on $100k a year, leaving Portland

change
Portland, OR cityscape

if you left portland

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

$400

under Portland, every month

Portland gives you room Portland doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

22% cheaper than Portland(vs $2,285/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$104/mo more in state tax than Portland

vs 7.5% in Portland

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$400 more than Portland

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

04a house here

$562k

4% more expensive than Portland

vs $543k in Portland

05metro size

2.5M

vs 566k in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Portland barely cracks 145 pleasant ones.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 4.0× more on the calendar than Portland.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

23% higher than Portland

vs 71/100 in Portland

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

·walk score®

100/100

2% higher than Portland

vs 98/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

2750% more than Portland

vs 2 nonstops in Portland

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