$100k salary, packing up from Portland

change
Pensacola, FL cityscape

instead of portland

Pensacola

fl · metro 530k

photo: Viktoria B. / pexels

a dispatch from

pensacola

FL

30.42°N

87.22°W

Pensacola is the Blue Angels' home base (you can watch their practices for free at the National Naval Aviation Museum), with sugar-white sand beaches on the Gulf and a charming historic district that goes back to the Spanish. It's the western-most Florida city, closer to New Orleans than to Miami in feel. Affordable, sunny, and serious about seafood.

metro530k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$758

less monthly outlay than Portland

The gap is real. Pensacola costs noticeably less than Portland, every month.
landable, recorded on the pensacola entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,752/mo

2% cheaper than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$729/mo less in state tax than Portland

vs 8.75% in Portland

03after rent

$6,581/mo

$758 more than Portland

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$303k

46% cheaper than Portland

vs $562k in Portland

05metro size

530k

vs 2.5M in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

226

pleasant days a year, in pensacola.

Portland only logs 178 pleasant days.

But the calendar thins out: Portland stays 4.7× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

21% lower than Portland

vs 87/100 in Portland

Closest outdoor draw: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 6.9 mi.

·walk score®

64/100

36% lower than Portland

vs 100/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

11

81% fewer than Portland

vs 57 nonstops in Portland

04 · see also

neighbors of pensacola on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

eugene

better park access

turn the page

see also

daytona beach

similar overall lifestyle

turn the page

see also

greenville

more things to do

turn the page

compare pensacola with:

EugeneDaytona BeachGreenville