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
Yes Weird but Wonderful - 1/26/2017
Portland is a place that has a lot of character. The rain brings a lot of beauty. The food culture is unique and different than anywhere. Well worth visiting and
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One of a kind - 1/26/2017
I’m a Portland native, and growing up I was aware that it was a special place and that I was lucky to call it home. Now it’s been “discovered” and there are a lot of changes and growing pains there. It will still be a great place to live, but it’s just not as affordable and it’s not as uncrowded.
If you can deal with a constant drizzle in the winter months, Portland is a lush and inviting city. Portlanders take pride in the enjoyment of “little things” like coffee, beer, and well-prepared food.
I live in LA now, and when I’m back in Portland I feel the lessened level of activities such as concerts and the like. But, I still love Portland and think it might be the perfect place to raise a family/grow up.
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Do Not Move to Portland If you Can Help It - 1/16/2017
Don't believe the lies that the liberal media tells you about Portland. I have lived and worked in Portland for over 4 years now. I thought moving back to the Northwest was gonna be great but this town is soooo very nasty that I had to move outside the city to get away from it. Below is a list of Con's.
1. Expensive to live in. All the greedy owners keep jacking the rents. You can't find a decent home for less than 300,000.
2. Homeless Love this Liberal Tree Hugger City, they crap and Pee on the streets, Nasty Nasty streets. Feces can be seen every day, guess who has to clean it. The business owners. What do you expect from a city that has about 12 homeless shelters in a 10 mile radius and free food. They bum and pan handle every day, harassing office workers and tourist.
3. Drug City fur sure, meth, heroine, lots of hookers and stuff like that. The water front on NATO Parkway where I work is full of drug addict needles, the water and grass
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Odd place... - 1/15/2017
My husband and I are in our late 50s and grew up in Seattle. I also used to live in Tulsa and quite enjoyed it. We have been in the Portland area (PDX as it's known) for 17 years and this city is not for the politically faint of heart. The extreme liberal slant can cause the extreme right to come out as well. Not a lot of in between at least that you can talk about openly. It is one of the least "churched" areas in the country but there are church communities that are nice, but nothing like Tulsa. People are standoffish, smiley but not warm and unless you are totally into whatever they are into, strong bonds have been hard to come by. We have been fortunate to live in Lake Oswego and find a neighborhood that is very unusual, very nice people on our street that we've gotten to know. Lake Oswego is also very full of money and often full of itself, so we consider ourselves very lucky to have found nice ordinary folks. Saying that, the housing prices are around $500,000 for a very modest
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Portland Dec. 2016 - 12/17/2016
Portland is a great place to live but isnt the workers paradise it thinks it is..at least not anymore. I've been here 7 years and felt the pinch of rent doubling and wages lagging far behind the housing price increase. Local employers believe that $12 hour is a very high pay rate in a housing market where a 450 sq ft studio rents for $1195. The traffic problems are getting much worse. The recent snowstorm...a whopping 2 inches..! completely gridlocked the city and most suburbs, which is funny because NW natives blab ALOT about their immunity to harsh weather. Funnier still, natives think that any temps over 79F are "Extreme Heat Events" and complain ALL Summer long about the oppressive heat. Ore natives are generally friendly people unless they encounter a Californian. The food is great, varied and affordable.
Hikers will be in heaven, the Gorge, Mt Hood, The Cascades are stupendous! Cycling of all types is supported here. City officials have gone the extra mile to include
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Considering Relocation, suburb recommendations? - 11/24/2016
Hello,
My husband is considering taking a job that would move us to Portland from Tulsa, OK. We are mid/late 30's and have two elementary age kids. It's a good paying management position and we could afford a home for $400k. We are Christians on the conservation side but open to opposing views. Fine with moderates and some liberal views, but, honestly, far left is concerning. We love sports, the outdoors, hiking, camping, skiing so OR looks awesome. We love what we've heard about Portland food, craft beer, wine, and coffee. We're very down-to-earth not at all hipster but to each his own.
So, would Portland work for us?
Recommendations on suburbs with great schools, no more than 30min commute to downtown, and lean conservative? Would also love a good-sized lot, our kids are used to a big back yard as our current home is a little over a 1/2 acre.
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The kids' table - 6/6/2016
But now I'm done. Have lived here for over a decade and am leaving, finally. Portland is a wonderful city with great potential. Problem is, there's a wide streak of ineptitude and arrogance that makes accomplishing things more difficult than it has to be. Yes, on the surface, the customer service is friendly, but if you require one iota of effort beyond what's normally offered, that smile turns into a snarl real quick. Portland is ruled by the Peter Principle (people are promoted to the level of their incompetence). You will find here that you use the phrase "You had one job" way more than you thought humanly possible. And there are several realities that I have come to just accept: Never try doing business on a Monday (too close to the weekend), don't expect cheerful service in a restaurant on a Sunday (staff hung over). Forget doing business on a Friday (almost the weekend) or having anyone here conduct any commercial transaction with anything resembling "hustle" (needing things
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over it - 3/22/2016
Lived here for over a decade. This city ous not what it used to be. This place is too liberal for its own good. Mayor has a hand off policy regarding crime and homeless.The cost of living has sky rocketed making property taxes obscenely high. i do, however, enjoy the climate and many options of things to do. I miss you old portland.
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Portland pros and cons - 1/10/2016
I moved to Portland in 2012, so I'm still a relative newcomer. Before coming to Portland, I lived in Santa Cruz, Mt. View, Gilroy, and Palo Alto -- all cities in California.
Weather
It doesn't rain as much as everyone says it does. When it does rain, it's more of a drizzle. Summers are hot -- over 90 degrees every day for several weeks -- and the sunshine is intense. Spring and Fall are gorgeous. Winter is dreary, but it doesn't get very cold (45 degrees during the day) and snow is rare.
Housing
Prices have escalated during the past three years, especially in close-in neighborhoods that used to be very affordable. Lower income people are being priced out. Affordable housing and homelessness are the top two issues here. Small affordable homes are being demolished to make way for larger more expensive homes, condos, and apartments. Houses have appreciated by more than 20 percent in some areas since 2012.
Restaurants
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Beautiful Region - 10/7/2015
If your a hiker this is an amazing place to live. The Coast, Columbia Gorge and Mt Hood will keep you busy for years.
Portland, as a city is average at best, but the outdoor life truly makes up for it.
The only thing that- I'm tired of is the endless decades long, immature and ignorant bashing of Californian's by a rather large contingency of under-achieving hippy dips. Most everyone else living here has a connection to California in some manner and welcomes them and everyone else with open arms.
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