$100k salary, packing up from Lafayette

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Portland, OR cityscape

next stop after lafayette

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

$928

the monthly premium over Lafayette

Portland is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

34% more expensive than Lafayette(vs $1,332/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$479/mo more in state tax than Lafayette

vs 3% in Lafayette

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$928 less than Lafayette

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

04a house here

$562k

181% more expensive than Lafayette

vs $200k in Lafayette

05metro size

2.5M

vs 414k in Lafayette

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Lafayette edges ahead with 211 pleasant days.

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

87/100

102% higher than Lafayette

vs 43/100 in Lafayette

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

·walk score®

100/100

18% higher than Lafayette

vs 85/100 in Lafayette

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

1800% more than Lafayette

vs 3 nonstops in Lafayette

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