$100k salary, packing up from Atlanta

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Portland, OR cityscape

from atlanta

Portland

or · metro 2.5M

photo: Rufina Rusakova / pexels

a dispatch from

portland

OR

45.52°N

122.68°W

Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.

metro2.5M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$239

the monthly premium over Atlanta

You'd pay for Portland. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

2% cheaper than Atlanta(vs $1,814/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$272/mo more in state tax than Atlanta

vs 5.49% in Atlanta

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$239 less than Atlanta

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

04a house here

$562k

46% more expensive than Atlanta

vs $386k in Atlanta

05metro size

2.5M

vs 6.3M in Atlanta

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Atlanta has the edge here, logging 204 pleasant days a year.

But the calendar thins out: Atlanta stays 1.9× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

30% higher than Atlanta

vs 67/100 in Atlanta

Closest outdoor draw: Mt. Hood National Forest, 40.4 mi.

·walk score®

100/100

8% higher than Atlanta

vs 93/100 in Atlanta

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

74% fewer than Atlanta

vs 217 nonstops in Atlanta

04 · see also

same energy as portland, different zip code:

see also

albuquerque

$530/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

cincinnati

$629/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

salt lake city

$515/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare portland with:

AlbuquerqueCincinnatiSalt Lake City