$100k a year, no longer in Buffalo

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Portland, OR cityscape

from buffalo

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

$649

more each month than Buffalo ran you

Portland costs more than Buffalo, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

30% more expensive than Buffalo(vs $1,374/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$242/mo more in state tax than Buffalo

vs 5.85% in Buffalo

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$649 less than Buffalo

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

04a house here

$562k

101% more expensive than Buffalo

vs $280k in Buffalo

05metro size

2.5M

vs 1.2M in Buffalo

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Buffalo only logs 152 pleasant days.

1.8× the events of Buffalo, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

32% higher than Buffalo

vs 66/100 in Buffalo

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

·walk score®

100/100

10% higher than Buffalo

vs 91/100 in Buffalo

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

185% more than Buffalo

vs 20 nonstops in Buffalo

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as portland:

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