$100k salary, packing up from Portland
changea dispatch from
buffalo
NY
42.89°N
78.88°W
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
in our guides
of 10
Best mid-sized US cities
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave New York for
read the guideof 10
Best affordable coastal cities
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave Boston for
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave Nashville for
read the guideof 10
Affordable alternatives to Nashville
read the guideof 10
Best affordable coastal cities for families
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave DC for
read the guideof 10
Affordable alternatives to Boise
read the guidethe verdict
below Portland's monthly cost
The gap is real. Buffalo costs noticeably less than Portland, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,374/mo
23% cheaper than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)
5.85%
$242/mo less in state tax than Portland
vs 8.75% in Portland
$6,472/mo
$649 more than Portland
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$280k
50% cheaper than Portland
vs $562k in Portland
1.2M
vs 2.5M in Portland
field notes, weather & such.
152
pleasant days a year, in buffalo.
Portland gets 178 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Cold is the cost: 42 days drop below 20° vs Portland's 2.
But the calendar thins out: Portland stays 1.8× busier.
66/100
24% lower than Portland
vs 87/100 in Portland
Closest outdoor draw: Darien Lakes State Park, 23.9 mi.
91/100
9% lower than Portland
vs 100/100 in Portland
20
65% fewer than Portland
vs 57 nonstops in Portland
same energy as buffalo, different zip code:
compare buffalo with:
