with $100k coming in, swapping out of Philadelphia

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Portland, OR cityscape

next stop after philadelphia

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

$73

pricier each month than Philadelphia

Almost a wash on cost. The case for Portland is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

5% cheaper than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$161/mo more in state tax than Philadelphia

vs 6.82% in Philadelphia

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$73 less than Philadelphia

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

04a house here

$562k

43% more expensive than Philadelphia

vs $393k in Philadelphia

05metro size

2.5M

vs 6.2M in Philadelphia

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Philadelphia barely cracks 173 pleasant ones.

But the calendar thins out: Philadelphia stays 1.5× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

26% higher than Philadelphia

vs 69/100 in Philadelphia

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

·walk score®

100/100

0% lower than Philadelphia

vs 100/100 in Philadelphia

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

53% fewer than Philadelphia

vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia

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