$100k salary, packing up from South Bend

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Portland, OR cityscape

next stop after south bend

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

$869

more each month than South Bend ran you

Portland is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
landable, recorded on the portland entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

28% more expensive than South Bend(vs $1,391/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$479/mo more in state tax than South Bend

vs 3% in South Bend

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$869 less than South Bend

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

04a house here

$562k

144% more expensive than South Bend

vs $230k in South Bend

05metro size

2.5M

vs 324k in South Bend

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

South Bend only logs 157 pleasant days.

A month here packs 7.2× the events of South Bend.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

64% higher than South Bend

vs 53/100 in South Bend

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

·walk score®

100/100

22% higher than South Bend

vs 82/100 in South Bend

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

533% more than South Bend

vs 9 nonstops in South Bend

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