on $100k a year, leaving Provo

change
Portland, OR cityscape

from provo

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

$380

more each month than Provo ran you

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

2% more expensive than Provo(vs $1,743/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$342/mo more in state tax than Provo

vs 4.65% in Provo

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$380 less than Provo

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

04a house here

$562k

1% more expensive than Provo

vs $559k in Provo

05metro size

2.5M

vs 733k in Provo

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Provo only manages 171 of those.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 123.0× more on the calendar than Provo.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

7% higher than Provo

vs 81/100 in Provo

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

·walk score®

100/100

12% higher than Provo

vs 89/100 in Provo

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

37% fewer than Provo

vs 91 nonstops in Provo

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