$100k salary, packing up from Tampa

change
Portland, OR cityscape

instead of tampa

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

$514

the monthly premium over Tampa

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

11% cheaper than Tampa(vs $1,996/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$729/mo more in state tax than Tampa

vs 0% in Tampa

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$514 less than Tampa

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

04a house here

$562k

51% more expensive than Tampa

vs $374k in Tampa

05metro size

2.5M

vs 3.3M in Tampa

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Tampa actually gets more: 243 pleasant days a year.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.6× more on the calendar than Tampa.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

40% higher than Tampa

vs 62/100 in Tampa

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

·walk score®

100/100

9% higher than Tampa

vs 92/100 in Tampa

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

16% fewer than Tampa

vs 68 nonstops in Tampa

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