with $100k coming in, swapping out of San Francisco

change
Portland, OR cityscape

if you left san francisco

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

$1,411

below San Francisco's monthly cost

Portland sits well below San Francisco on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

43% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$46/mo less in state tax than San Francisco

vs 9.3% in San Francisco

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$1,411 more than San Francisco

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

04a house here

$562k

55% cheaper than San Francisco

vs $1239k in San Francisco

05metro size

2.5M

vs 4.6M in San Francisco

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

San Francisco actually gets more: 312 pleasant days a year.

But the calendar thins out: San Francisco stays 2.1× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

5% higher than San Francisco

vs 83/100 in San Francisco

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

·walk score®

100/100

1% higher than San Francisco

vs 99/100 in San Francisco

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

49% fewer than San Francisco

vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco

04 · see also

if portland appeals, also worth a look:

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