Portland neighborhoods were not built in clusters so you don’t see houses clumped together that look similar. The homes on a given block were often built in different periods and different styles. The results are genuinely charming and give or reinforce the idea that Portland is for free and independent thinkers. 

On the other hand, Portland is 70% white. And there’s a homelessness problem and a congestion problem (even though 7% of the population travels by bike). For an ultra-liberal city, the lack of diversity and high volumes of unhoused expose issues many cities contend with. In particular, they are not alone on the homeless front. The West Coast from Seattle to San Diego wrestles with the same issue. Diversity is also tricky. Oregon is not diverse overall and once you head east of Portland the state is much more conservative than many would expect.



No “housing farms".

LookyLOO Review of Portland

Perhaps no show in the history of television has so explicitly portrayed an exaggerated but pretty spot-on illustration of a city’s lifestyle than Portlandia. Groovy, grungy, smug, self-satisfied and utterly wonderful, this city is all about attempting to live differently and at least aspirationally better. What you do in Portland you tend to do intensely. Getting a good meal? You may not be dressed in a tuxedo but the ingredients will be locally grown. Ordering a cocktail in a local pub in your pajamas? Chances are the spirits, mixers and garnishes were brewed or distilled or grown in boutique fashion. People may go casually here but they take the things they do seriously. 

Overall the lifestyle of the city involves a lot of outdoor behavior mixed with plenty of amazing food and craft beer and spirits at the end of the day. Some people live in densely urban neighborhoods and enjoy great walkscore experiences to crafty commercial districts and some pick rural-feeling neighborhoods from which they hide from the commercial scene and stick to their knitting. While there are plenty of people who move to Portland and live conventional suburban lifestyles for less than San Francisco or New York, why would you? Portland’s weird and that makes it great. 

To see what's happening in Portland check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.travelportland.com/events/: 


Lifestyle 

Portland, like a lot of the west coast, has a lot of tech. But the tech scene here feels more relaxed than San Francisco. That’s by design. If you pick Portland over SF for your startup you’re doing so because you prefer the more quirky vibe of the city (and lower costs), so your business will run accordingly. While we imagine many of the tech scenesters here might return to an office we imagine it simply will be a more chill choice. Coming in today? Cool. Staying home? Cool. Do your job and we’re copacetic. 
Outside of tech Portland also has a big market for Athletic/Outdoor Gear – Hello, Nike. That Nike influence has attracted other brands like Adidas, Icebreaker, Keen among others. If you want to work in the outdoor gear business while experiencing the great outdoors, this is your city. 
Finally, Portland has a huge healthcare workforce with four of the top ten employers in that industry. One of the consistent factors across the workforce is the high degree of education. These Portlanders went to school. 


Worklife 

The [**Portland Public School District**](pps.net) receives a [**"B" grade on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/portland-public-schools-or/) with higher scores for College Prep and Diversity. Like most city public school districts, PPS is knocked for underfunding but is an outlier for applying additional funding from the state to the most underperforming schools in the district. It is also noted that additional funding is coming to the district from a Governor directed program. 

Unlike most cities, Portland has "A" rated schools scattered throughout the city (rather than concentrated in a tiny, wealthier neighborhood). Like many West Coast cities, many families take advantage of higher performing elementary schools, apply to the magnets, and if they don't get in, some will flee to the burbs. High-performing schools that attract plenty of applications include:
-[**Lincoln High School**](pps.net/lincoln) is the highest performing public high school in the city, receiving an [**"A" on niche.com]**(https://www.niche.com/k12/lincoln-high-school-portland-or/).
-[**Grant High School**](https://www.pps.net/grant) is another high-flier, receiving an [**"A-" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/grant-high-school-portland-or/). 
Plenty of families send their kiddos to privates in Portland, with [**Catlin Gabel School**](urhttps://www.niche.com/k12/catlin-gabel-school-portland-or/l) and [**Oregon Episcopal School**](https://www.niche.com/k12/oregon-episcopal-school-portland-or/) among the highest-rated. 

Schools

It’s green, there’s proximity to nature, there’s no sales tax (new Macbook anyone?) easy, breezy airport, a lot of big name employers in town and the summer is worth the winter.


Smaller than Seattle, more relaxed than San Francisco.

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Alphafox84**
Living in Portland
1y ago
✭✭✭

Oregon is a beautiful state. You can rent a cabin 45 minutes away and feel like you are in the wilderness (because you are!). Tons of hiking, waterfalls, kayaking/paddling, fishing, the coast has beach towns you can visit in a day trip. I don’t go downtown much so I can’t comment there (but there are likely plenty of people on this sub who have lots of great experiences). I personally like this area for outdoor activities in the summer.

The winters are rainy and pretty grim IMO. Though lots of people say Skiing at mount hood is fantastic. It’s a good idea to schedule a warm getaway during this season if you can

Reviews of Portland from Locals

**The Best Thing About Portland?**  No “housing farms”

Portland neighborhoods were not built in clusters so you don’t see houses clumped together that look similar.  The homes on a given block were often built in different time periods and in different styles. The results are genuinely charming.

**The Worst Thing About Portland?**  Lack of diversity

Portland is 78% white. And there’s a homelessness problem and a congestion problem (even though 7% of the population travels by bike.)

**How You Living?**  In a Funky old house

Among the green patches, Portland has lively neighborhoods that cater to arts, breweries, coffee, veganism, books and handmade goods. All very walkable. But Portland is no longer the place a millennial can move to get on their feet. It’s not the gem of affordability it once was. Nevertheless, plenty of homes that can be turned into stars with some TLC. And perhaps some AC if you think you need it (which you really don’t.)

**Why You Should Move Here Now?**  Smaller than Seattle, more relaxed than San Francisco

It’s green, there’s proximity to nature, there’s no sales tax (new Macbook anyone?) easy, breezy airport, a lot of big name employers in town and the summer is worth the winter.


Young Profs flock to Portland due to the incredible job market, great social scene, and lower costs (than much of the west coast). When they get here many move to the Pearl District. Everything in this neighborhood is walkable and everything you need is here: gyms, dog parks, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, boutique shopping, galleries, music venues, literally all blocks away. It’s a singles/young couples paradise. It certainly isn’t the only neighborhood catering to this demo as Mississippi Ave., offers similar commercial advantages but it gives these to you in a bit more of a small-town package. It’s just over the bridge from downtown so you get a hint of escape while still being close enough to walk but with everything Pearl has to offer at your fingertips.
- Pearl District
- Mississippi Ave
- Knob Hill
- Slabtown
- Albert Arts District


Young Professionals

Pearl District

The Hawthorne District in the southeast quadrant is the most popular lesbian neighborhoods. Cool coffeehouses, bars, and boutiques line Hawthorne Boulevard and Belmont Street.

The largest LGBTQ+ community is the Burnside Triangle. Known for its bars, restaurants and shops it has been the center of the LGBT community for several decades.

Mississippi Avenue is an eastside neighborhood is considered an up-and-coming neighborhood for the LGBTQ+ community and has plenty of that Portland quirk. 
- Hawthorne District
- Burnside Triangle
- Mississippi Avenue 


LGBTQ+

Hawthorne District

Portland is odd in that many neighborhoods that are great for young professionals also work for young families. The city has tons of single-family homes, following the west coast trend of not building up until recent years so these historic victorians have survived for many a decade. Knob Hill is one of these great neighborhoods. It’s filled with Victorians, restored Craftsman, and then has newer condos and apartments for those not ready for homes or to make a purchase. The schools in Knob Hill are great and for those straddling the line between wanting a great home for their kiddos to grow up in but also fun places to eat, drink and play, Knob Hill fits the bill. 
- Knob Hill
- Alameda
- Sellwood-Moreland
- Goose Hollow
- South Waterfront


Young Families

Knob Hill 

Hillsdale is one of the original 13 neighborhoods of Portland. Located in the southwest of the city it is filled with older historic homes but the Portland vibe prevents any neighborhood from feeling stuffy. As with most Portland neighborhoods it has a Farmer’s Market (it’s a virtual law in Portland that Farmer’s Markets must exist in every neighborhood), a booming bar, restaurant, and boutique shopping district. Combine the beautiful homes, local commercial district and great schools and you have the quintessential family neighborhood for Portland. 
- Hillsdale
- Linnton
- Forest Park


Established Families

Hillsdale

Portland

**Bretmd**
Living in Portland
9mo ago
✭✭✭

People in the northwest tend to enjoy being outside, including during the winter. It’s not about not GAF. It’s about enjoying the trees, forests, water, and mountains regardless of the season. The gray winters are quite beautiful within themselves. And the climate is lovely in its moderation. There’s nowhere else quite like it.

It’s not for everyone, though. But for those of us that love it, there’s no better place to be, winter or summer.

Finding affordable housing is hard, but if you're in California it won't feel that way.

Drivers are amazingly bad in a confusingly over friendly way. They'll stop in the middle of a multi-lane boulevard to let people cross, even though there's no need and its obviously not safe.

There's a LOT of homeless folk at this point in Portland. The city refuses to prosecute anything but the most violent crimes, heroin is pretty cheap and the laws are really forgiving. It also only gets below freezing occasionally so it's a lot more appealing than many towns in the midwest.

Schools aren't great. The better ones tend to be in the suburbs on the west side, which don't feel particularly "portland-y"

Traffic has gotten really bad, and it will only get worse. Public transport is basically bus. There's a light rail but it doesn't have that much coverage. By in large buses don't have their own lanes, so they're just as slow as being in a car. There's some talk of more bus only lanes which might make them more appealing. In the last 5 years I've seen commutes that used to take me 10 minutes turn into an easy 40 minutes.

On the plus side? In broad generalities....
Amazing food and beer are reasonable prices.
Great outdoor activities. 2 hours to snow, 2 hours to ocean. 1 hour to some of the best hikes in the States.
Being surrounded by people who often don't only care about making more money than their neighbors.
Very progressive kids. My children go to school with any number of "they's" and one kid who self identifies as a cheese burger. Bullying isn't a thing the same way as it was/is in the mid-west.
Weed is legal and cheap. There's more dispensaries than coffee shops at this point.

**van_achin**
Living in Portland
9mo ago
✭✭✭✭

The food and entertainment are both top-notch. Overall, the city is as safe as, if not safer than, any other major city in the US, but there is a lot of visible homelessness especially downtown. There are several hospitals and a major medical school (OHSU) in the area. People are generally friendly in my experience, especially compared to Seattle. And being located between mountains and ocean, there is no shortage of outdoor activities and beautiful scenery in the area if you're into that

Portland will be cheaper than coastal California, but not by much. Jobs that pay a comfortable wage/salary for the area can be difficult to come by, especially if you're not in tech. If you're a POC, racism and segregation are still very much a problem in Portland. And while the temperatures are mild year round, it is gray, wet, and dreary for 6-9 months a year. Summers are incredible though.

**hiyokos**
Living in Portland
9mo ago
✭✭✭

Wow! I lived in Portland and had to move back to the central coast for reasons. Let's just say I really miss oregon!

Yes there's a homeless problem but honestly certain areas feel totally safe. Consider surrounding towns like Beaverton or Hillsboro. The Healthcare was so much better for us there, it's a much bigger area so there's more options for doctors. I'm not big on eating out or nightlife but I always had no problem finding something to do.

Lastly, so much cheaper than California! Still pricey because it's the west coast but I had no problem finding apartments in budget unlike here.

You must be able to put up with nine months of grey and drizzle. It's not always rain but just a constant cloud of grey everywhere. I personally love it and miss but it can get to you.

Portland, Oregon

Beervana

Looklyloo Score: 90