$100k a year, no longer in Spartanburg

change
Portland, OR cityscape

if you left spartanburg

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

$535

more expensive each month than Spartanburg

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

24% more expensive than Spartanburg(vs $1,434/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$187/mo more in state tax than Spartanburg

vs 6.5% in Spartanburg

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$535 less than Spartanburg

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

04a house here

$562k

103% more expensive than Spartanburg

vs $277k in Spartanburg

05metro size

2.5M

vs 383k in Spartanburg

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Spartanburg actually gets more: 191 pleasant days a year.

A month here packs 8.2× the events of Spartanburg.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

28% higher than Spartanburg

vs 68/100 in Spartanburg

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

·walk score®

100/100

30% higher than Spartanburg

vs 77/100 in Spartanburg

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

185% more than Spartanburg

vs 20 nonstops in Spartanburg

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