads need work, roads/highways need to be widen, etc. Road rage is out of control and patience is out the window. Traffic speeds are never adhered to which causes more tailgating and aggressive drivers. Compute times are off the charts. Big
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Mostly Very Good. - 1/22/2019
I’ve lived here 2 years. I’ve lived in several other (larger) cities in the U.S. and other countries. I’ve found Portland interesting, safe and fun. Local Govt is very politicslly liberal but the general population seems more “moderate Democrat”. As mentioned in another review, there is a strain of passive-agressiveness here, which runs counter to the upfront, openly combatative approach towards conflict resolution that I grew up with. Cost of living seems about average for an urban center in the first world. Still a lot cheaper than Seattle which is nearby, but going up steadily. There’s a decent art, entertainment and food scene. It has a really good airport. Weather is dreary, for sure. If you need a lot of sun, don’t settle down here. (Consider Austin, TX?) Then again, with climate change, Portland could have LA’s weather in 15 years’ time. Clean, fresh water is plentiful and we don’t have droughts or water restrictions. Access to nature is fantastic - 3 hours drive puts you in
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The Moldy Basement Of Oregon - 12/16/2018
Born and raised here. Have always hated it here. A city with 80%+ cloud cover for 280 days of the year needs redeeming qualities to make it desirable. The people here all spew the same I heart PDX rhetoric in delusional solidarity.
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This place sucks. - 12/1/2018
If you want to see first hand what failed liberal policy’s look like, move to Portland Oregon.
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Unlivable unless your rich. - 11/22/2018
I was born and raised here and it was a beautiful place. Now, its almost unlivable. Too many people moving here and in the last 4 years rent has risen hundreds of dollars...it was $1000 for my studio apartment when i left...whrn i fist moved in it was $535. Homeless population is growing to outrageous numbers. And not to mention crime is rampant. Its become so over
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Over rated - 11/18/2018
I’ve lived here 5 years and like it less each day. The people are inconsiderate of others. The homeless issue is out of control and if you work downtown you get yelled at and harassed by homeless on a regular basis which is scary. Despite the high taxes, the schools have low graduation rate, roads are horrible, and the police force is understaffed resulting in high petty crime rate. Only good thing is the proximity to the mountains and ocean. Lots of outdoor activities and summer weather is great. Rest of the year the weather is
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think twice. - 9/18/2018
the only thing good in Portland is the people.i been living in this beautiful place for over 25 years the last 4 years all of the beauty is gone. city is under develop, homelessness is a growing problem and the city is ignoring it and not only that. they simply push them to the lowest income area creating more and more stress in the community, highways are not developing for fast enough to compensate for the super large grow that we have seeing housing is creating an amazing bubble for housing.good job governor brown for let us experience worst time for
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Perfect City for Urbanists - 8/6/2018
City is full of energy. Walkable downtown, so many passionate small business owners, and the city cares about getting rid of cars and embracing cycling / transit / more economically friendly alternatives. Plenty of jobs available and housing is still on the low side for a progressive
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Keep Portland Weird - 7/26/2018
I just love this city. There is so much to do, so much art, great food, great people... I'm so glad I moved
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A forest with a city woven into it. - 6/5/2018
I am a 4th generation Oregonian and these are the facts:
WEATHER: Pacific ocean breezes bring cool damp air for 4 or 5 months, then we have a moderate spring/summer/fall. Because of this, on googlemaps Portland looks like a forest with a city artfully woven into it. We are surrounded by one of the most fertile valleys on the planet producing bountiful crops; our Farmers Market is world famous. We do not experience extreme or severe weather. Being a hilly city, Portland does not cope well with ice and snow.
PEOPLE: Founded in 1845 by farmers, loggers, fishermen and merchants, Portland was ultra conservative and exclusionary. Nearly 100 neighborhoods evolved, each with its own character. This remained the case until the mid 1960's, when the counterculture movement took root here with surprising rapidity. Those young people have been slowly changing the city as they mature and take the reins of power, giving Portland the reputation by the 1990's of being a liberal
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