01 · the cities
Seattle
Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.
full dispatch→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→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,193/mo
$1,781/mo
$412/mo less than Seattle (23%)
Median home price
Median home price
$791k
$562k
$229k less than Seattle
State income tax
State income tax
0%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,140/mo
$5,823/mo
Seattle has $317/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
182 days
178 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Portland has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Seattle.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
93 / 100
87 / 100
6.0 pts behind Seattle
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
90 routes
57 routes
33 fewer direct routes than Seattle
Metro size
Metro size
4.0M metro
2.5M metro
Seattle has 2.1x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
5
Seattle
categories won
2
Portland
categories won
Seattle leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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