$100k salary, packing up from Detroit

change
Portland, OR cityscape

if you left detroit

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

$684

the monthly premium over Detroit

Portland costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

21% more expensive than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$375/mo more in state tax than Detroit

vs 4.25% in Detroit

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$684 less than Detroit

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

04a house here

$562k

115% more expensive than Detroit

vs $262k in Detroit

05metro size

2.5M

vs 4.3M in Detroit

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Detroit keeps to 160 pleasant days a year.

A month here packs 1.4× the events of Detroit.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

85% higher than Detroit

vs 47/100 in Detroit

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

·walk score®

100/100

1% higher than Detroit

vs 99/100 in Detroit

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

58% fewer than Detroit

vs 135 nonstops in Detroit

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