with $100k coming in, swapping out of Raleigh

change
Portland, OR cityscape

instead of raleigh

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

$472

more expensive each month than Raleigh

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

7% more expensive than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$354/mo more in state tax than Raleigh

vs 4.5% in Raleigh

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$472 less than Raleigh

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

04a house here

$562k

28% more expensive than Raleigh

vs $440k in Raleigh

05metro size

2.5M

vs 1.5M in Raleigh

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Raleigh has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year.

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

87/100

50% higher than Raleigh

vs 58/100 in Raleigh

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

·walk score®

100/100

3% higher than Raleigh

vs 97/100 in Raleigh

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

46% more than Raleigh

vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh

04 · see also

cities that play in portland's register:

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