01 · the cities
Portland
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.
full dispatch→Cincinnati
Cincinnati is chili served on spaghetti (Skyline and Gold Star will fight you about which is better), German heritage in Over-the-Rhine's beer halls, and a riverfront that looks straight across at Kentucky. OTR's brick warehouses have become one of the best urban revitalizations in the country. The Reds play in baseball's oldest professional city. Pronounce it correctly and the locals warm up fast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,781/mo
$1,549/mo
$232/mo less than Portland (15%)
Median home price
Median home price
$562k
$316k
$247k less than Portland
State income tax
State income tax
8.8%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,823/mo
$6,452/mo
Cincinnati has $629/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
178 days
162 days
16 fewer than Portland
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
7 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
26 days
days below 20°F per year
Cincinnati drops below 20°F on 24 more days per year than Portland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
87 / 100
72 / 100
15.0 pts behind Portland
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
57 routes
47 routes
10 fewer direct routes than Portland
Metro size
Metro size
2.5M metro
2.3M metro
Portland has 1.4x more events per month than Cincinnati.
the verdict
4
Portland
categories won
4
Cincinnati
categories won
Portland wins on weather and lifestyle, Cincinnati wins on money. Dead even.
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