with $100k coming in, swapping out of Chicago

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Portland, OR cityscape

swapping out of chicago

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

$72

cheaper each month than Chicago

Cost barely budges between Portland and Chicago. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

18% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$317/mo more in state tax than Chicago

vs 4.95% in Chicago

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$72 more than Chicago

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

04a house here

$562k

54% more expensive than Chicago

vs $365k in Chicago

05metro size

2.5M

vs 9.3M in Chicago

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Chicago only manages 153 of those.

Chicago hosts 10.5× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

24% higher than Chicago

vs 70/100 in Chicago

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

·walk score®

100/100

0% lower than Chicago

vs 100/100 in Chicago

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

74% fewer than Chicago

vs 217 nonstops in Chicago

04 · see also

neighbors of portland on the map of tradeoffs:

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