$100k a year, no longer in Kansas City

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Portland, OR cityscape

swapping out of kansas city

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

$617

more each month than Kansas City ran you

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

19% more expensive than Kansas City(vs $1,502/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$337/mo more in state tax than Kansas City

vs 4.7% in Kansas City

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$617 less than Kansas City

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

04a house here

$562k

72% more expensive than Kansas City

vs $326k in Kansas City

05metro size

2.5M

vs 2.2M in Kansas City

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Kansas City only manages 170 of those.

A month here packs 1.5× the events of Kansas City.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

55% higher than Kansas City

vs 56/100 in Kansas City

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

·walk score®

100/100

6% higher than Kansas City

vs 94/100 in Kansas City

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

33% more than Kansas City

vs 43 nonstops in Kansas City

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